Tag: Green Party

The press release issued by the Green Party on 7 February 2023.

*Demand to end all fossil fuel subsidies and windfall tax loopholes

*Call for carbon tax to fund renewable energy and home insulation

With the new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero launched [1] on the day BP has announced record profits [2] and greenhouse gas emissions are confirmed to have increased by 5% between 2020 and 2021 [3], the Green Party has called for the new department to “genuinely focus all its energy on achieving Net Zero”.

The Party’s co-leader, Adrian Ramsay, has called for a carbon tax in order to move the ‘grotesque profits’ of fossil fuel companies into funding a huge push towards renewable energy and a mass home insulation programme.

Ramsay said:

“Having dumped the Department of Energy and Climate Change some seven years ago, the Tories have decided to resurrect it in a new guise: the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. This department must genuinely focus all its energy on achieving Net Zero. It must stop all fossil fuel subsidies and end the perverseness of allowing energy companies to avoid windfall taxes on their grotesque profits by investing in further exploitation of oil and gas reserves.

“A carbon tax is one of the greatest levers we can apply to help shift us towards the clean green economy we need in order to cut climate wrecking emissions and create a fairer healthier society [4]. Companies like BP, Shell and other big polluters have been responsible for three quarters of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988 [5]. A carbon tax would target these big polluters and provide the funding to move us towards a renewable energy economy and a mass home insulation programme. This would cut domestic energy bills and keep people warm.”

Notes

[1] Sunak reshuffle: Shapps named energy secretary in department shake-up – BBC News

[2] BP scales back climate targets as profits hit record – BBC News

[3] UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2021: summary (publishing.service.gov.uk)

[4] Greens call on government to bring in carbon tax at COP26 | The Green Party

[5] Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says | Guardian sustainable business | The Guardian

The press release issued by the Green Party on 3 February 2023.

• Patrick McAllister defeats former government minister in crucial Hotwells & Harbourside council by-election
• Key electoral test passed on mission to elect Carla Denyer as Bristol’s first Green MP
• Carla Denyer: “The direction of travel is clear – Bristol is turning Green.”
• Win means 17 of 20 councillors in Bristol West represent the Green Party
• McAllister: “I’m humbled to be elected to represent our community at such a vital time”

The Green Party’s chance of electing their next MP has increased after they became the outright largest group on Bristol City Council by winning the Hotwells & Harbourside by-election.

Winning Hotwells & Harbourside now means 17 of the 20 councillors in the Bristol West Constituency are Green. There’s growing evidence that their candidate, national party leader Carla Denyer, can become Bristol’s first Green MP at the next General Election.

Denyer said:

“Patrick’s outstanding win is a very significant milestone for our movement. Our country desperately needs more Green MPs to tackle the climate emergency, the cost of living crisis and save our NHS. This vital local win paves the way for a national victory in the wider constituency at the next General Election.

“Bristol is a unique city that I’m proud to call my home. At a time when Labour are polling high nationally, Bristol once again has bucked the trend. Hotwells & Harbourside residents have chosen a brilliant Young Green over a former government minister, showing there is a real changing of the guard happening here.”

“Patrick and I will work tirelessly with our fellow councillors for the good of this city. The direction of travel is clear – Bristol is turning Green.”

Following a closely-fought campaign, McAllister becomes the Green Party’s 25th councillor, making them the new largest group in Bristol’s City Hall for the first time ever.

McAllister, a climate science graduate who works in legal services, said:

“I’m humbled to be elected to represent our community at such a vital time, and want to thank the residents of Spike Island, Hotwells, Brandon Hill and the Harbourside for putting their trust in me.

“Successive Conservative-led governments and our Labour-run council have left residents feeling frustrated, whether it’s through botched consultations on new developments, repair works dragging on for years, the cladding crisis or even by threatening to take our library away. There’s never been a more vital time to speak up for our communities and that’s what I’m going to do my best to do.

“I’d like to thank former councillor Alex Hartley for his service to the community, and all of the other candidates – it’s been quite an experience!”

