Why I have cancelled my membership of the Green Party

Today I have cancelled my membership of the Green Party. Many of you may be surprised by this announcement, especially after the success of electing our first Green MP.

Despite our success in Brighton, I do not feel confident about our future growth as a party. Our share of the vote actually fell in the election from 1.1% to 1.0%. This is lower than UKIP (on 3.1%) and BNP (on 1.9%). Out of the 300+ seats we stood in we only managed to save our deposit in 6 constituencies.

We did not fare any better in the local elections. Although we gained a few seats we ended up with a net loss of 4 seats.

Proportional representation may help the Green vote, but I don't hold out much hope of seeing it arrive in the near future. Even with PR, there is no saying that it will help increase our number of elected representatives. The last Euro Elections, carried out under PR resulted in no extra seats.

I do hope I am wrong in my predictions and wish the Green Party ever success in the future. However, after spending 8 years on the political sidelines first with the Socialist Alliance, then Respect and finally the Green Party, I feel the time has come to move on.

I will especially miss my involvement in Green Left. I greatly admire the activists in Green Left and if not for GL I may have moved on earlier.

Reasons to be cheerful

The Green Party achieved a great victory last night by electing Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party as the first Green MP.  Considering how flawed our current first past the post electoral system is, this is a great achievement.

It is unfortunate that we did not do as well in other constituencies.  Although we did get respectable results in some other constituencies such as Norwich South, Lewisham Deptford and Cambridge.  I can't help but think that we would have had better outcomes if the electorate hadn't been sold on the idea of tactical voting, and the belief that the Lib Dems were a serious threat to the 2 main parties, when in reality they came away with less seats than 2005.

As it stands it looks like our fears have been realised and Clegg is in discussions with Cameron to support a Tory minority government.  The discussions may end up being fruitless, but part of me feels that Clegg will be willing to sell out for a taste of power.

I greatly respect Caroline Lucas for refusing to enter any coalition or pact and to judge legislation on a case by case basis.

All we can hope for is that something good comes out of a hung parliament and we end up with a fairer voting system.

Vote Green viral videos

Love these little viral videos.  Please share with your friends:

Update on most influential Green Tweeters

After producing my top 100 list of most influential Green Tweeters, I have found been informed of a few more Tweeters who I missed of the list.  I have therefore revised the top 20:

Ranking	Username	Score
1	TheGreenParty	56
2	twodoctors	51
3	darryl1974	50
3	carolinelucas	50
5	sianberry	49
6	adamramsay	48
7	Jasonkitcat	46
7	garydunion	46
9	brumguvnor	44
10	Jim_Jepps	43
11	kemptownben	41
11	chalkface2009	41
11	GreenFeed	41
14	mr_andy_c	40
14	patrickharvie	40
14	TonyJuniper	40
14	imaginedpm	40
18	RupertRead	39
18	natalieben	39
20	DarrenJohnsonAM	38
20	aleddilwyn	38
21	GoHod	37
22	Scott_Redding	36
22	GreenRupertRead	36
24	GreenJennyJones	35
25	leonora1	34
25	AdrianRamsay	34

Do not choose the Lib Dems over the Green Party

I have a lot of respect for Peter Tatchell but feel he has made the wrong call by encouraging Green voters to vote Lib Dem.

I did support the Lib Dems in the last election, as under the leadership of Charles Kennedy it was clear where they stood, as a centre left party.  I am somewhat amazed that there is now a sudden surge of support for the Lib Dems, as their policies do not differ much from the other two main parties.  For example:

• The Lib Dems support the war in Afghanistan
• Although they have called for Trident to be scrapped, they still believe in keeping a nuclear deterrent
• Cut £15bn from spending, which will result in public sector job losses.

The recent Green Party press release on the Lib Dems rightly questions their green credentials:

Lib Dems are “The biggest eco-charlatans on this part of the planet”

As Nick Clegg today launched his party’s environmental policies with a direct attack on the Greens, a Green Party spokesperson branded the Lib Dems “the biggest eco-charlatans on this part of the planet”:

“Objectively speaking, the Lib Dems are the least trustworthy party on the environment. They have proven themselves the party most likely to say one thing and do another. Their track record is spotty to say the least.

“They say they want a low-carbon economy with new green jobs. But last week they revealed a plan to put the pathetic sum of £3bn into this, promising only a few thousand new jobs. The Green Party, on the other hand, has started with science-based CO2 targets, done the arithmetic and shown how to pay for a £44bn green investment package, which would create over a million new jobs.

