25 May 2020

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has written to the Prime Minister this afternoon calling for the dismissal of Dominic Cummings.

The MP for Brighton Pavilion wrote: 

Dear PM,

I am writing to urge you to sack your special adviser, Dominic Cummings, with immediate effect.

My constituents are deeply and rightly concerned by the lack of consistency between the responsibility they have tried to show in complying with the Government’s clear instructions on social distancing and Mr Cummings reported actions. Whilst I acknowledge that each and every one of us have had to make difficult, often heart breaking, decisions in the last couple of months since lockdown, a situation in which there’s perceived to be different rules for a select, privileged few is untenable, and ultimately dangerous. 

Your refusal so far to hold Mr Cummings to account for breaching the guidelines designed to keep us all safe is undermining your Government’s public health strategy. The price of your insistent denial and persistent defence of his wrong doing is public trust – and that will have worrying short and long term consequences for our NHS, public safety and economy. 

Mr Cummings actions are indefensible, illegal and reckless. Your Government’s response shows utter contempt for so many people who have made sacrifices through this crisis and continue to do so. I therefore call on you to act decisively and to end this trial by media and public opinion, which has seen a young boy in particular brought into the spotlight through no fault of his own, and sack your special adviser, making clear that the rules apply to everyone and that none of your team are entitled to break them. 

If this pandemic has taught us anything it’s that our country has a huge capacity for compassion and kindness. This scandal is also a reminder of how much we value justice and fairness. It’s high time for you to do what’s right and take responsibility for Dominic Cummings poor judgement thus far, and insist he does the same.

I look forward to your prompt response, which I will share with my constituents.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline 

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12 May 2020

The Chancellor has today announced that the government’s furlough scheme will be continued for another four months.

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said: “We welcome the government’s commitment to extending this important scheme, but what we need to see now is a further guarantee that the level of support will not drop and will continue for as long as necessary.

“Nobody should be forced into poverty during a global pandemic yet we already know that the government’s job retention scheme does not cover new starters and the self-employed.

“A Universal Basic Income would provide security to all those that need it and ensure workers and employers have greater flexibility in these precarious times.”

ENDS

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10 May 2020

Responding to Boris Johnson’s public address 10 May, Sian Berry said:

“We were told we were going to get a roadmap for the way forward today but the Prime Minster’s address was ambiguous and confusing. The shift to ‘Stay Alert’ from ‘Stay Home’ as a key message, offers absolutely no clarity and leaves people wondering what exactly it is they’re being asked to do.

“We said on Thursday and we maintain this evening, that while we understand and share the anxiety to get the economy moving and for people to see their loved ones, easing lock down too soon,which we strongly believe it still is, could lead to unnecessary deaths, a second peak and the overwhelming of the NHS.

“The ‘world beating test, track and trace scheme’ which Boris Johnson referred to, must be a community shield which we’ve been advocating for, for weeks.

“The immediate outcry from key unions in the industries affected demonstrates that the implications for worker safety have not been either consulted or properly thought through.

“We are pleased to see the Government finally acknowledging the severity of the situation in care homes and now have expectations of immediate action to provide a clear plan for quarantining and routine testing of staff and residents.

“Staying at home will continue to save lives and protect the NHS so that’s the advice, until there’s more clarity on what the Government is actually trying to say, that we should be following.”

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8 May 2020

• Crash in oil prices and concerns over the safety of public transport could see spike in number of people using cars
• Extra revenue from 25p/litre rise to be given to local authorities to spend on, walking, cycling and public transport to enable social distancing
• Caroline Russell: “If we don’t act now the fall in global oil prices could mean more driving, traffic jams and filthy air as lockdown is gradually eased and more people begin to travel”

The Green Party has called for an emergency fuel duty rise on petrol and diesel to allow local authorities to support social distancing by improving conditions for walking and cycling and investing in public transport in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The Greens have warned that a crash in oil prices could undermine moves in towns and cities across the country to enable more people to walk and cycle, if it means the price at the pump continues to fall and encourages people to drive more. [1]

Since 2010, successive governments have frozen fuel duty rises year on year. Fuel duty stands at 57.95p/litre, earning the treasury some £28bn a year in revenue [2]. On this basis an extra 25p/litre could raise in the region of £12bn for public transport and active travel.

Green Party transport spokesperson Caroline Russell said the extra revenue could then be allocated to local authorities to invest in measures needed to support social distancing on public transport and on our streets with street space reallocated from vehicles to people walking and cycling.

Russell said:

“If we don’t act now the fall in global oil prices and concerns about social distancing on public transport could mean more driving, traffic jams and filthy air as lockdown is gradually eased and more people begin to travel.

“It is vital we act to create a healthier future as the ongoing coronavirus crisis makes our lives much more local and the climate emergency needs us to shift to low carbon options.

“An increase in fuel duty after the ten year freeze would generate billions of pounds for local authorities to invest in public transport for essential workers and healthier streets for walking and cycling so people can get to work, take daily exercise and make their local journeys safely while maintaining social distance.”

ENDS

Notes

1

UK petrol prices fell by their largest margin in 12 years in March, triggered by a collapse in the world oil price. In April, the price of Brent Crude dipped below $20 a barrel and is currently trading at around $25 a barrel. https://www.oilcrudeprice.com/brent-oil-price/

As the price of crude oil has slumped, the price paid at the pumps has declined drastically and has fallen since early March from around £1.23/litre to £1.05/litre for petrol and from around £1.26p/litre to £1.15/litre for diesel. https://media.rac.co.uk/pressreleases/low-oil-price-leads-to-sharpest-drop-in-petrol-and-diesel-prices-in-12-years-2988585

2

https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/tax-by-tax-spend-by-spend/fuel-duties/

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7 May 2020

Responding to coverage suggesting measures may soon be put in place to ease lockdown, Green Party co-leader Sian Berry said:

“We know people are anxious to get the country moving. Businesses are losing out, families and friends are missing each other and there are very real challenges being faced daily. But easing this lockdown too soon could have really serious consequences, and it is still too soon. 

“Government policy is not yet in line with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines on tracing and tracking. The Government has so far ignored calls for a ‘Community Shields’ approach, a network of community-based protection schemes which can respond quickly to any re-emergence of Covid-19. Instead it favours a centralised app which is the subject of concern to monitor infection rates and even that isn’t properly up and running yet.

“It just isn’t fair on the public to give the impression this crisis is over when it’s not. Dealing with it requires everyone to do their bit and that the Government recognises those efforts by making sure everyone has the financial support they need.

“We’d much rather see the Government standing firm on its lockdown decision until there is certainty a second peak is not being risked, one of the Government’s own five tests, and that there is a trace and track system in place that actually works.”

ENDS

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