20 July 2022

Responding to the announcement that the government has granted development consent for the new Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who is parliamentary candidate for Suffolk, said:

“The country needs investment in renewable energy and insulation at scale to address the cost of living and climate crises, not outdated and unproven technology that will be a drain on bill payers for the next 75 years. The government is dumping the £20bn price tag onto people who are already struggling with the cost of living crisis. 

“This outdated design is also far too slow to help solve our climate and energy emergencies. The stated development time is 12-15 years but we have little confidence in the timescale given the current two year construction delay at Hinkley Point. Renewables can be delivered far quicker. 

“This decision is politically driven by a misguided energy security policy, which calls for a massive boost in nuclear energy. There are much cheaper and less damaging renewable technologies available to supply the power we need.”

Notes

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-62235221 

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19 July 2022

Responding to news the High Court has effectively ruled the government’s climate strategy “illegal and inadequate [1]” Green Party co-leader, Adrian Ramsay said:

“In the middle of the UK’s record breaking heatwave, the High Court has ruled the government’s climate strategy is illegal and inadequate. Meanwhile, Conservative leadership candidates drag their feet on net zero pledges. 

“Boris Johnson’s legacy is one of rhetoric not matched by action when it comes to climate. Climate scientists are clear: the exceptional temperatures we are experiencing are related to climate change. We need Johnson’s successor to not only commit to net zero but also identify a clear pathway on how we get there. 

“This must mean joined up government. We cannot have climate promises being delivered by one minister while another minister is giving permission for new coal, oil and gas developments or massive new road-building.

“And this week has shown that real and urgent action must be taken to plan how we adapt to the extreme weather that’s already built in – including how we protect vulnerable people and adapt services and infrastructure.

“We have all grown tired of the empty promises made by politicians that are not translated into real and urgent climate action. The ruling by the High Court reinforces that the government must set out in detail how it will achieve net zero.”

Notes

1. https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/net-zero-heatwave-climate-change-b2125951.html 

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19 July 2022

Ahead of the government announcement on this year’s pay deal for 2.5 million public sector workers, including teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, and members of the armed forces [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay commented:

“They worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, helping to keep society functioning and people cared for. Now they need to be supported through this cost of living crisis. A pay offer that falls well short of the rate of inflation will be a slap in the face for our highly valued public sector workers. We need to see a pay rise in line with inflation for all public sector workers, fully paid for by the Treasury. That is the right and fair thing to do.

“The Green Party would fund public sector pay rises by taxing wealthy people which would also help balance consumption across the economy and keep inflation under control.. In the economy more broadly, supporting ordinary people must be the priority, so we also believe there should be cuts to dividends for shareholders before forcing workers to take a real terms pay cut.”

Notes

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62206733 

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18 July 2022

Green councillors across England are backing a Local Government Association (LGA) call for the reinstatement of remote hybrid council meetings [1]. They say emergency regulations during the Covid lockdowns that gave councillors the choice of attending in person or remotely via the Internet should become a permanent feature. Green MP Caroline Lucas last week tabled an Early Day Motion in parliament calling on the government to make democracy more accessible “by making permanent the express provision for hybrid council meetings [2].” The move away from hybrid meetings applies only to England; remote council meetings brought in during the pandemic continue to work effectively in Wales. 

North Somerset Green councillor Dr Karin Haverson said:

“Greens believe the reinstatement of hybrid meetings is essential to the democratic process. Enforcing attendance at person only meetings restricts disabled people and people with caring responsibilities to fully and fairly participate. Research by the LGA revealed that following a return to forced in-person meetings 72 per cent of councils saw a drop in councillor attendance at statutory council meetings. We need to make it as easy as possible for people from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances to become councillors and for those elected to represent their communities. That means the reinstatement of hybrid council meetings – permanently.”

Councillor Blossom Gottlieb, a disabled Green District councillor in East Hampshire, who worked with Caroline Lucas on the EDM, has been prevented from attending meetings due to the return of the in-person legislation. She said:

“It’s alarming that since May 7 2021, councillors who need it haven’t had access to remote meetings. This is ableist legislation by the government’s own definition [3] and also means councillors are travelling for meetings that could otherwise be held online, which is often the greenest option. I’m disappointed that so much of my time as a councillor has been spent battling against discrimination. This is just one symptom of our failing governmental system.”

Green MP Caroline Lucas said:

“Democracy is precious – it belongs to us all. Disabled people, carers, single parents, and all others must have open, easy access to the democratic processes. I’m pleased to have worked with Cllr Blossom Gottlieb on this EDM calling for accessible council meetings – and I urge everyone to ask their MP to sign.”  

Notes

1. LGA calls for urgent legislation for remote council meetings – LGA

2. Accessible council meetings – Early Day Motion

3. https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers 

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18 July 2022

• Inaction during heatwave is latest example of Conservative government ignoring climate crisis

As millions of people prepare for exceptionally high temperatures over the next two days, the Green Party has warned that the government’s inaction could lead to people’s deaths during the heatwave [1].

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“This Conservative’s government inaction in the face of the climate emergency is costing lives both here in the UK and abroad.

“For too long successive governments have had their head in the sand when it comes to the climate crisis.  Boris Johnson may have talked up climate action before COP26, but over 12 years of this government the pace of change has been far too slow.

“While the UK government announced carbon emissions reduction targets by 2035, it has since actually incentivised more oil and gas production in the North Sea [2] and the Climate Change Committee has said its current policies will not achieve net zero [3].

“Not only have they done nowhere enough to bring down the carbon emissions that are causing this extreme weather but now, when confronted with potentially deadly heat, they offer next to nothing to support people through it. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to a Cobra meeting on the situation. [4]

“We need politicians that recognise the impact the climate emergency is having on all of us, right here right now, and aren’t afraid of taking the decisions that will help us mitigate against the devastating consequences of this crisis. 

“The Conservatives should be focused on supporting vulnerable people through the heatwave while taking urgent action to reduce the impact of future extreme weather. They are showing an extreme dereliction of duty, and that is why we need a general election.”

Notes

1

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/15/heat-emergency-declared-in-england-as-temperature-expected-to-hit-40c

2

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20168713.chancellor-rishi-sunak-doubles-tax-relief-oil-gas-firms/

3

https://www.theccc.org.uk/2022/06/29/current-programmes-will-not-deliver-net-zero/

4

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/16/johnson-skips-emergency-cobra-meeting-as-experts-warn-thousands-may-die-in-uk-heatwave

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