Cllr Heather Mack, leader of the Green Party group on Bristol City Council, added:

“I’m so proud Patrick is joining 24 experienced and dedicated councillors in the Green group. I’ve known him for years as a dedicated campaigner. Throughout this campaign he’s proven to be the hardest worker in the harbour, and I know that hard work will continue.

“Residents in neighbouring wards all have Green councillors too and like what they see. People don’t live their lives in narrow ward boundaries – that’s why we will always work together as a team and put residents first. I can’t wait for Patrick to get to work.”

Full results of the Hotwells & Harbourside by-election are available on the Bristol City Council website.

The press release issued by the Green Party on 2 February 2023.

Record results for oil giant Shell show there are “still massive profits to be made from letting the climate burn,” warns Green Party Co-leader Carla Denyer.

Shell’s annual profits more than doubled to a record of nearly $40bn (£32.3bn) [1] as consumers struggle to pay huge energy bills after a surge in wholesale gas prices.

Denyer said:

“These record profits make the undeniable case for a carbon tax to be imposed on the fossil fuel industry before the planet is incinerated. These profits give the lie to any claim that fossil fuel giants will act responsibly when there is still money to be made from destroying our planet.

“The government’s windfall tax is useless – it has a massive loophole where companies can dodge the tax if they invest in new fossil fuel extraction. It fails to make the oil giants act responsibly toward people or the planet, or raise the money needed to invest in renewables.

“For the last year, we at the Green Party have been calling for a ‘Dirty Profits Tax’, without the Tory loopholes. This would have raised billions over the last year, and served as the first step towards a proper carbon tax.

“Our carbon tax is one of the most powerful levers we can apply alongside to move us towards a clean green economy and fairer society. [2]

“Fossil fuel companies drive the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, but are still allowed to profit from their damaging activities. A carbon tax would target these big polluters and render coal, oil and gas financially unviable as cheaper renewable energies rise up to take their place.

“But as well as tackling the climate crisis, a carbon tax will offer a social dividend which will help people to get through this cost of living crisis and make the UK a more equal society. This is because yields from a carbon tax would provide the money to invest in free home insulation, properly-funded public services and a universal basic income.”

Notes

1 – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64489147

2 – https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Communications/10_Point_Climate_Plan.pdf

The press release issued by the Green Party on 31 January 2023.

As the UK marks three years since leaving the EU and the IMF confirms that the UK economy will shrink and perform worse than any other advanced economy in the year ahead [1], the Green Party has called for the country to become ‘rejoin ready’ so the UK can rejoin the EU when the political conditions are right.

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, said:

“With the IMF pointing to the UK as the only major economy facing a decline, it is clear that Brexit has been all pain and no gain. From labour market shortages to less resilience in the face of economic shocks; from a collapse in foreign investment to sharply reduced trade, all the economic indicators show that Brexit has failed.

“Only the Green Party has the courage to consider reversing this huge political mistake and question whether it would be better if the UK were to return to the EU.

“As Greens we believe that the UK should rejoin the EU as soon as the political conditions are right. We need to get the country ‘rejoin ready.’ The EU will need to see us as a reliable partner before they are willing to open negotiations, while our eventual decision would clearly need to depend on the conditions we were able to negotiate.

“In the immediate term we must now renegotiate to restore freedom of movement to address labour market shortages, rejoin the customs union to ease the situation with goods crossing our borders, and end plans to shred thousands of pieces of EU legislation that help protect workers’ rights and the environment [2].

“A majority of the public are now with us on rejoining the EU. Three years on, it’s time to admit our mistake and end the economic, social and environmental damage caused by trashing our relationship with our nearest neighbours.”

Notes

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64452995

[2] https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/bonfire-of-insanity-the-unwelcome-return-of-the-retained-eu-law-bill/

The press release issued by the Green Party on 31 January 2023.

The latest challenge from environmental campaigners to Bristol Airport expansion has been rejected at Bristol Civil Court [1]. Responding to the news, Green Party co-leader and Councillor for Clifton Down in Bristol, Carla Denyer, said:

“This is a devastating outcome. Bristol airport’s unnecessary expansion would mean thousands of extra flights producing one million tonnes of CO2 equivalents every year. This when the science tells us clearly that we must be drastically reducing our emissions. Not to mention more traffic, noise and air pollution for local people, as well as the risks expansion will cause to endangered local species. All this in face of clear local opposition.