“The Lib Dems talk about stopping roadbuilding but they’ve supported practically every new road from the Newbury bypass to the M74, and they’re still supporting the Lancaster Northern Bypass. They opposed Heathrow’s third runway but they’ve supported Manchester’s second runway and airport expansions just about everywhere else. They talk about green waste management but they currently support incinerator projects in Exeter, Plymouth and Barnstaple. In Essex they’ve proclaimed support for a zero waste strategy, which means no incineration, but they’re still supporting incinerators in Essex.

“They say they want a zero carbon economy by 2050, but they’ve opposed windfarm proposals in Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon and Worcestershire. In Lewisham they recently voted against a Green Party budget package that would have insulated 25,000 homes for free.
“In their proposed ‘green tax switch’ the Lib Dems promised to ‘cut income tax and switch to green taxes on pollution instead’ – which means either we’d have less money for schools and hospitals as we reduce pollution, or else we have to keep polluting in order to keep the tax revenue coming in.

“Frankly, the Lib Dems are the biggest eco-charlatans on this part of the planet.”

I'm not saying the Lib Dems do not have some worthwhile policies.  I do support their plans to scrap ID cards and bring in electoral reform, but the Green Party also promises to do this.

I do not have a Green candidate in my constituency of York Outer, but the one thing which above anything else stops me from voting Lib Dem, is their refusal to rule out supporting a Tory minority government.  I do not want to vote Lib Dem and getting Tory.

Lastly I would recommend the Green Party party political broadcast which was premiered today, showing that we don't believe there is little difference between the 3 main parties.

Top 100 influential Green Tweeters

After reading Paul Waugh's Evening Standard blog which listed Top 100 Twitter 'Influentials' I though it would be interested to produce a list of the top 100 Green Tweeters.  I have based the list on the same formula used by Paul which runs Twitter usernames through the TweetLevel website.  The score it gives is based on:

• Influence - what you say is interesting and many people listen to it. This is the primary ranking metric.
• Popularity - how many people follow you
• Engagement - you actively participate within your community
• Trust - people believe what you say 

Apologies if I have missed some popular users off.  I have run all the users from http://twitter.com/TheGreenParty/greens-on-twitter and my own personal list http://twitter.com/mr_andy_c/greens

The tool does not work on users who have protected their tweets, so there will be a few notable exceptions.

Anyhow, here is the list:

Ranking	Username
1	TheGreenParty
2	darryl1974
2	carolinelucas
4	sianberry
5	Jasonkitcat
5	garydunion
7	brumguvnor
8	Jim_Jepps
9	kemptownben
9	chalkface2009
9	GreenFeed
12	mr_andy_c
12	patrickharvie
12	TonyJuniper
12	imaginedpm
16	RupertRead
16	natalieben
18	DarrenJohnsonAM
18	aleddilwyn
20	GoHod
21	Scott_Redding
21	GreenRupertRead
23	GreenJennyJones
24	leonora1
24	AdrianRamsay
26	LGBTGreens
26	alexforgoldsmid
26	PeterTatchell
29	HackneyMatt
29	AdrianWindisch
31	VickyWJ
32	nineveh_havant
32	anothergreen
32	greenladywell
35	highburyonfoot
35	MartinJDeane
37	adrianhollister
38	tom_chance
39	DocRichard
39	jennimiles
39	Blakesley
42	jimpreece
42	lasophielle
42	SouthwarkGP
42	hornseymatters
42	stuartjeffery
42	camdengp
42	JonNott
49	SimonGrover
49	lewgreenparty
49	BrumGreens
49	GreenGreenwich
53	ladyroisin
53	CharlieBGP
55	kevinwarnes
55	samcoatesUK
55	BarnardSteve
55	DilysCluer
59	busker999
59	clrandrewcooper
59	central_devon
59	bobbyblanc
59	chrisw100
59	GayleODonovan
65	Martinwhiteside
65	phil4northwilts
65	Martinwhiteside
65	CllrRMallender
69	MattHanley
69	StokeyGreens
69	mr_teatime
69	liverpoolGP
69	MarcusHemsley
69	biggreenfactory
69	TeresaDelaney
76	SvenRufus
76	LouisStephen
76	GinaDowding
76	shanoakes
76	stormpoorun
76	WalesGreenParty
76	Swlgbtgreens
76	EastBerksGP
76	GreenHighbury
85	GreenDPerrett
85	NorwichGreens
85	HulmeGreenParty
85	YHGreens
89	kentgreenparty
89	LeicsGreenParty
89	EastOxGreeens
89	Sheffieldgreens
93	bowesgreens
93	JackGJohnson
93	jamesbcy
93	KTGreens
93	worcsgreenparty
93	greenredflag
99	ThePiper54
99	swanseagreens

Okay, it is just a bit of fun with numbers.  But I hope it also shows how well Green activists have taken to Twitter and use it to help promote the Green message.

