19 February 2020

Responding to the government’s proposals for its post-Brexit immigration plan, Green Party peer Natalie Bennett said:

“The UK has always been a country of immigrants and emigrants. This short-sighted and damaging proposal closes the door on both groups, for many countries will surely respond with similar restrictions on Britons. Immigrants contribute so much to our country’s prosperity and cultural and community life, we will all be the poorer under these plans.

“Whether it’s caring for us in hospital or providing day to day services we all rely on, migrants have played a huge role in making the UK a richer and more interesting country for all.

“Many traditional large and small business backers of the Tory Party are opposed to this move, and it is clear this is dog-whistle politics, playing to populist, discriminatory agendas.

“Instead of demonising migrants we should be recognising the immense contribution they make to this country and continue the free movement for EU citizens – with the corresponding rights for UK citizens across Europe. Young people should not have fewer freedoms and opportunities than their parents had.”

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13 February 2020

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:

“Theresa Villiers’ time as environment secretary was short yet still managed to be a missed opportunity. The Environment Bill she introduced actually weakened environmental protections when it should have done everything it could to tackle the catastrophic collapse in nature we are currently facing.

“George Eustice has now been given one of the most important jobs in government at a critical time. However, here is a man who has regularly voted against measures to address the climate crisis, supported the sell-off of state owned forests and has received a donation from a director of a climate sceptic organisation.

“At a time when the UK must lead the way by placing environmental protections ahead of economic growth and prioritising the well-being of people and nature, this is yet more time-wasting by a Prime Minister who fails to understand the urgency of the climate crisis.”

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13 February 2020

Green Party peer and former leader Natalie Bennett said:

“The Treasury is in urgent need of a radical shake up, but we won’t get the reform we need from a Conservative government. 

“The pursuit of endless growth has pushed our climate over a cliff, while failing to tackle poverty in the sixth richest nation in the world. We need to repurpose our economy to put people and planet first, investing in a Green New Deal and measuring the things which really matter like wellbeing, free time and environmental health, not just GDP. 

“With Johnson and Cummings now pulling the strings of the Chancellor like never before, expect more of the free market fundamentalism which is turbo charging the climate crisis and driving millions into misery.  In an age of climate emergency, we need real reform of our economy.”

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11 February 2020

“It is outrageous that the government, despite the court of appeal’s decision last night, went ahead with the deportation early this morning.

“This shows once again that the Government is unwilling to learn the lessons from the Windrush scandal.

“Individuals that have spent convictions and have not had proper legal representation, should not suffer separation from their families as an extra punishment for their crimes.

“Deporting people by stealth undermines confidence in our legal and immigration system. It demonstrates a government willing to bend the rules for a few good headlines in the press.“

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11 February 2020

Responding to the government’s decision to greenlight HS2, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:

”Today’s decision by Boris Johnson proves once again he will choose vanity projects over common sense.

“The economic and environmental case for HS2 has slowly crumbled since it was announced a decade ago. From whatever angle you look at it HS2 is a colossal white elephant.

“It is time to put this project out of its misery and instead allocate these funds to facilitating a local and green transport revolution.

“We need projects that favour regional connectivity and help local people in their daily lives. We need to invest in new rail connections that remove bottlenecks, increase rail freight capacity, improve journey times and frequencies, enhance capacity in the South West, Midlands and North and join up currently unconnected urban areas.

“If the government is serious about its so-called ‘levelling up’ of the economy, these are the kind of projects it needs to prioritise. That’s the only way to create a fairer and greener UK economy that truly works for everyone.“

ENDS

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