Green Party

image_pdfimage_print

Caroline Lucas: George Osborne must resign as MP

17 March 2017

* Caroline Lucas demands answers from Prime Minister over appointment of George Osborne as Evening Standard editor

* Lucas: “By taking this job George Osborne has shown contempt for his constituents.”

Caroline Lucas MP has called for George Osborne to resign as an MP saying his appointment as London Evening Standard editor raises questions about his ability to serve as an MP, and the paper’s impartiality.

Lucas said Osborne should at the least be stripped of his role as Privy Councillor, and asked the Prime Minister how she intends to make sure Osborne’s appointment does not result in Ministers having undue influence on the paper – and vice versa.

Four parliamentary questions tabled by Lucas [1] also demand to know how Theresa May will ensure Osborne does not misuse his position as an MP to gain stories, or use Parliament’s facilities for his editorial work.

Caroline Lucas MP, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“Osborne’s appointment as Editor of the Standard raises very serious questions about both his own ability to continue as an MP and the newspaper’s impartiality. At the very least George Osborne should be stripped of his title as a Privy Councillor and barred from any secure briefings that the role gives him.

“The truth is that by taking this job George Osborne has shown contempt for his constituents. The only honourable thing would be to step down as an MP so he can concentrate on making money from City firms and learning how to do a job at the Standard that he’s entirely unqualified for.”

Notes:

  1. Full text of Caroline Lucas’ Parliamentary Questions to the Prime Minister:
  • To ask the Prime Minister, what arrangements will be put in place by 10 Downing Street to ensure that the Editor of the London Evening Standard is not able to misuse his position as a member of the Privy Council to generate news stories based on confidential government briefings or advance notice of any prime ministerial decision to commit HM Armed Forces in enemy action; and if she will make a statement.
  • To ask the Prime Minister, what checks and balances will be put in place by 10 Downing Street to ensure that government ministers do not exert undue influence on the editorial policy of the London Evening Standard newspaper, and that the Editor of the Evening Standard does not exert undue influence on the policy positions of government ministers; and if she will make a statement.
  • To ask the Prime Minister, what arrangements will be put in place by 10 Downing Street to ensure that the Editor of the London Evening Standard newspaper is able to fully comply with three-line whips in relation to parliamentary debates and divisions; and if she will make a statement.
  • To ask the Prime Minister, what arrangements will be put in place by 10 Downing Street to ensure that the Editor of the London Evening Standard newspaper does not make inappropriate use of parliamentary estate premises and facilities when undertaking his editorial duties; and if she will make a statement.

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

read more

Green Party • • •

Green Party names Manchester Gorton by-election candidate

16 March 2017

* Jess Mayo announced as Green candidate

* Greens the only party to challenge Labour after record election results

* Jess Mayo: “I will make sure Gorton is not overlooked or left behind”

* Caroline Lucas MP: “Gorton can make history by going Green in this election”

The Green Party has announced Jess Mayo as its candidate for the Gorton by-election.

Mayo will take on Labour for the seat in a bid to make history and become the first Green MP for Gorton, where the Greens finished second in the last local and General elections.

Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, announced Mayo’s candidacy at an event at Trinity House Community Resource Centre today, followed by a visit to Shahjalal Mosque and Islamic Centre.

The Green Party came 2nd in Gorton at the last election receiving 4,108 votes, with the Tories in third, followed by UKIP in fourth and the Lib Dems in fifth [1].

Mayo, a 36-year-old entrepreneur and mum-of-two, hopes to build on the record result from 2015 with a campaign targeting voters who value Britain’s place in Europe, and those who feeling let down by a Labour Party in disarray and the Lib Dems who are struggling to regain the public’s trust.

Jess Mayo said:

“The Greens are the only party to challenge Labour in Gorton and it’s a privilege to stand in this by-election and give voters a real alternative. The Green Party has already brought about real change for this community by pushing the council to protect us from flooding and make our roads safer – imagine what we could do with a Green MP fighting Gorton’s corner.

“The Green Party will tackle the housing crisis which is leaving people across Manchester on the streets and in poverty, by pushing for better social housing and a renters’ charter to improve standards in the private sector. But it won’t stop there, and in coming weeks I look forward to campaigning for a better future for Gorton in which it’s not overlooked or left behind.”

Caroline Lucas MP, Green co-leader, said:

“Gorton can make history by going Green in this election. The Tories are slashing public services. Labour are failing to stand up against an extreme Brexit and the Lib Dems are still struggling to regain the public’s trust. The Green Party offers something different – an MP standing up for the people of Gorton, not engaging in the squabbling of the other parties.

“Voting Green in Gorton means electing an MP who opposes a dangerous Brexit, fights for your local schools and hospitals and stands up to the Government.”

Notes:

  1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000808#constituency_result_headline

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

read more

Green Party

Green Party: Low unemployment rate masks soaring number of zero hours contracts

15 March 2017

The Green Party welcomes the falling unemployment rate but is concerned the figures mask the growing insecurity faced by workers.

According to figures published today, the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.7%, the lowest level in 12 years [1].