The Green Party - A real committment to peace

 (Picture taken from www.stopwar.org.uk)

It is with dismay, but not surprise that the 3 main parties have little to offer when it comes to our defence policy.  Labour, Conservative and Lib Dems are all committed to keeping our troops in Afghanistan, even though there is no sign of end to the war.  In fact, by the end of the year we will have been in longer than the Soviet Union, who could not take control of the country with a much larger force than we have committed.

The Green Party offers a real alternative with a commitment to remove our troops from Afghanistan, as it is now absolutely clear that our security has been compromised, not improved, by our part in the counter-productive invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

On nuclear weapons Labour and the Tories are committed to renewing Trident.  The Lib Dems have said they will cancel it but keep a minimum nuclear deterrent.  The Green Party would not only scrap Trident but would decommission the existing system and not renew it.

So the choice is clear.  If you want to commit our country to a secure and peaceful future vote Green.

Yorkshire & Humberside Green Party stand 20 candidates in the region

 

 

Yorkshire & Humberside Green Party are standing 20 candidates in the region.  For a full list of candidates visit http://yorkshireandhumber.greenparty.org.uk/region/yorkshireandhumber/people.html

If you live in the York area please consider coming to help Andy Chase's campaign for York Central.  You can also join the Facebook fan page here.

Support for Green policies

I have just come across an excellent website called Vote for Policies.  The idea of the site is that it shows you policies from 6 parties and you pick which policy you prefer without seeing the party name. 

The questionnaire covers the following policy strands:

• Crime
• Democracy
• Economy
• Education
• Environment
• Europe
• Health/NHS
• Immigration
• Welfare

After you have chosen your preferred policies the site will tell you which party best matches your viewpoint.

So far 6049 users have taken the test, and the results are as follows:

BNP - 11.19%
Conservatives - 13.5%
Green Party - 30.34%
Labour - 16.64%
Lib Dems - 17.61%
UKIP - 10.72%

As you see the Green Party policies win by quite a large margin.

I would encourage you to promote this poll on Twitter/Facebook etc.  I feel a lot of people will be surprised after taking the test, not realising how much they have in common with Green policies.  It will also show voters that we have strong policies in all areas, not just environmental issues.

Tory Charlotte Vere attacks Marcus Brigstocke for performing at Green fundraiser

An argument has broken out on Twitter after Brighton Pavillion Conservative candidate Charlotte Vere (@CharlotteV) posted the following Tweet:

Fundraisers support Greens because they are not BNP?! I will be writing to the BBC about this. http://bit.ly/9Mk2HE

As Marucs (@marcusbrig) points out:

It's all so complicated and inevitably political. The idea was to help make sure there are funds enough for The Greens to have a fair chance

Charlotte picks her story up from the right wing, paranoid Biased BBC site which is obsessed with the idea that the BBC is run by a liberal left wing cabal.

On a day when it is revealed that Tory deputy-chair and donor Lord Ashcroft is a non-dom, it is a bit rich of the Tories to be attacking performers for helping out a party which does not have the benefit of millionaire donors to help it out.

One Year on from Operation Cast Lead: Greens call for Justice for War Crimes in Gaza

With a deafening silence coming from the 3 main parties about the appalling situation in Gaza, I am proud to be a member of a party which gives a damn:

One Year on from Operation Cast Lead: Greens call for Justice for War Crimes in Gaza

The 6th January marked the 1st anniversary of the Israeli airforce bombing of al-Fakhora school in Jabaliya refugee Camp in Gaza. The assault was part of ‘Operation Cast Lead’ which included airstrikes and a land invasion of the Gaza Strip killing more than 1,300 Gazans, including more than 300 children over the course of 22 days. Caroline Lucas MEP and Green Party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion added: “One year on from the bombardment, we demand justice for the war crimes committed on the people of Gaza. “Israel must be subject to the Geneva Convention concerning the rights of individuals and communities, in the same way that other states are.. The resort to ‘collective punishment’ in defiance of those requirements is completely unacceptable. While we condemn the actions of the Israeli Defence Force, we also condemn the Hamas qassam rocket attacks: Greens firmly believe that there cannot be a resolution based on the use of violence.”

