9 March 2020

The Green Party of England and Wales calls for an immediate and unconditional release of Houayheuang Xayabouly (known as Muay), an environmental activist and social media influencer, whose bravery in defending the environment has now resulted in her imprisonment. She has inspired people in Laos to fight for their rights and has fought against corruption and the influence that foreign businesses have on the lives of Laotians. Muay is currently serving 5 years in prison, separated from her 4 year old daughter and denied bail.

The Green Party stands in solidarity with Muay and other activists who are engaged in the struggle for a just and democratic Laos.

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5 March 2020

Greta Thunberg has today [Saturday 22 February] announced she will be visiting Bristol on Friday 28 February to join a Youth Strike 4 Climate demo. 

Councillor Carla Denyer started the national movement on Climate Emergencies in the UK by proposing the first one in Bristol.

She said: “Greta Thunberg and the millions of climate strikers she inspired have played such a crucial role in forcing climate change up the agenda and ensuring that politicians and other leaders cannot be seen to be ignoring the issue.

“We are delighted that Greta has decided to visit Bristol, particularly as were the first council in the UK to declare a Climate Emergency following a motion put forward by the Green Party.”

The voices of youth climate activists have been particularly powerful in Bristol recently, as Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate were at the frontline of the campaign against Bristol Airport expansion, alongside Extinction Rebellion, the Green Party and others. Despite the Labour Mayor and the Conservative Metro Mayor backing the airport expansion, the campaign was successful, and North Somerset councillors voted it down by 18 votes to seven.

Carla continued: “However, we all know that there is so much more to do, which is why it is vital activists such as Greta Thunberg continue holding policy makers to account and we continue to elect Greens who are able to make a difference in councils up and down the country.”

Sandy Hore-Ruthven, the Green Party mayor candidate for Bristol, said: “Greta is calling for our leaders to make decisions for the future, instead of repeating the mistakes of old. 

“Building new roads and expanding our airports is thinking from the last century. Instead we should be implementing policies to tackle climate change and make our city a fairer place. 

“We have the chance to listen to the next generation and elect Green leadership in the city on 7th May.”

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3 March 2020

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

“The government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak will require detailed and thorough scrutiny to ensure everything is being done to protect and care for the public.

“This will be a time of colossal change and the government has a duty of care to all those who will be adversely affected, including those who stand to lose out economically for example through increased bills or loss of income.

“As the number of cases escalates, Green councillors will be doing all they can to support their local communities and help them come together to look after the most vulnerable.

“In the Lambeth ward I represent, like Green councillors up and down the country, I will be working with colleagues to ensure the local authority is in a position to keep vital services running, as best they can. Government must also play its part in ensuring that local communities are empowered and supported to do so.”

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27 February 2020

Green Party transport spokesperson Caroline Russell, who was at the court for the ruling, said: 

“This decision shows business as usual has no place in a climate emergency. Of course we cannot expand aviation in the middle of a climate crisis.

“We are pleased the courts have upheld the will of Parliament on the need to tackle the climate emergency.

“It’s fantastic this is the first time in the world the Paris Agreement has been used as the basis for a ruling. 

“We hope it opens the door for more challenges to allow the people to take power back from big business and protect our planet.

“Greens across the country will continue to fight off expansion at airports across the country.”

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25 February 2020

Green Party deputy leader Amelia Womack said:

Just because the floodwaters will eventually go down doesn’t mean that the climate emergency is going away. We can’t only focus on floods when there’s a photo opportunity for a politician who has never used a mop in their life. This demands serious, long term action.

We can keep pouring concrete and building barriers, but the water will always find a way over as extreme weather gets worse and worse. What we need is better land management in the uplands, rewilding our countryside to make our environment more absorbent and resilient. 

Above all, we need to decarbonise by 2030, taking real climate action which stops our winters getting wetter and wetter. There’s no doubt about it – this is climate change, and it’s not just at our door, it’s in our living rooms. Only a Green New Deal can keep us on dry land.

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