“To make matters worse, we know that up to 20 other regional airports have their own plans to expand and will have been watching this case very closely to see if the government will enforce its own climate policy. As the government’s own committee on climate change has pointed out, airport expansion is completely incompatible with our commitments on climate change.

“Unfortunately, both the Conservatives and Labour want to have their cake and eat it when it comes to climate change, claiming to support climate action but unwilling to accept any change from business as usual. In the real world there is no such thing as green aviation or carbon neutral jet fuel. We must listen to the scientists, not the airports or aviation industry.”

Notes

[1] Bristol Airport: Judge rejects challenge against expansion plans – Bristol Live (bristolpost.co.uk)

The press release issued by the Green Party on 30 January 2023.

The Green Party has called on Rishi Sunak to publish his tax returns before he marks his first 100 days in office on Thursday [February 2] to increase transparency in a government that is losing the confidence of the public on a daily basis.

Following the sacking of Nadhim Zahawi as Conservative Party chairman for breaches of the ministerial code over his tax affairs, Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski has urged the Prime Minister to publish his own tax returns, and to insist all government ministers do the same, in a bid to increase trust in politics.

Mr Sunak has previously promised he will publish them at some point, and had suggested he would do it before Christmas, but there is still no sign of them despite the fact he will reach his first 100 days milestone this week.

Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski said:

“Rishi Sunak has spent nearly 100 days as Prime Minister yet despite his claim to clean up the image of the Conservative Party we continue to see a government lurching from crisis to crisis.

“This latest controversy with his former party chairman is another step towards the complete erosion of trust the public has in politics.

“Meanwhile, dealing with one crisis of their own making after another has left this government with little time to focus on what they should be doing – helping people through the cost of living crisis and reversing years of damage to our environment and public services.

“It is vital this government begins to rebuild the trust of the public and gets on with the important work it is currently neglecting. A small, but important, first step would be for Rishi Sunak, and all of his Cabinet, to publish their tax returns, in the interests of transparency and to be full and frank with the people they are supposed to be serving.”

Notes

1 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/16/rishi-sunak-says-he-hopes-to-publish-tax-return-by-christmas

The press release issued by the Green Party on 27 January 2023.

Green Party peer Jenny Jones has urged the Lords to stop the government’s “pre-crime” laws in a vote on the Public Order Bill on Monday.

The government has proposed late amendments to the Bill that give the police power to ban protests, or a series of protests, ahead of them being held. It doesn’t matter if the organisers have never been convicted of a crime and what’s planned is non violent, the intention is enough for the police to judge it as illegal, if they feel it will ‘seriously disrupt’ someone’s life.

A protest only has to be “more than minor interference” to be counted as “serious disruption” under a government supported amendment. The judgement over what is minor, rather than “more than minor interference”, will be left to the police to predict, ahead of the proposed protest.

As these pre-crime amendments have been submitted late and in the Lords, it means the Lords can vote them out of the bill.

Green Party peer, Baroness Jenny Jones said:

“The Lords have a rare opportunity to stop the draconian shift towards pre-crime. Under these proposals, the police will be able to ban protests that they think might cause more than minor disruption.

“A government that bans strikes, introduces voter suppression and stops effective protest is destroying democracy from within. I hope the Labour peers will pull out all the stops and join with the rest of us who aim to stop pre-crime and these other draconian proposals from becoming law.”

“The practicalities of enforcing pre-crime are fraught with problems for the police. For example, the million strong protest against the Iraq War caused serious disruption, but there has never been a law that allows the police to ban such a gathering.

“The police might have to guess at the numbers attending a demonstration and what the protestors might, or might not, do. Pre-crime laws give the police a huge discretionary power to decide what is a good or a bad protest. It puts the police in the position of making political choices with government Ministers applying pressure to ban protests that are embarrassing to them.”

The press release issued by the Green Party on 26 January 2023.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay responds to the government’s farming payment reform announcement [1].

Adrian Ramsay says:

“The government’s long-delayed replacement for EU farm payments represents an admission of failure.