Phelim Mac Cafferty joint International Coordinator of the Green Party stated: “One year on from the start of Operation Cast Lead, it is clear that the Israeli Defence Force believes it can act with impunity, committing what the UN described as war crimes in the bombing of the United Nations school in the Jabaliya Refugee Camp.[1] Over 40 died in the attack on the school which was packed with hundreds of people who had been ordered out of their homes with Israeli Defence Force leaflet drops and loudspeakers, in what the UN described a 'complete absence of accountability.' The Israeli action has been completely counterproductive to the prospects for peace.
“Throughout Operation Cast Lead: --Israel refused to act on the instructions of the UN Council which requested that it stop its bombardment; --The explicitly illegal bombing of built-up areas with white phosphorous was wide spread; --Such significant damage was caused to the infrastructure of Gaza, that Green MEPs, Jean Lambert and Caroline Lucas, wrote to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK calling on the Israeli Government to refund the EU for its investment in the Gazan infrastructure. “Gaza is a country where the poverty rate stands at 76% and the unemployment rate at 45%.[2] Geographically, it’s about the size of the Isle of Man except with a population of 1.5million where over half are aged under 15. Phelim concluded: “The Green Party demands an immediate lifting of the blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel which has caused a humanitarian crisis with food, fuel and medicine being blocked now since June 2007.[3] There is no military solution to the Middle East conflict. Peace is the common need of all people in the region but will only be sustained when there is justice felt by both Palestine and Israel.”

[1]http://www.palestinecampaign.org/files/4MayGltrtoSCBrd.pdf
[2]http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_weekly_briefing_note_2008_11_25_english.pdf
[3]Israel has issued a written list of goods banned from import into Gaza. The list, which has baffled UN officials, includes spices, kitchenware, glassware, yarn and paper. John Ging, director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, The Washington Post 15 November 2008 said:

LGBT Greens: Pride is about our Human Rights

NEWS FROM THE GREEN PARTY of England and Wales LGBT GROUP

http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/

LGBT Greens: Pride is about our Human Rights
Get to Doncaster Pride 16th August

For Immediate Release

11.6.9

Peter Davies, the newly-elected English Democrat mayor of Doncaster has threatened to cut cash from Doncaster ’s annual Pride event.

Mr Davies had been quoted by the BBC saying: "I have nothing whatsoever against gays and lesbians, what they do in their private lives is absolutely fine… I don't think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality."[1]

But appearing on Radio Sheffield on Monday, it is not clear if Mr Davies can fulfil his manifesto. On an interview with BBC Sheffield Mr Davies admitted to not knowing the annual turnover of the event in Doncaster .[2]

Phelim Mac Cafferty, National Spokesperson for LGBTGreens stated:

“Peter Davies, the English Democrat mayor of Doncaster insists that Pride in Doncaster is some sort of sexuality advertisement. The language of his comments should worry everyone who campaigned against the Tories hated homophobic Section 28 with its insidious language prohibiting the ‘promotion of homosexuality’. The logical conclusion of his comments is twofold: it conforms to the lazy stereotype of gay men needing to promote their sexuality to lure willing ‘victims’, and that LGBT people shouldn’t be allowed to have a Pride parade at all.

“Pride events throughout Europe were born out of the LGBT community being repeatedly instructed to be ashamed of the un-christian paths they had ‘chosen’. Pride is now about the LGBT community’s right to be visible. Pride is an important part of our struggle to be given the rights of a human being. Of the 365 days of the year, yes one and even if it is just one of those days should be about the LGBT population of Doncaster.

“Only last week, police authorities announced that the reported number of homophobic hate crimes is on the increase. With the BNP in office for the Yorkshire and Humberside region in Brussels now is the time to state unequivocally: lgbt people deserve the right to dignity and the right to lives free from harassment. For every person who is not yet out, events like Pride help them understand that they are not alone and are an incredibly important part of being visible.

“The reassuring news at this time from Doncaster Pride is that the manifesto commitment from Peter Davies of cutting funding belongs to him and not Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. As far as the Pride organisers in Doncaster are concerned, the council is still supportive of their Pride event.

