People can see through pre-election Budget tax bribes

6 March 2024

“People can see through these pre-election tax bribes that will have to be paid for by cuts to our NHS and other vital public services,” says Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer. 

Denyer said: 

“People are crying out for investment in social care, in our NHS and in dentistry. We needed a ‘care full’ Budget but have ended up with a careless, reckless Budget. 

“Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is attempting to bribe the electorate through tax cuts, which can only mean more pain for public services that are already on their knees.   

“People won’t be richer, healthier or happier because of this Budget. People know a con when they see one.  

“The Fairness Foundation found only 16 per cent of the British public and 17 per cent of Conservative voters would support tax cuts if it meant public service cuts. [1] 

“Councils are going bust up and down the country, NHS waits are getting longer, dentists can’t be found, while anyone travelling by train or bus, or visiting our town centres feels the lack of investment all around them. 

“These headline tax cuts will do nothing to reverse the decade-long, real-terms wage freeze most workers have faced under successive Conservative governments. 

“The Resolution Foundation says those earning up to £19k pa will be losers because of freezing of tax thresholds, while pensioners and those on benefits gain nothing at all. [2] 

“There is wealth in the UK, but it is distributed unfairly. Our economy is failing because our wealth, rather than circulating and benefiting everybody, is held in the stagnant assets of the super-rich.  

“So, we needed a Budget that released the money available from a wealth tax to invest in the green jobs of the future, to cut NHS queues and restore nature and the places we live and work. 

“We needed a Budget that introduced a Wealth Tax, and reformed Capital Gains Tax and National Insurance to raise over £50bn per year. [3] 

“That would have provided the vital public investment our country is crying out for. 

“Now we have Labour huffing and puffing but offering no real alternative to being locked into a Conservative-forged cuts straitjacket. 

“Thankfully, a General Election is coming where people can vote Green for the real change that will lead to a fairer, healthier and more caring country.” 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

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Five steps to a fairer, greener country  

3 March 2024

* Raise over £50 billion through taxing wealth fairly 

* A large-scale green investment programme to transform our economy 

* Billions more for health and social care;  

* Funds for local authorities to invest in warm, affordable to heat homes 

* VAT exemption for hospitality and cultural businesses 

The Green Party is proposing to raise over £50bn annually by the end of the next parliament through taxing wealth fairly. 

The proposal is part of the Green Party’s five-point plan to counter the cost-of-living crisis and deliver a fairer and more caring country in next week’s Budget. [1] 

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:  

“There is wealth in the UK. It is distributed unfairly. Our economy is failing because our wealth, rather than circulating and benefiting everybody, is held in the stagnant assets of the super-rich.  

“The Budget this year should focus on recirculating that wealth and making it work for everybody. 

“Our wealth tax and wider tax proposals would also begin to tackle the desperate inequality that is a source of so many of our problems as a country. 

“Taken together, we estimate that changes to Capital Gains Tax and National Insurance, alongside a new wealth tax, would raise over £50bn per year that would be available for the vital public investment our country is crying out for. 

“We need to face up to the long-term threats to our economy, and the immediate costs which are currently being carried by those who can least bear them. 

“We need a large-scale green investment programme to transform our economy from one reliant on cheap labour and fossil fuels to one that puts people and planet first.  

“We need to deliver a housing programme that offers people warm, affordable- to-heat homes and helps councils cut people’s energy bills by upgrading home insulation. 

“We need to invest in a health and social care system that guarantees dignity for all and to end the blight of long-term sickness. The rising cost of social care is hitting councils hard. Our reforms could help them too. 

“We need to give a hand to hard-pressed small businesses in the hospitality sector which have been hit by Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. The temporary 5% VAT rate should continue and extend to all activities in the cultural and sports sectors, and leisure activities. Indeed, we would be more ambitious, zero-rating all these activities for the life of the next Parliament. 

“The Conservatives have broken Britain and Labour seems to be shredding any policy that might fix it. Our five-point Green Budget alternative would create a fairer and more caring country. 

“Of course, this ambitious programme of rebalancing our economy toward planet and people and away from profiteers and speculators must be paid for. That’s why we are proposing an immediate wealth tax and other tax reforms, while recognising that much of the investment would generate revenue in the medium- and long-term.    

“Our wealth tax on the super-rich and wider tax reforms would be the fair way to fund the things we need to create a healthier society – high quality housing, social care and good jobs in a green economy.   

“The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned the Chancellor: “the economic case for tax cuts before the next Spending Review is completed is weak” and reliant on severe cuts to local government, disability benefits and other key public services. The IFS is also correct to note that “the UK’s tax system is in dire need of reform.” [2] 

“Our approach offers a fairer, greener alternative – it doesn’t pay for election tax bribes by slashing spending on public services.  

“Instead, it argues the case for real reforms and investment that put people and planet first. 

“That is why we are proposing a wealth tax that will begin to shift the cost of dealing with the long-term crises we face away from those who can least afford to pay it to the super-rich.” 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

[1] budget-background-v3.pdf (greenparty.org.uk) 

[2] https://ifs.org.uk/publications/context-march-2024-budget  

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State of Our Rivers Report: Green Party repeats call to take water companies into public ownership

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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Green Party reaction to Lee Anderson comments

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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Electing more Green MPs into Westminster will help push next government to do the right thing for people and planet

26 February 2024

UK Green Party leaders, from R-L: Lorna Slater, Partick Harvie, Malachai O'Hara, Carla Denyer, Anthony Slaughter and Adrian Ramsay

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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