Responding to new data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (1) showing that the global temperature was the highest on record for a January, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer MP said: 

“In light of this latest scientific evidence, it would be dangerously foolish to do anything to put our burning world in even greater danger. 

“Yet that is exactly what the government is doing – determined to expand Heathrow and Gatwick airports and refusing to rule out giant new oil and gas fields at Rosebank and Jackdaw coming on stream. 

“Indeed, Equinor, one of the oil giants wanting to exploit the Rosebank field, has decided to cut promised investments in renewables in favour of increased oil and gas production. (2) 

“The government is sending totally the wrong signals to the markets. We need a government committed to speeding up the transition away from fossil fuels. The government must make it clear now that it will not allow new North Sea oil and gas drilling go ahead. 

“We must also get serious about how we make our communities more resilient to the now-unavoidable impacts of climate change. We need our homes and our communities to be fit for the future.” 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

1. Climate puzzle persists with unexpectedly warm January – BBC News 

2. Norwegian oil giant Equinor cuts green investment in half – BBC News 

Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay MP has responded to the news that local elections in a number of parts of England this May will cancelled saying: “It’s hard to think of anything more anti-democratic than cancelling elections ahead of a significant change in local democracy. It’s straight out of an authoritarian playbook.

“How can the Government claim an electoral mandate for these major changes if those most impacted see their elections cancelled?  

“The Green Party is urging the Government to protect democracy, allow these long-planned elections to take place and get around the table with elected representatives of all parties to discuss how to make devolution work for people in local areas across the country. 

“We want decisions closest to where they have the greatest impact with significant devolution of powers and funding from Westminster. That is the way to keep the vital connection between the politicians making decisions and those affected by them and avoid further alienation from the political process. The imposition of huge, remote councils against the will of local people would fly in the face of local democracy.”

Responding to President Trump’s remarks overnight, Green Party MP, Ellie Chowns, said,

“The forced movement of a people from their homeland is ethnic cleansing. These comments advocating for ethnic cleansing have to be understood in the context of the mounting evidence of genocide in Gaza occurring over the last year. The people of Gaza are not obstacles to be removed; they are human beings with the right to live with dignity, security, and self-determination. Britain, and our international allies must today respond in the strongest terms condemning Trump’s reckless remarks.”

She continued, “Britain must take the opportunity today to reiterate the Palestinian right to self-determination. And if we are serious about this, we should clearly state our support for Palestinian statehood. This is the bare minimum that is required at this stage.”

“Strategically now it is essential that none of these words fan the flames of conflict and jeopardise the precious ceasefire that is currently in place. The United States has an absolute legal obligation to follow international law, but it also has a moral obligation to ensure it works towards supporting the ongoing respect of the ceasefire.”

Responding to the news that Ofsted is considering a new approach to inspecting education providers and introducing ‘report cards’ for schools, Green Party Education Spokesperson, Vix Lowthion, said:

“Ofsted isn’t working. For teachers or parents. We’ve seen the toxic impact it can have on teachers and we know it doesn’t serve children. These reforms are too close to the previous failed model. We must instead scrap Ofsted and end the era of forcing teachers into narrowly defined boxes. To replace it we need a collaborative model connecting teachers on the frontline with local experts. By connecting them with specialists in pedagogy, child development and social care we can encourage teacher retention, tailor support to local circumstances and drive much better local and national outcomes.”