Phelim concluded:

“Like Belfast Pride last year, it took Iris Robinson’s calls for the lgbt community to 'see a psychiatrist' that led to the best attended Pride in Belfast ’s history. I’d hate to think that it will only take a similar tactic to convince Mr Davies that the LGBT community of Doncaster deserve equality and respect.

“In the meantime LGBT Greens say: get to Doncaster for Pride on 16th August!”

ENDS


[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/8086919.stm

[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/toby

Not a good week to be from Yorkshire

If electing an English Democrat mayor on Thursday was not bad enough, we now have the racist BNP representing us in the European parliament. I am not going to make excuses for the people voting for them by saying they are disillusioned Labour voters, or protest voting. The people who vote in the BNP know exactly what they are and don't care. It is shameful that 9.8% of those who voted went for the BNP, that equates to over 3% of the Yorkshire electorate supporting racist policies.

What is more disappointing is that this election saw an increase in the Green vote of around 50% giving us a national share of 8.7% compared to the BNP's 6.5%. But despite this we have not seen an increase in MEP's. Green candidates and activists have put their all into campaigning over the past few months, and in some cases we have only narrowly lost out on sending some good candidates to the European parliament.

Let's hope that those who stayed at home on Thursday wake up with morning and feel as dismayed as we do and feel guilty for not voting. After all, fascism suceeds when good people do nothing.

This week I am ashamed to be a Yorkshireman.

Vote positive, not negative

It is very difficult to find anyone who is not disgusted by the MP claims scandal. I am among those who is ready to scream at the radio if he hears another MP claim their expenses were 'within the rules'. This is not justification for the ludicrous claims we have seen, whether it be claims on second homes or duck islands. The public have finally grown tired of the three main parties and Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle is no more than moving deck chairs on the Titanic.

Cameron's Tories offer no solution. Their recent interviews and broadcasts shallowly try and steal Obama's clothes by constantly throwing the word 'Change' in ad nauseum, which most voters will immediately see through. The logo on their website says 'Vote for change' when they offer the same tired neo-liberal policies offered by New Labour, and the party is just as tainted by the expenses scandal as Labour.

This scandal does however pose a real threat with minority extremist parties getting voted in on a wave of apathy and protest votes.

The Green Party is the only party which is going to the voters with a positive message based on saving the planet, jobs and the economy, and genuinely protecting human rights.

It is great to have seen so many Green Party activists working tirelessly over the past few weeks to get this positive message out there and to persuade those who are put off politics that there is a genuine alternative, whose elected representatives have a proven record of fighting for radical solutions to today's problems.

So on Thursday persuade as many of your friends and colleagues as possible to get down to the polling station to make their vote count. Otherwise we could find that Britain is represented by little Englander's, racists and fascists as the results are announced, who have crawled in on manifesto's of lies and low voter turnout.

Letter published in local press

• THERE is a lot of disillusionment with the main three UK political parties at the moment as a result of MPs’ expenses being published. Such disillusionment is understandable, and the record is no better in the European Union.

Many of you will be thinking about voting for a different party this time round and I urge you to vote for the Green Party, who have a proven record campaigning for democracy and transparency.

The Open Europe think-tank recently produced a league table based on MEPs’ commitment to promoting transparency and reform in the European Union, which rated Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas, along with an SNP MEP and an independent MEP, at the top of the UK list and joint tenth across Europe’s 785 MEPs. The same table also placed UKIP’s Yorkshire and Humberside MEP at number 405 and close to the bottom of the list of UK MEPs.

There is a credible alternative at the European Elections. I urge you not to remain at home on June 4, but to go out and vote Green and help us increase our number of MEPs.

The alternative is to allow the usual three tired parties to get back in or to have the likes of UKIP or the BNP representing you in Europe.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/analysis/readersletters/4398345.Election_too_vital_to_ignore/

York Green Party statement on Gaza

Greens say: Gaza bombing must stop

Also, a protest arranged by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign will take place on Saturday January 3rd at 1pm in St Sampson's Square.

Greens have called for an immediate and unconditional stop to Israel's bombing of the Gaza strip, which has so far killed well over 300 people, around 10% of whom are believed to be children.

This is in response to rocket attacks on Israeli territory launched from the Gaza strip that have killed 4 people since the recent ceasefire broke down and 23 people in the last eight years.

