29 August 2023

Responding to the news that the government is scrapping ‘nutrient neutrality’ rules as a way to boost house building [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay has warned it could lead to the ecological collapse of our waterways and has repeated a call to take water back into public ownership. 

Nutrient neutrality rules were put in place in 2017 by the EU. The rules prevent local authorities giving the go-ahead to new developments that are projected to add to river nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates, either through wastewater from new homes or run-off from building sites.

Ramsay said:

“It is beyond credulity that the government’s answer to dealing with our toxic rivers is to water down regulations and allow even more filth to flow into them. There’s a risk that scrapping nutrient neutrality rules will result in the complete ecological collapse of our waterways.

“Rather than weakening regulation we need firmer controls on private water companies and hugely profitable housebuilders. The Green Party would do this by taking water companies into public ownership, ending the siphoning off of profits to shareholders and investing instead in cleaning up our act. We’d also have a clear focus on affordable, high quality and environmentally friendly homes, by investing in a large scale council house building programme.

“The government’s reckless actions once again put the spotlight on Labour. Will they pledge that a future Labour government will reinstate rules which prevent developments polluting our waterways?”

Notes

1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/28/uk-rivers-at-risk-as-michael-gove-rips-up-rules-on-new-housing 

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25 August 2023

Responding to the new Ofgem price cap [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“The new price cap underlines the urgent need for a government-backed home insulation programme targeted, in the first instance, at those most at risk of fuel poverty.

“The government should be announcing today funding and support for local councils to start a mass programme of cost-saving home insulation. With the right funding and determination, such a scheme could start to help people from this winter.

“Even with a lower price cap, bills are still higher than before the energy crisis and are likely to remain high for the future.

“Figures released earlier this week suggested that almost half of all British households – 13m homes – said they did not turn on their heating when it got cold last winter [2].

“The average home could save hundreds of pounds a year with decent insulation [3] and the government needs to support councils to reach them as soon as possible

“Insulating people’s homes means they can stay warm while using less energy,savemoney and produce fewer harmful carbon emissions.

“A mass programme of government-backed, council delivered home insulation starting before winter is a win-win solution for people and the planet.

“Government support should extend an emergency grant to homeowners and landlords aiming urgent support at those most in need.

“And it is well beyond time to break the link between electricity and gas prices that so distorts the market that it pushes up electricity prices for the public even as cheaper renewable electricity sources could be pushing prices down.

“We have the opportunity now, starting with support for the most at-risk people, to create warmer, more comfortable homes and in the process create millions of jobs, reduce bills and cut carbon emissions.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/energy-prices-fall-again-winter

2

https://www.which.co.uk/policy-and-insight/article/too-scared-to-put-the-heating-on-13-million-households-not-heating-their-homes-when-its-cold-due-to-energy-bill-fears-which-warns-aXpY84U6BJaS

3

https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/insulation/insulation-cost-and-savings

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the Press Office press@greenparty.org.uk 0203 691 9401

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24 August 2023

Reacting to today’s GCSE results, Vix Lowthion, Green Party Lifelong Education spokesperson, said: 

“Many students will rightly be proud of the GCSE, BTEC and T-Levels grades they have got today – outcomes achieved through hard work and excellent teaching. It’s a day to congratulate both students and teachers.  

“However, in education as in every other policy area, levelling up is just a slogan. The attainment gap between students from more affluent backgrounds and those from disadvantaged situations has grown ever wider under this Conservative government.

“We know that growing levels of poverty impact on being able to eat nutritious food, the quality of housing and having access to books and the internet which all have negative consequences on opportunities for child development and learning. The attainment of disadvantaged pupils is calculated to be 1.5 years behind that of their non-disadvantaged peers by the end of secondary school. 

“We must address the country’s chronic inequality by increasing taxes on the super-rich to raise the funds needed to boost key public services like health and education and to bring down the cost of living for the poorest in society through programmes like mass home insulation.” 

“The Green Party also believes that a move towards continuous assessment and away from a system of high stakes exams is critical to closing the attainment gap.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the Press Office press@greenparty.org.uk 0203 691 9401

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22 August 2023

The Green Party has today repeated a call for a 10:1 pay ratio to ensure that the highest paid individuals in an organisation receive no more than ten times the amount of the lowest paid. 

The call comes as this year’s annual report by the High Pay Centre reveals that median pay for FTSE 100 CEOs increased by half a million pounds, from £3.41m to £3.91m between 2021 and 2022. Median FTSE CEO pay is now 118 times that of the median UK full-time worker [1]. 

Co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay, said:

“The UK’s leading fat cat bosses are raking in obscene levels of pay while many of their workers struggle to make ends meet in a cost of living crisis. That’s why the Green Party is repeating a call for a 10:1 pay ratio, mandated by law, to ensure that the highest paid individuals in an organisation receive no more than ten times the amount of the lowest paid.

“Such a policy would drive an uplift in wages for the lowest paid workers while addressing rampant and ever-widening inequality. 

“We also know it is the wealthiest that are having a hugely disproportionate impact on the climate crisis. The world’s richest 1% are responsible for 15% of carbon emissions, nearly twice as much as the poorest 50% [2]. It is clear that a 10:1 pay ratio would help create a fairer and greener country.” 

Notes

1. https://highpaycentre.org/ftse-100-ceos-get-half-a-million-pound-pay-rise/  

2. https://news.sky.com/story/wealthiest-1-polluter-elite-are-driving-global-carbon-emissions-says-new-report-12274350 

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17 August 2023

Responding to today’s A Level results, Vix Lowthion, Green Party Lifelong Education spokesperson, said: 

“All students collecting their results today should be applauded for their unique achievements – this Class of 2023 never sat their formal GCSE exams, and so congratulations are in order for all staff and students who have worked hard to get their grades.

“Yet the disadvantage gap at A Level remains too wide, with poorer pupils continuing to lag behind the most privileged. At current rates of progress this gap will never close. Class sizes in state schools in England are the highest since records began – and this Conservative government has no policies, plans or funding proposals to address this.

“In addition to the challenges in schools, students who are planning to take the next steps and go to university face the significant costs of tuition fees and also possible continued disruption due to industrial action as a consequence of the refusal of some universities to negotiate a resolution with lecturers. 

“Young people achieving today are owed a lot more support throughout their future than they have been granted by this government in the last 13 years. 

“The Green Party remains committed to abolishing tuition fees for university students, and to properly funding education at school, vocational and university levels. It is only through investing in our young people that we can ensure they have all the opportunities that they deserve.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the Press Office press@greenparty.org.uk 0203 691 9401

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