Greens: Rising fuel poverty hitting poorest hardest

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:

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Greens: Swansea Tidal Lagoon decision proves there is no plan for Wales’ energy future

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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Caroline Lucas: Heathrow expansion puts a wrecking ball through climate policies

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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Green co-leader to join week of action at Lancashire fracking site

13 June 2018

* Jonathan Bartley to visit Preston New Road at 2pm on Thursday 21 June

* Visit culminates week of action in face of wide-ranging anti-protest injunction

* Bartley: “Fracking is a dying industry and it is time the Government finished it off for good.”

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, will travel to Preston New Road tomorrow [1] to join anti-fracking protestors as they reach the end of a week of intensified action.

Throughout the week Greens from across the country have travelled to Lancashire to join protests despite a wide ranging injunction around the site secured by fracking company Cuadrilla on June 1 [2].

Green Peer Jenny Jones will join Bartley at Preston New Road on Friday. Other prominent Greens to have joined the protest include Amelia Womack, deputy leader, who visited on Monday, and Natalie Bennett, former leader, who visited on Wednesday.

Bartley said:

“The frackers have tried to stop peaceful protest in Lancashire – but we will not be silenced. Fracking is a dying industry and it is time the Government finished it off for good.

“Across the country we have seen injunctions rolled out in a bid to curtail dissent, from the fracking site at Preston New Road to the tree campaign in Sheffield. But we will not give in to these bully tactics.

“Fracking for gas will wreck our climate targets and risks contaminating local environments. The community in Lancashire said no to fracking here and it is an honour to join them on the front line of this fight.

“Instead of pursing the dirty, dangerous fracking industry the Government should be investing in cheaper, cleaner renewable energy for the future.”

Notes:

1. Jonathan Bartley will visit campaigners at the Preston New road fracking site in Lancashire at 2pm on Thursday 14 June.

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Green Party: Pimlico Plumbers ruling a victory for workers’ rights

13 June 2018

Green Party press release

For immediate release: 13 June 2018

Green Party: Pimlico Plumbers ruling a victory for workers’ rights

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, has responded to news that the Supreme Court has ruled a Pimlico Plumbers worker was not self-employed [1].

Bartley said:

“This is a victory for workers’ rights. The bogus use of self-employed contracts in the gig-economy has seen countless workers left without basic rights like decent pay, sick and holiday leave and, most importantly, job security. Pimlico plumbers must now do the right thing and end its use of self-employment contracts all together.”

Notes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44465639

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