However, other statistics also published today reveal 905,000 people are now employed on zero hours contracts, an increase of about 101,000 in a year [2].

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

“While we welcome news that the unemployment rate has dropped to such a low level, the reality is more people than ever are employed on precarious zero hours contracts. With inflation rising and wage growth stalling, the high employment rate masks the insecurity faced by British families.

“Zero hours contracts are part of a gig economy that facilitates the exploitation of workers and companies are failing to fulfil their moral and legal duty to give their workers secure employment and basic rights.

“In this age of insecurity we should be thinking big about how we build an economy that works for everyone. That’s why the Government should follow the lead of countries like Finland which are investigating the merits of introducing a basic income, to stop people falling into poverty, while providing the choice, security and stability they need.”

Notes:

  1. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/unemployment-rate-falls-to-lowest-since-2005
  2. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/people-in-employment-on-a-zero-hours-contract-mar-2017

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

read more

Green Party

Green Party Animal spokesperson welcomes vote to #EndTheCageAge for caged rabbits

14 March 2017

Keith Taylor MEP: “This is great news for millions of rabbits across Europe and a great example of how the EU can take a lead on animal welfare. Greens have always opposed factory farming and I wholeheartedly welcome the result of today’s vote.”

Green Party Animals spokesperson Keith Taylor MEP is welcoming the vote to #EndTheCageAge for farmed rabbits across Europe. The MEP for the South East was among a majority of MEPs who voted to support a report calling for the practice to be outlawed at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg this afternoon. More than 4,000 people across the South East had contacted their MEPs calling for action.

Rabbits are the fourth most farmed animal in the world. An estimated 340 million rabbits are slaughtered annually after a life kept in barren wire cages where their natural behaviour is severely restricted. Many scientists have called for the cage system to be urgently replaced by one which allows for the natural needs of rabbits to be better taken into account.

The report adopted by MEPs calls for higher welfare standards for rabbits and concrete legislation that would ban the use of cages. Responding to the result, Keith said:

“This is great news for millions of rabbits across Europe and a great example of how the EU can take a lead on animal welfare. Greens have always opposed factory farming and as the Green Party’s Animals spokesperson I wholeheartedly welcome the result of today’s vote. The report prioritises putting an end to the inhumane conditions in which rabbits are kept and eradicating the other problems associated intensive rabbit rearing. The current system leads to the spread of disease and the subsequent overuse of antibiotics.”

“Rabbit farming is relatively small-scale in the UK, but the fact that the European Parliament has voted to end the cage age serves to highlight the key role EU membership has played and continues to play in raising the welfare of millions of farm animals in Britain and across the EU.”

“The closer the relationship the UK maintains with the EU, retaining animal welfare and wildlife protections through single market membership, the better the outcome for British animals. Animal advocates across the UK must continue lobbying the UK government to ensure the current legal protections, for all species, offered by European Union membership are maintained and strengthened.”

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

read more

Green Party • • •

Budget 'utterly fails to address the challenges of our time', say Green Party

8 March 2017

* No mention of climate change in Chancellor’s speech

* ‘Woefully inadequate’ resources for health and social care

* ‘Utter failure’ to address the air pollution emergency

Caroline Lucas, the co-leader of the Green Party, has given a damning verdict on today’s Budget. With the Chancellor refusing to give the NHS and social care the funding that experts say is needed, and with Phillip Hammond’s speech failing to mention climate change, Lucas said that the Budget ‘utterly fails to address the challenges of our time’.

Caroline Lucas MP said:

“This budget should have been an emergency intervention to end the chaos in health and social care and address the air pollution emergency, but instead it’s another resounding failure from a Government that’s got no ideas beyond an obsession with scaling back the state. 

“With our NHS in peril and social care in the midst of a crisis this Budget was a chance for the Government to take a stand for the public services upon which we all rely. Instead they continue to push ahead with planned Corporation tax cuts, and their handout to high earners, while unveiling woefully inadequate funding changes for the NHS and social care. . The Government’s obsessions with slimming down the state is causing misery – and their refusal to think again on this issue is inexcusable.”

Lucas also slammed the Government for a ‘climate failure’ Budget and for refusing to act on air pollution:

“The Chancellor has utterly failed to get a grip on the air pollution emergency in Britain, and this budget simply won’t go anywhere near far enough in cleaning up the filthy air which leads to 40,000 early deaths per year. With the cost of motoring dropping in recent years – and public transport costs skyrocketing – we should have seen the fuel duty escalator unfrozen and the money ploughed into public transport. Instead we’ve seen further handouts to the motor lobby and persistent neglect for cleaner, healthier forms of transport.”

“This budget is another climate failure – with Chancellor failing to mention climate change even once in his speech.. Rather than reversing the solar tax hike or ploughing money into renewables the Chancellor seems hell bent on drilling for more gas and oil in the North Sea, and handing further cash to the motor lobby with the fuel duty freeze. Britain should be leading the world in climate change technology and green jobs but instead we’re lagging behind and laying the foundations for another dash for gas.”

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

read more

Green Party