6 January 2020

The Green Party has called for new legislation to ensure chief executives are not paid more than ten times any of their workers as it was revealed FTSE 100 bosses earn 117 times the annual pay of the average worker.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, made the call on Fat Cat Day [Monday 6 January], the day of the year when bosses of the UK’s top 100 companies have already earned more than the typical worker earns in an entire year. 

Green Party policy would legislate a 10:1 pay ratio between the highest and lowest paid workers in any company. Greens would also support the ban on any bonuses exceeding the annual wage of the lowest paid worker in the organisation granting the bonus. 

The Party would also take action to address the gender pay gap (currently 8.9%), which sees men receive disproportionately higher salaries than female employees.

Jonathan Bartley said: “It is outrageous that fat cat bosses are taking home such vast amounts of money while many of their workers are struggling to make ends meet.

“Such huge disparities only serve to fuel the rampant inequality that is pulling away at the fabric of our society. A lower pay ratio would not only benefit both employees and the company itself, but would also help reduce the ever-widening inequality that is harming communities across the country.

“It is also vital that companies are doing everything they can to close the gender pay gap, which is why we would also want to see all large and medium size companies to carry out equal pay audits and redress and inequality uncovered.”

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3 January 2020

A Green Party spokesperson said: “The Green Party condemns the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani as an affront to responsible diplomacy and a disproportionate and deliberately provocative act in a volatile region.

“We call on the UK government to condemn the attack with the utmost urgency and at the highest level, and to work with US colleagues to counter President Trump’s reckless and dangerous foreign policy.

“The Green Party has always believed and continues to believe that aggressive actions that risk war are never the answer.

“General Soleimani was implicated in violence throughout the region, including attacks on US soldiers, which we would also condemn. However, a responsible and ethical foreign policy would involve bringing an end to this violence through peaceful means, rather than escalating it and risking extreme further escalation.

“It is critical that we see a de-escalation from both sides to allow proper diplomatic talks to take place.”

ENDS

For more information please contact: press@greenparty.org.uk / 0203 691 9401  

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3 January 2020

The Met Office has today issued new figures which show that four new temperature records were set in 2019, including the highest winter and summer temperatures.

Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green Party, said: “The climate crisis is at our doorstep yet all we have seen so far from political leaders is inaction and empty pledges.

“The world has been horrified by the fires in Australia and floods in Indonesia which have killed dozens of people and caused untold damage. Today’s Met Office figures show that nowhere is immune to the impact of climate change.

“The 2020s will be a critical decade in the fight to prevent runaway climate change, the effects of which will have a major impact on us all.

“The UK government has a responsibility to its own people and the rest of the world to step up and lead the way in taking action on the climate emergency.

“It is not too late for the government to adopt a net-zero carbon emissions target of 2030 and bring forward a transformative Green New Deal as has already been set out by the Green Party.”

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13 December 2019

Caroline Lucas has been re-elected as MP for Brighton Pavilion for a third time. Lucas received 33,151 votes, a majority of 57.2%, up 4.9%.

The former Green Party Leader was first elected to Parliament in 2010 and has played a vital role in raising climate change up the agenda and holding other parties to account.

Green Party Co-Leader Jonathan Bartley said:

“We are so proud of everything that Caroline has achieved in Parliament over the last nine years. She will now continue to lead the fight against climate chaos.”

Caroline Lucas MP said:

“I feel incredibly proud that my majority has increased because it demonstrates that Brighton Pavilion continues to believe in compassion, justice and a bigger future.

“That matters so much when the status quo in this country is intolerable – and when we are now on course for it to become even more so.

“As well as proud I feel deeply angry too that our political system is so badly broken and is still letting individuals and our country down so badly. It has been doing so for decades.

“It has locked out millions and ignored their voices for years. And it’s our children and the climate that will pay the highest price of all.

“This may well have been a Brexit election but it was also the Climate Election and I am determined to make this the Climate Parliament.”

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13 December 2019

Greens have increased their vote numbers by over 60% this election, which no other party has achieved.

More than 850,000 voters backed the Greens, beating the Brexit Party by at least 200,000 votes. 

Green candidates in nearly 500 constituencies persuaded people to vote based on their Green New Deal promise to tackle the climate crisis, transform the economy and build a better country by putting citizens’ wellbeing at the heart of Government.  

Welcoming the Green surge, Sian Berry, Green candidate for Mayor of London and party co-leader, said: 

“This fantastic result is all down to the hard work of our amazing Green Party members.

“We all knew a December election was going to be hard work, but they have excelled themselves, stuffing envelopes, knocking doors and pounding pavements despite the weather to make sure we reached as many voters as we could.

“Their tireless efforts have paid off, with more than 850,000 votes.

“It’s just a shame that our broken first past the post system will not recognise the true political will of the people and I look forward to the day we win proportional representation so we can see our votes fully reflected in the number of Green MPs.”

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, was one of the big winners of the night, increasing her share of the vote by 4.9% to a total of 57.2%.

Other highlights included Carla Denyer taking second place in Bristol West with a 12% increase in vote share to 25%. 

Jonathan Bartley also came second in Dulwich and West Norwood, with a 14% hike in vote share up to 16.5%. 

Greens also saw an 11.5% increase in Bury St Edmunds and won 15.2% of the vote on the Isle of Wight.

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