28 June 2018

Following the publication of the Intelligence and Security Committee’s reports into the torture of detainees, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas MP has called for a comprehensive and independent judge led inquiry into Britain’s involvement with extra-judicial torture and rendition.

Lucas said:

“These reports have taken 8 years to see the light of day and in that time there’s been damaging levels of secrecy and control by Government, including reported interference by the Trump administration. Despite their efforts, we now know more about the UK’s complicity in torture and rendition. However, a significant number of unanswered questions remain, including about cases that were deliberately excluded from the scope of the Committee’s inquiry.

“The whole truth still needs to come out, free from interference or censorship – and that can only be guaranteed by way of a comprehensive and independent judge led inquiry, building on the ISC’s findings and concluding its investigations. Today I am calling for such an inquiry. It is moral cowardice to continue to prevent all allegations of British involvement in rendition and detainee torture and mistreatment from being fully investigated – and it’s also no basis for an ethical and effective security policy going forward.”

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28 June 2018

Responding to today’s Committee on Climate Change progress report, Caroline Lucas calls it “a flashing red light on the dashboard”.

Lucas said:

“When even their own advisers have lost faith in this Government’s approach to tackling climate change, it’s clear we have reached crisis point. The Government should see this much stronger language from the Committee on Climate Change as a flashing red light on the dashboard – this is a national wake up call to Ministers who have for years failed to put in place the necessary policies to actually deliver the emission reductions we so urgently need.

“Yet from ditching onshore wind to ploughing millions into fracking, green-lighting climate-busting runways to burying their heads in the sand on building warm homes, this Government has done much the opposite. Ministers continue to fail to grasp the scale of the challenge we face – but also our collective capacity, as a nation, to overcome it. Now is the time to build an energy system built on the resources that we have in abundance: sun, sea and wind.”

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26 June 2018

The Green Party has called for the Government to launch a nationwide roll out of home insulation after a report published today showed the proportion of people living in fuel poverty went up in 2016.

The report, from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, showed the proportion of people living in fuel poverty went up between 2014 and 2016. [1]

It also showed the poorest in Britain to be worst effected, with the median income of those who are “fuel poor” at £10,325, compared to £24,050 for those who are “non-fuel poor”. [2]

Amelia Womack, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“Being able to heat your home should be a basic human right. Yet these figures show the proportion of people in Britain facing fuel poverty went up between 2014 and 2016 – with the poorest hit hardest. We know that fuel poverty not only has a detrimental effect on health, but it increases the risk of mental health problems and impacts children’s education.

“No one should have to choose between putting food on the table or heating their home, and it is outrageous that despite knowing people are living with these choices the Government hasn’t done anything to address the issue.

“The Government must urgently launch a national scheme of home insulation to ensure everyone is able to heat their home, as well as supporting community solar schemes to make energy more affordable. These measures should be backed up by a genuine living wage which gives people what they really need to survive in Britain today.” [3]

Notes:

1. Page 12: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/719106/Fuel_Poverty_Statistics_Report_2018.pdf
2. Page 4: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/719106/Fuel_Poverty_Statistics_Report_2018.pdf
3. Page 4: https://www.ncb.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/ncb_fuel_poverty_report.pdf

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25 June 2018

The Green Party of England and Wales today reacted to the news that the Government will not fund the Swansea Tidal Lagoon project.

Deputy Leader Amelia Womack, who stood for the party in Cardiff during the 2016 Assembly Election, chastised the announcement and described it as a terrible blow to Wales’ prospects as an environmentally sustainable nation.

Womack said:

“This is a bitter, dismal day for Wales and our clean energy future. This was a fantastic opportunity to use the country’s existing Green potential to provide for its citizens, as this pilot scheme could have been expanded across the country.

“Once again, we have seen that the Westminster Government has no vision for what a fossil-free future will look like.”

ENDS

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25 June 2018

*Lucas: Boris is ‘bulldozing his own reputation’ 

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party co-leader, said that Heathrow expansion puts a ‘wrecking ball’ through Britain’s climate policies. Lucas, who will vote against Heathrow expansion later today, said that a vote in favour would be ‘willingly waving the white flag to catastrophic climate change’ and that Boris Johnson is ‘bulldozing what is left of his own reputation’.

Caroline Lucas said:

“Heathrow expansion will put a wrecking ball through Britain’s climate policies, increase air pollution and blight the residents of West London. A vote in favour of expansion today will be willingly waving the white flat to catastrophic climate change, and betraying future generations. I urge MPs to unshackle themselves from the interests of the big business lobby and those who peddle overblown hype on job creation – and take a stand today. We need serious infrastructure investment in Britain – but that must be low-carbon, clean transport systems for the future – not a mega airport in West London. 

“The fact that Boris Johnson is set to miss the vote truly underlines his utter spinelessness. He stood against Heathrow as a point of principle – and has now fled the country to save his job, and maintain his disastrous political career. Boris Johnson said he’d lie down in front the bulldozers at Heathrow – but instead he’s now bowing out of politics for the day and bulldozing what is left of his own reputation.”

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