Andy Chase, Green Parliamentary Candidate for York Central, said: "Rocket attacks from Gaza must cease, though the situation is complicated because many are carried out by militants who are not under the effective control of the Palestinian authorities. However, the Israeli offensive has killed over ten times as many people as all of these attacks in a matter of days. The international community must tell Israel that this is not acceptable. Policies of 'collective punishment' are the best way of creating more hatred and extremism."

He continued: "Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza strip in 2007, since when there have been terrifying increases in poverty in the territory. In recent months, this has become more severe as even essential supplies of food and medicine have experienced difficulties in getting through. Unemployment is at 45% and there are serious concerns about proper nutrition and food security for many people. The way to stop rocket attacks is by giving people in Gaza a viable economic and political future and ending the blockade forthwith."

Green Party leader and Member of the European Parliament, Caroline Lucas, said, "The Israeli action is clearly counterproductive to the prospects for peace. The population of Gaza is already suffering from the Israeli blockade, which has accelerated their decline into even greater hunger and poverty. Casualties among the civilian population only serve to make people more angry and sow the seeds for further violence."

Elvington Airfield

I today spoke at the Elvington Airfield Inquiry representing Heslington Parish Council. Here is what I said:

When Heslington Parish Council received the application for hangars on Elvington Airfield there was no supporting information relating to estimated flight and traffic movements or the environmental effect of such an application. We still remain opposed to the application for the erection of hangars for the following reasons.

Under Heslington's Village Design Statement we call for:

1. No further significant development of Elvington airfield should be consented to by the City Council, or even considered, without there first being in place a Masterplan or design
statement for the development of the airfield. This should set the airfield in its wider context and identify its longterm objectives so that it can be subjected to a public consultation
process.
2. This Masterplan should identify and anticipate all future development of the infrastructure of the site, together with anticipated growth of commercial, leisure and freight traffic over, say, the next 15 to 20 years, and provide full supporting economic, transport and environmental impact assessments.
3. It should undergo a full series of public consultations in accordance with Government policy guidance, which would include formal consultation with all impacted surrounding communities likely to be affected by the noise footprint and traffic growth, including Heslington.

These conditions have not been met. We do not have a clear idea what the intentions of Elvington Park are for future development of the airfield and what the environmental consequences of approval would mean.

We do not believe the road network on the east of York can cope with an increase in traffic which will no doubt be a result of extra traffic travelling to and from Elvington. We are already expecting extra demands on the road network from the University, Derwenthorpe and Germany Beck developments.

Elvington Park have proved to be an inconsiderate neighbour since taking over the site, which was backed up in court this June when they were ordered by York Crown Court to cease Formula One testing after years over excessive noise and an unwillingness to conform to the reasonable conditions set down by York City Council, showing total disregard for local residents concerns. We believe any expansion of air activities on the site will once again cause unreasonable disturbance to local residents in Heslington.

There is no evidence that refusal of the application will affect the commercial interests of the city. With airports already located in Humberside, Doncaster, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford and Manchester the region is already more than amply served. This has been proved by the failure of Sheffield Airport, which despite being a much larger city than York could not continue as a going concern. York also already has a flying school at Rufforth.

In conclusion we do not feel there are any special circumstances which could justify the proposed development on Greenbelt land. A development which would inevitably have an intolerable effect on local life for the surrounding villages. And furthermore, due to the lack of information available at the time of application we feel the development has not faced adequate public scrutiny.

York Green Party also sent out the following press release:

York Greens have condemned the proposal to expand Elvington Airfield to accommodate up to 10,000 flights a year.

The Green Party's Heslington Spokesperson Andrew Collingwood will be among those people attending the public inquiry. He was quoted as saying:

"This expansion could be the thin end of the wedge leading to hugely increased air traffic in and out of the airport.

It will be an environmental disaster for York. It will pour traffic onto the road network in and around the South East of York, which is already unable to cope with all of the new developments at Germany Beck, Derwenthorpe and the University.

It seems incredible that with the possibility of the Arctic Ocean being ice-free during the summer within ten years, people can seriously contemplate a development that would drive a coach and horses through local carbon reduction targets. It's like sailing around in a ship trying to find an iceberg to crash into.

It will also be an economic disaster. The proposal will create a relatively small number of jobs that will be vulnerable every time there is another spike in oil prices. This is at the expense of noise pollution and traffic chaos that will blight the south east corner of the city and deter firms from locating there.

