24 September 2021

Greens have welcomed the opportunity the Labour party has to pass a motion for electoral reform at their autumn conference. At least 144 Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) have submitted the Labour for a New Democracy motion [1] – the greatest number on a single issue in Labour conference history. 

Labour members overwhelmingly back reform, with 83% supporting a system of proportional representation [2], while 48% of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) have passed pro-PR policy and 144 have sent motions asking Labour to back PR to this year’s party conference. 

Zack Polanski, Green party spokesperson on Democracy and Citizen Engagement, said:

“There’s unprecedented demand for Proportional Representation among the Labour membership and CLPs. They deserve praise for their commitment to a fairer system that promotes democracy and equality. Like British voters, they are ready to move beyond the failure, division and sterility of two-party politics.

“Membership support for electoral reform is almost as strong as it is among Green members, and the Green Party has always supported proportional representation.

“There are fears that the Labour leadership will try again to kick the debate on electoral reform into the long grass or that a few will lobby hard for a no vote. This would be a serious blow to democracy which is already at risk from Tory attempts to gerrymander and suppress voting. 

“We urge Labour to listen to its members. If it does, proportional representation will become a cornerstone of the next Labour manifesto. If this happens, Labour will deserve huge credit for enriching our democracy.

“Labour has the opportunity to embrace its future as the largest party in a coalition government rather than condemning the country to another five years of disastrous Tory rule.”

ENDS

Notes

[1] https://labourforelectoralreform.org.uk/will-this-finally-be-prs-conference/ 

[2] https://labourlist.org/2021/07/exclusive-83-of-members-say-labour-should-back-proportional-representation/  

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24 September 2021

• Urgent need to address supply chain issues, rebuild local food economies, and move towards more plant-based food for a climate emergency

After weeks of bare shelves in many shops due to the impacts of Brexit and Covid-19 there are now further threats to food supplies from an emerging energy crisis. The Green Party says urgent action is needed to build resilience into the UK’s food supply systems.

Jonathan Elmer, Green Party spokesperson for the Natural World, said:

“The complex and multifaceted food crisis means there is a risk many will go hungry this autumn. That is why the Green Party is calling for an Emergency Food Resilience Summit to address questions of food supply and food poverty.

“Covid, Brexit and now the rise in gas prices have shown the lack of resilience in our food system. Importing nearly half of our food [1] and depending on lengthy supply chains leaves us highly vulnerable.

“A resilient food system would bring producers and consumers closer together. Farmers markets and local food coops, including community-supported agriculture, can make high-quality affordable food available locally, while also ensuring that more of the value of production stays with the farmer.

“We also need a public debate over how to change our eating habits in ways that help rather than worsen the climate crisis. Greens have long called for less meat eating and more plant-based food, alongside re-localised food supply chains, to reduce the climate impact of what we eat.”

The Green party also want a Food Resilience Summit to address the problems farmers and food producers are facing as a result of the UK leaving the single market and customs union. 

Former Green MEP, Molly Scott Cato, who used to sit on the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, said:

“Greens want the government to urgently conclude a veterinary deal with the EU and move towards rejoining the customs union. This would help British farmers rebuild the huge export losses they have sustained as a result of Brexit [2].”  

Notes:

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/food-statistics-pocketbook/food-statistics-in-your-pocket-global-and-uk-supply

[2] Brexit: food and drink exports to EU suffer ‘disastrous’ decline: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/sep/02/brexit-uk-food-drink-exports-eu-disastrous-decline

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20 September 2021

* Emergency grants to pay for simple insulation measures

* Large scale retrofit programme in the medium term

* Take back energy generation and sales into public ownership 

The Green Party has called for emergency grants to homeowners, landlords and councils to fund immediate insulation improvements to those at risk of fuel poverty this winter. The call comes in the wake of soaring energy prices.  

Zoe Nicholson, Green Party Green New Deal spokesperson, said:

“Soaring gas prices threaten to increase further the appalling levels of fuel poverty this winter. The Conservative government must shoulder the blame for this crisis. 

“Recently, the Green Homes grant, that offered households the opportunity to insulate their homes and power them with renewable energy, was axed. That’s why Greens are calling for emergency grants to be made available immediately so households facing the prospect of cold and damp homes this winter can pay for simple insulation measures.

“Of course, this short term fix is only needed because of years of government inaction on fuel poverty. Ultimately, we need to see the implementation of a large-scale nationwide insulation programme. This is a key part of the Green New Deal, which will ensure homes are warm and comfortable, reduce carbon emissions and create thousands of green jobs.” 

Greens have also repeated calls for energy to be taken back into public ownership. 

Molly Scott Cato, Green Party Finance and Economy spokesperson, said:

“With unsustainable deals to attract customers, and higher prices charged for those with less ability to pay, it’s clear that the market is failing in the energy sector. In a climate emergency it’s absurd to give responsibility for reducing demand to those who profit from selling the product. A resilient, fair and sustainable energy supply system can only be effective if politicians have the power to act which is why the Green Party is clear that our energy generation and supply systems should be brought back into public ownership.”

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