27 February 2024

The Green Party has repeated calls for water companies to be brought into public ownership in response to the latest State of Our Rivers report [1]. This has found not a single waterway in England is in good overall health. The Rivers Trust study reveals that the impact of pollution from treated and untreated sewage and agricultural and industrial runoff means rivers are in a worse condition than ever.  

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: 

“The state of our rivers is a national scandal. Despite public outcry over our polluted waterways and coastline the latest State of Our Rivers report shows things haven’t improved since the last report in 2021.  

“For too long water companies and consecutive governments have failed to act. Taking our water companies into public ownership, so they work for people, not profit, will be a clear Green Party manifesto commitment.  

“For decades, money that should have been invested in improved infrastructure has been siphoned off to water company executives and shareholders. It’s time to flush this failed experiment with privatisation down the drain and for a service as vital as water and sewage to be run for the public good. 

“It should also be acknowledged that agricultural pollution contributes to 62% of waterways in England failing to meet good standards. We need to learn from the many innovative farmers who are using regenerative and organic farming methods that prevent chemical runoff into rivers.  

“Our rivers should be havens for wildlife and biodiversity and healthy places for people to enjoy. In too many cases they more closely resemble open sewers. Green MPs will make cleaning up our act on water pollution a key priority.” 

Notes 

[1] https://theriverstrust.org/rivers-report-2024  

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26 February 2024

 As Lee Anderson doubles down on his controversial comments made over the weekend [1], when he claimed “Islamists” had got “control” over London and that the mayor, Sadiq Khan had “given our capital city away to his mates”, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, said:  

“It is deeply concerning that neither Rishi Sunak nor his deputy have felt able to condemn the obnoxious Islamophobic remarks made by Lee Anderson, that mirrored remarks made earlier by the Home Secretary Suella Braverman.  

“It is worth noting that the comments made by Anderson came on the same day that Tell MAMA, a national service supporting victims of anti-Muslim hate, announced that there had been a 335% increase in anti-Muslim hate cases since October 7 last year [2]. 

“It is frankly sickening that the extreme right of the Conservative Party are inflaming already ignited community tensions.  

“Sunak needs to recall his pledge to act with integrity and challenge the divisive and dangerous rhetoric being used by some of his MPs.  

“We need our leaders to work for unity rather than creating division. For some time, senior Conservative Muslims have been raising concerns about the extent of Islamophobia in their party and criticizing the failure of the leadership to tackle it. Sunak needs to make clear that there is no place for such views in his party, and to instigate an immediate review of Islamophobia.” 

Notes 

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/feb/26/rishi-sunak-lee-anderson-islamophobia-row-conservatives-tories-keir-starmer-labour-uk-politics-live?page=with%3Ablock-65dc80798f080da5c0a0af3b#block-65dc80798f080da5c0a0af3b  

[2] Greatest Rise in Reported Anti-Muslim Hate Cases to Tell MAMA since Oct 7th – TELL MAMA (tellmamauk.org)

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26 February 2024

Green votes at the coming General Election will transform the UK, party leaders from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland declared today. 

Meeting in London, the leaders pointed to how Green votes have already transformed people’s lives, from local councils and Westminster to the Scottish government.  

Although each are an independent party, all agreed a common experience of the devastating impact of 14 years of Conservative government, and a shared vision of the policies needed to tackle the climate and cost of living crises. 

Green Party of England and Wales co-leader Carla Denyer said:  

“We are looking to build on Caroline Lucas’ outstanding record and aim to quadruple the number of Green MPs in England in Parliament at the next election. The next generation of Green MPs will work flat out to push our bold ideas on tackling the housing crisis, bringing down sky-high energy bills and cutting climate-wrecking emissions. Our MPs will be dedicated to creating a fairer tax system, including a tax on the super-rich, and ensuring our public services work for people not profit.” 

Scottish Greens co-leader, and Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater said:  

“The Scottish Greens became the first party anywhere in the UK to enter Government, when we formed a co-operation agreement with the Scottish Government after the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections. And I am so proud of what we’ve achieved since then. But this success didn’t happen overnight. It came on the back of 20 years of Green MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, being the progressive voices of transformative change, and building a track record of our party being a constructive but radical opposition force.” 