What we need are innovative, environmentally aware local businesses that will bring long-term jobs and prosperity to the city, not useless facilities that will be obsolete within twenty years."

RIP Chef / Georgia / Leadership Ballot

It was sad to hear of Isaac Hayes death. Most younger viewers will best know him as Chef from South Park, which he unfortunately left because of their ridicule of Scientology which Hayes was a member of. Most of us do not understand how people can follow Scientology and see it as something of a sinister cult, but Hayes did work with Scientology based initiatives to help impoverished inner-city schools.

The situation is Georgia is looking grim, with Russia clearly looking like the aggressor. Georgia's enthusiasm to join NATO has probably helped provoke some of the hostilities. The question is why does NATO still exist? It was supposed to be a western alliance set up as a mutual defence pact against the Soviet Union, surely it should have disbanded once the iron wall fell. Its continuing existence and constant expansion towards Russia's border is clearly going to provoke a response.

Once again the US is doing its usual bang up job of pouring petrol onto the fire with Cheney quoted as saying aggression against Georgia "must not go unanswered."

You have to wonder whether there would be as much international interest if there wasn't an oil pipeline running through Georgia to feed the fuel hunger west?

Got my voting papers for Green Leadership and Exec today. I have cast my vote for Ashley Gunstock, who I believe is the best choice for grass roots activists. And RON got my vote for Deputy Leader.

Weather: Friday - Monday wet and bloody miserable
Listening to: Brett Anderson

LGBT Greens launch petition to push Urgent review of Home Office approaches to LGBT asylum

NEWS FROM THE GREEN PARTY of England and Wales LGBT GROUP

http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/

LGBT Greens launch petition to push Urgent review of Home Office approaches to LGBT asylum
Calls for instruction, training and guidance for all asylum staff
5.8.8

Phelim Mac Cafferty, media spokesperson for LGBT Greens stated:
“After much campaigning on the issue since the cases of Iranian LGBT asylum seekers Pegah Emembakhsh and Mehdi Kazemi came to light, we have got clearance from the web team on the Prime Minister’s website for our petition.

“We now challenge the government to start treating LGBT asylum seekers with the fairness that they deserve. These are people who’ve often fled persecution, rape and torture who flee to our country and our response is to lock them up like criminals. We say enough is enough of this inhumane policy- we need to stick our necks out now and stand up for LGBT asylum seekers.”

The full text of the petition is at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/lgbtasylum/ and below-

In the light of the cases of Pegah Emembakhsh and Mehdi Kazemi, Iranian LGBT asylum seekers, who sought asylum in the UK , we call upon the Prime Minister for an urgent review of the services provided for all LGBT asylum seekers. In particular we think that the following are needed for fair treatment -
1. Compulsory training for all asylum staff on sexual-orientation and trans-awareness.
2. Explicit instructions to all immigration and asylum staff, and asylum judges, that homophobic and transphobic persecution are legitimate grounds for granting asylum.
3. Clearer and up-to-date guidance from the Home Office for asylum judges to reflect the accurate scale of LGBT persecution throughout the world using expert information from NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
4. Legal-aid funding for asylum claims needs to be substantially increased.

No to dualling

The petition I set up in opposition to the one created by Julian Sturdy, Tory candidate for York Outer which called for the dualling of part of York's outer ring road closes this week.

It is no surprise that the pro-dualling petition has more support with 877 signatories, with the anti-dualling petition only getting 184 signatories.

People like the easy option, it would be more convenient for drivers to have 2 lanes on the ring road, but it is not the answer.

Although dualling may temporarily ease congestion on the ring road, the dualling would also unleash suppressed demand, so increasing the number of vehicle journeys along it.

The millions of pounds required for such a project could be used instead to invest funds in public transport to help reduce congestion on the current ring road.

One radical alternative would be the tram system called for by Green candidate for York Central, Andy Chase who says:

"We believe that a tram system could be at the centre of a traffic-busting overhaul for the transport system for York that is a far better option than environmentally-damaging dualling of the Outer Ring Road. The proposals in the report to York City Council are far less expensive that the minimum £150m that dualling would cost. With a frequent shuttle service instead of just the hourly train to Scarborough, the new line would attract far more people and fully justify the investment in new station facilities."

(Full story at http://york.greenparty.org.uk/news/68)

Please take a minute to sign the petition before it closes on August 9th.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/noA1237dualling/