26 November 2017

South West Green MEP, Molly Scott Cato, has welcomed support for a resolution on holding a ratification referendum, agreed at the European Green Party conference in Karlstad today [1]. Such a referendum, which has long been supported by the Green Party of England and Wales, would allow people a democratic choice between accepting the negotiated terms for Brexit or remaining part of the EU.

Scott Cato said:

“The European Green family has expressed concern about the chaotic nature of the UK government’s negotiating strategy, and the massive failure of transparency in its refusal to release detailed studies on the impact of Brexit.

“But the key focus of debate was the need for democratic decision-making on Britain’s future, which demands a ratification referendum on the final Brexit deal. This referendum needs to offer the option of remaining a member of the EU and be an open, honest and transparent vote.

“It was obvious that there was a serious and disturbing lack of honesty in the debate in the 2016 referendum, and it is becoming increasingly clear there has been a lack of transparency, and possibly outright illegality in the funding of the Leave campaigns.”

Natalie Bennett, Green Party former leader, who was in Karlstad, said:

“It was encouraging to receive the wholehearted support of the European Green family for the England and Wales Green Party’s position, and their understanding of the way in which the British people had been failed by the political system and media in the referendum debate.

“The Council also heard a scathing critique of the failings of the British political system and media from Sweden’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Margot Wallstrom (a Social Democrat), who addressed the Council.

“There was no desire at all to punish the British people for the referendum vote, or to harm British interests. What was heartening was the compassion and support for the British people in the midst of the uncertainty and turmoil.

“And, as the motion adopted expressed, there was a strong desire for us to remain as part of the European Union, in our interests, and those of the EU27.”

Notes:

1. https://europeangreens.eu/sites/europeangreens.eu/files/8.%20Adopted%20resolution%20Karlstad%20-%20On%20the%20UK%20ratification%20referendum.pdf

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23 November 2017

* Jonathan Bartley: ‘Ruling places right to protest under threat’

The Green Party has responded to a High Court ruling to continue an injunction obtained by Ineos, an energy company, which bans activities like trespass or obstruction at its fracking sites.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“This ruling places the right to protest under threat. Ineos have won a technical battle but they are on the wrong side of history and will not win the war. I have visited fracking sites across the country. I have seen the commitment, the energy, and the passion of those who know that fracking is bad for their communities and their country. Their opposition to fracking will never be silenced and the campaign for a future that’s clean and green will win out in the end.”

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22 November 2017

* ‘This could have been a Blue Planet Budget, but instead it’s a missed opportunity’

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party co-leader, has responded to the Budget. Lucas slammed the Government for failing to get to grips with the climate crisis – saying that this ‘should have been a Blue Planet Budget’ but ministers ‘ducked’ the opportunity to take action. 

She said:

“This should have been the Blue Planet budget, but instead the action we’re seeing on environmental protection is little more than a drop in the ocean. While the proposals on plastics are welcome, the Chancellor has ducked the opportunity to take bold action on climate change – the most pressing of all environmental threats.  Indeed continued tax breaks for oil & gas and the lack of serious new for solar risk locking us into a fossil fuelled future at the exact moment when we need to be leaving dirty energy sources in the ground. A plastic tax will help – but in the context of warming oceans and rising sea levels it simply isn’t enough. 

“When it comes to air pollution and transport we’re simply not seeing action that’s commensurate with the scale of the crisis. We needed a hefty Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and a fuel duty rise for diesel to take dangerously polluting cars off the road, but instead we saw just a tiny increase in VED for diesel cars – suggesting that the Government simply doesn’t understand the threat posed by filthy air. 

“The Government’s obsession with electric cars isn’t a panacea either – especially if they continue to be charged up with electricity from fossil fuelled power plants. Once again the Government has swerved at the chance to lower the cost of public transport for the majority – and ploughed ahead with its obsessive support for private cars.

“This Budget will lock in the pain of years of slashed budgets. Wave after wave of cuts have left our public services stretched to the limit and families up and down the country face poverty this Christmas – there’s hardly a scrap of good news in this budget for those with the least. We needed a change in direction from this callous Government, but instead this budget will lock more people in poverty with a continuation of the benefits freeze – and add further pressure on our schools, hospitals and local councils.

“The Government’s housing pledge doesn’t go near what’s needed to solve this crisis. We needed a specific focus on building social housing, which is genuinely affordable. Instead we have a housing target which could see homes built that people can’t afford to live in – and continued inaction on the spiraling rents we’re seeing in Brighton and Hove.”

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22 November 2017

Green MEP, Molly Scott Cato, has accused government ministers of saddling consumers with higher energy bills because they have had their ‘heads stuck in the radioactive sand’ over Hinkley.

The accusation comes as MPs on the Commons public accounts committee concluded that the government had failed to protect consumers over the price it has promised to pay for electricity from the new nuclear power station and that the subsidy contract would hit poorest households hardest [1]. The latest negative assessment of Hinkley follows news in September that the drop in costs of off-shore wind power has made it much cheaper than nuclear [2].

Hinkley is expected to cost billpayers £30bn over the 35-year contract, adding £10-£15 to the average household energy bill. The government agreed a price of £92.50 per megawatt hour for electricity generated from Hinkley. Meanwhile, two firms confirmed in September that they can build offshore wind farms for a guaranteed price of £57.50 per megawatt hour.

Molly Scott Cato said:

“The economic illiteracy of this government on energy policy is reconfirmed again. They have had their heads stuck in the radioactive sand on Hinkley and this will cost consumers dear; particularly the poorest in society.

“This tragedy is all so unnecessary. The South West and other parts of the UK are richly endowed with a variety of renewable energy resources, chief amongst them off-shore wind. We can cut both energy bills and carbon emissions by going all out for renewables.

“On the back of this new evidence I again challenge MPs in the South West to unite against the folly of Hinkley and back a renewable energy revolution. This would be good for consumers; good for jobs and good for the regional economy.” 

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22 November 2017

Green MEP Molly Scott Cato has accused government ministers of saddling consumers with higher energy bills because they have had their ‘heads stuck in the radioactive sand’ over Hinkley.

The accusation comes as MPs on the Commons public accounts committee concluded that the government had failed to protect consumers over the price it has promised to pay for electricity from the new nuclear power station and that the subsidy contract would hit poorest households hardest [1]. The latest negative assessment of Hinkley follows news in September that the drop in costs of off-shore wind power has made it much cheaper than nuclear [2].

Hinkley is expected to cost billpayers £30bn over the 35-year contract, adding £10-£15 to the average household energy bill. The government agreed a price of £92.50 per megawatt hour for electricity generated from Hinkley. Meanwhile, two firms confirmed in September that they can build offshore wind farms for a guaranteed price of £57.50 per megawatt hour.

Scott Cato said:

“The economic illiteracy of this government on energy policy is reconfirmed again. They have had their heads stuck in the radioactive sand on Hinkley and this will cost consumers dear; particularly the poorest in society.

“This tragedy is all so unnecessary. The South West and other parts of the UK are richly endowed with a variety of renewable energy resources, chief amongst them off-shore wind. We can cut both energy bills and carbon emissions by going all out for renewables.

“On the back of this new evidence I again challenge MPs in the South West to unite against the folly of Hinkley and back a renewable energy revolution. This would be good for consumers; good for jobs and good for the regional economy.” 

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