Reacting to the Met Office’s State of the Climate Report, published today, co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, has called on the Prime Minister to put climate resilience on a statutory footing. He said:

“England is facing its driest start to a year in my lifetime. Extreme weather is becoming the norm, and we are nowhere near prepared to protect our citizens. Our climate is fuelling extreme weather, and that is having direct and urgent consequences in the here and now.

He continued: ”We had the warmest spring on record, and we are in the middle of this summer’s third heatwave. The last three years have been among the top five warmest on record. The Government has not adequately prepared our infrastructure to protect our citizens.”  

”The Government must outline the steps they are taking to prepare for the increasing threat of extreme temperatures. This is not just about this summer, it’s about how we adapt as the climate crisis continues to escalate.”

“We need to safeguard the public from this rising climate threat. That is why the Prime Minister must put climate resilience on a statutory footing, requiring local councils and major infrastructure providers to carry out climate risk assessments for all projects.”

Green MP and co-leader Adrian Ramsay responded to the government bringing back  supplementary voting for combined authority ‘metro’ mayors, the Greater London Authority mayor, elected council mayors, across England; and Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales. 

“I look forward to the government now extending more democratic voting to General Elections and council elections as well. 

“This change in systems is welcome for Mayoral contests because it ensures voters can express their preferences and the outcome will better reflect people’s views. 

“We now need the government to wake up to the need to reform the General Election voting system, and the system for electing councillors. 

“We have a deeply undemocratic first-past-the-post system for General Elections, particularly now the tired, old two-party system has fractured. 

“That voting system also needs to change or we could once again find ourselves with a party with a majority of seats in Parliament won on a shrinking minority of votes.  

“We need every vote to count and for the public to feel that they have a real say in how the country is governed.” 

Responding to the new Anglo-French deal on small-boat crossings, Carla Denyer, Green Party Co-Leader, said:

“The only way to stop people making dangerous journeys across the channel is to introduce safe and managed routes for people to seek asylum in the UK. Anything else – including the impractical and unrealistic deal announced today – is a distraction.

“While our governments use migration as a political football, more people will lose their lives in the Channel fleeing violence, war or oppression because the only way for them to reach the UK is by putting their lives in the hands of people smugglers.

“Earlier this year a committee of MPs published a detailed analysis of how to improve the UK’s refugee and asylum policy, and recommended sensible measures including improving family reunion, restoring the resettlement scheme, and introducing a pilot refugee visa.

“Instead of scrambling to appear tough on migration with flawed scheme after flawed scheme, it’s time for the UK government to get practical about tackling small boat crossings, and urgently set up safe and managed routes for people to seek asylum in the UK.”

Reacting to revelations in the Telegraph that Rachel Reeves supported at least five taxes on wealth while a back bencher, co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, said:

“A former leader of her party backs it, so too do several unions. But it now turns out that Rachel Reeves herself backed wealth taxes – including equalising capital gains and income tax and reforming inheritance tax – while a back bencher.

“The chancellor needs to listen to the resounding cries for the introduction of taxes on wealth, including from the public – a new YouGov poll shows 75% are in favour of a 2% tax on wealth above £10 million. Rachel Reeves also needs to listen to Rachel Reeves, as it is clear that she, like the Green Party, has long championed the idea of taxing wealth fairly.”