11 February 2019

The Green Party has responded to news the Government is considering scrapping HS2, ahead of a broadcast of Channel 4’s Dispatches tonight. [1]                

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

“Ministers are right to doubt HS2 – this vanity project is a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money and it’s time they put it out of its misery. HS2 is already inflicting environmental vandalism on our countryside and woodlands as the cost of the project continues to spiral. Ditching this project would save billions and allow thousands of jobs to be created by investing in desperately needed upgrades to local rail networks.”

Notes:

1. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cost-of-hs2-never-properly-analysed-warns-rail-expert-gb92c79c5

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7 February 2019

The Green Party has responded to news the energy price cap is set to rise. [1]

Andrew Cooper, energy spokesperson, said:

“A rise in the energy price cap can is a price rise, plain and simple. Without a significant energy efficiency programme this is going to hit the poorest households the hardest.

“The best way for us to control the cost of energy for householders and ensure everyone has a warm home is to invest in energy efficiency. We need a mass renovation programme that would drastically reduce energy demand including a nationwide roll out of home insulation to cut carbon emissions, eliminate fuel poverty and reduce the impact of cold related illnesses.

“It’s time the Government ditched dirty, expensive fossil fuels and took advantage of the falling price of onshore wind and solar energy to invest in an overhaul of our energy system based on cheap, clean renewable energy.”

Notes:

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47133564

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6 February 2019

The Green Party has responded to news the Stansted 15 have avoided prison after being given suspended sentences and community sentences for stopping a charter flight used for deportations from taking off [1].

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

“It is welcome the Stansted 15 won’t face jail, but they should never have been in the dock in the first place. These activists are human rights defenders – the real criminals are the Home Office. The treatment of the Stansted 15 has been unprecedented and wrong from the start.

“The actions of the Stansted 15 exposed the brutality of secretive charter flights, and a number of people set to be removed from the UK on that plane have been able to remain in the UK safely as a result of their principled actions.

“We need root and branch reform of our immigration system with an end to the use of charter flights for deportations immediately.”

Notes:

1.       https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/stansted-15-trial-sentencing-verdict-airport-deportation-flight-court-chelmsford-a8766111.html

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5 February 2019

Responding to the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions for 2017, released by the Government today, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said:

“It’s shocking that emissions from agriculture and waste actually increased in 2017 and transport’s contribution has inched down by just 2 per cent since 1990.

“With this Government’s huge subsidies for fossil fuels, relentless building of new roads and runways, slashing of support for clean energy and sordid love affair with the car industry, it’s incredible that overall emissions fell at all.

“With the world’s top scientists warning we have just 11 years to keep temperature rises below 1.5 degrees, ministers should be redesigning our whole economy to achieve the dramatic drops in emissions we need. That means launching a Green New Deal – huge government investment to guarantee a green job to everyone who wants one and accelerate the transition to clean energy, affordable and reliable public transport and a thriving natural world.”

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31 January 2019

The Green Party has responded to news 4,677 people were sleeping rough in England in autumn 2018, down by 74 compared to 2017 figures. [1]

Sian Berry AM, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“Rough sleeping is not falling anywhere near far or fast enough. It is shameful that in a nation as rich as the UK thousands are still facing freezing temperatures on the streets. With the right political will there is action we can take right now to give people shelter, and I urge the Government and local authorities to consider measures like opening up Britain’s many empty buildings.

“In the longer term we need to see an end to policies like Universal Credit and benefit sanctions which push people into poverty, and real commitment to policies which help deal with the causes of homelessness so no one is forced to sleep rough in the first place.”

Notes:

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47059450

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