Wales Green Party Leader Anthony Slaughter said:  

“Wales Green Party will be running its biggest ever General Election campaign – a full slate across the country, aiming to get our highest ever national vote share. This will mark the start of our campaign for Senedd 2026 where we are on track to get our first Greens elected, providing the Green representation and scrutiny that our national parliament needs.” 

 Green Party of Northern Ireland leader Malachai O’Hara said:  

“With a restored Assembly in Northern Ireland, after yet another hiatus with no Executive, the need for more Green MPs across the UK has never been greater. Northern Ireland has a shameful environmental record. We are the 12th worst place in the world for biodiversity loss and emit more per capita emissions than any other part of the UK. We face a housing crises and public services are on their knees. Green MPs from Northern Ireland will join our siblings from across the UK to fight for a cleaner, greener and fairer future for all.”

Notes

[1] The leaders of Green parties organising across the UK are: 

• England & Wales: Co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay 
• Scotland: Co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater 
• Wales Green Party: Anthony Slaughter 
• Green Party Northern Ireland: Malachai O’Hara

Photo of UK Green Party leaders attached. From L to R: Lorna Slater, Partick Harvie, Malachai O’Hara, Carla Denyer, Anthony Slaughter and Adrian Ramsay

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24 February 2024

On the second anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: 

“This second anniversary is a reminder of the high costs of war and the continuing need to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine, whose land has been invaded and homes attacked by the Putin regime. 

“The Russian invasion was entirely unjustified, and its troops must withdraw from all the land it has invaded and annexed. 

“The UK government should be doing much more to tighten sanctions on Russia. In just one week this month Russia exported 21 million barrels of crude oil and 1.45 million cubic metres of liquefied natural gas. [1] 

“Sales of these fossil fuels are helping the government raise the funds needed to produce the missiles and drones used to attack Ukrainian civilians. They must be stopped through an effective international sanctions regime. 

“Too many UK-headquartered companies are still doing business in Russia when they should long ago have cut all commercial ties with the Putin regime. The UK government should act and tell them to leave now. 

“The UN General Assembly has called for Russia’s unconditional withdrawal, a just and lasting peace based on the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities. A just peace must also include the investigation and prosecution of war crimes. 

“We will continue to support the Ukrainian people’s right to enjoy peace, democracy and self-determination. The Green Party stands with Ukraine, applauds its resistance to invasion and aggression and recognises its right to exist as an independent, free country.” 

NOTES to EDITORS 

[1] Analysis is provided by Global Witness, a climate advocacy group. Global Witness is working in collaboration with the Russian Tanker Tracking Group, made up of representatives of the Ukrainian government, academics, technical experts and former politicians – https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/stop-russian-oil/  

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13 February 2024

In response to government proposals announced today, where Councils would be required to approve new development on brownfield land even if it fails to meet standards for decent quality homes; be encouraged to repurpose former commercial buildings into flats; and remove restrictions on how big a building can be before a developer has to apply for planning permission [1], Green Party co-leader, Carla Denyer, said: 

“Greens believe that tackling the housing crisis while ensuring green spaces are protected requires local councils and government to sign up to a new Right Homes, Right Place, Right Price Charter [2].  

“Brown field sites are definitely the right place to prioritise new or repurposed housing. However, they must be the right homes – decent homes built to the highest environmental standards to bring down energy bills. Developments must also provide the kind of housing where people actually want to live – then it will be supported by local communities. We must not allow developers to ride roughshod over local wishes. Windowless bedsits in converted office blocks that fail to meet decent space standards will not be considered the right homes for the vast majority of people. 

“Not once in the Government’s new consultation on developing on brownfield sites is the word ‘affordable’ mentioned. Affordability is fundamentally important. This means a huge increase in new social housing, and ending the Tories ‘Right to Buy’ policy on these homes, which is causing a massive nationwide reduction in council housing [2]. Councils must also be given powers to introduce rent controls in areas where private rents are out of control, alongside a ban on no-fault evictions to stop unscrupulous landlords making tenants homeless just so they can increase rents between tenancies.”  

Notes: 

1. Strengthening planning policy for brownfield development – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
2. Greens call for Right Homes, Right Place, Right Price Charter to beat housing crisis and protect green space | The Green Party
3. https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/almost-60000-homes-sold-through-right-buy-will-not-be-replaced-2030

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