“Government has failed to grasp the scale of the nature emergency, the climate emergency and the food poverty emergency. These seismic crises threaten the very existence of our farmers and the security of our food supply.

“Never has farming been more important and yet the government has yet again failed to grasp the opportunity to make the radical yet pragmatic reforms that would help the agricultural sector meet its environmental obligations.

“Farming and food produce nearly one-third of greenhouse gases and are the biggest driver of wildlife loss. Rising food prices worsen the cost-of-living catastrophe.

“The Green Party’s joined-up vision would use the billions of pounds we already spend in subsidies to tackle these related crises, and ensure farmers are valued and supported.

“For instance, we would refocus farm subsidies to help farmers transition to more sustainable, diverse and environmentally friendly forms of land use, including organic farming, agroforestry and mixed farming, and away from intensive livestock farming.

“We would provide farmers with grants to allow replacement of old high-emitting carbon farming machinery with low carbon machinery, and we would legislate to give farmers greater security of tenure, so that they can invest in sustainable improvements.

“The government’s national food strategy ignored the recommendations of its own advisers [2] and we ended up with a fragmented and diluted response to the needs of farmers and consumers. Now, after months of unforgivable delay, we have a repeat performance on payments.

“Farmers want to do the right thing for climate and nature – but they need a vision, and they need sensible, targeted support – and that is what is missing.  Too many of the small, innovative farmers are already on the brink of bankruptcy.

“Of the 280 measures announced today, there are a few welcome individual steps, but they do not lead to a sustainable future. They represent a handful of lifeboats launched in the face of an oncoming tsunami.”

NOTES:

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/therese-coffey-farmers-central-to-food-production-and-environmental-action

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/13/food-plan-for-england-condemned-by-its-own-lead-adviser

The press release issued by the Green Party on 25 January 2023.

A Green Party peer has accused the government of using a ‘marketing slogan’ to push genetically modified foods on the public ‘by the back door’.

Natalie Bennett, former Green Party leader and now Green peer, says that the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill [1], which passed through the Commons and is in its final substantive stage in the Lords today, would allow genetically engineered foods to be marketed without labelling. A government consultation showed that 88% of the public and 65% of businesses were against the proposals.

Natalie is offering a last chance for the House to exclude animals from the Bill, or to exclude non-food plants and animals (like dogs and cats) from the Bill.

Natalie Bennett said:

“‘Precision Breeding’ is a marketing slogan, not a technical or legal term and has no place in the title of the Bill or future Act. It may sound clean and targeted, but look deeper and the dangers and potential unforeseen consequences of genetic modification are there. This is genetically engineered food by the back door, and with none of the labelling that allows consumers to make a choice.

“The science of gene editing is still far too uncertain and has been insufficiently considered or understood by the government, or adequately scrutinised by parliament. The public and businesses understand the risks better than the government – a majority showed overwhelming opposition to this dangerous legislation when the government consulted on the Bill.

“After detailed, substantive and critical debate earlier in the House of Lords, we’ve seen only extremely weak amendments put forward by Labour. My final attempt to offer the government a constructive way forward is to propose a process of deliberative democracy, to allow careful considerations of the issues that the parliamentary process has failed to address, including the labelling the public so clearly wants to see.”

[1] https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3167

The press release issued by the Green Party on 12 January 2023.

“This review has to spell an end to ducking, dodging and delaying action” 

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, has the following response to Chris Skidmore’s Net Zero Review:

“If this review is to be met with any level of seriousness within Whitehall, then it has to spell an end to the Government’s current approach of ducking, dodging and delaying action.

“The overriding message from this review is one of urgency. We don’t have a moment to lose in our race to tackle the climate emergency – yet this Tory Government is content to flip-flop on fracking, greenlight new oil & gas and approve a climate-busting coal mine.

“If we are to move ‘further and faster’, as this review demands, we need every house to become its own power station. That means a turbo-charging of onshore wind and full-scale deployment of solar, with solar panels on every new roof in the country, in the transition towards clean, green, affordable renewables.

“But it also means we need to lock out climate-wrecking fossil fuels for good. This review might shy away from the truly transformative measures to end our dependence on dirty, dangerous fossil fuels. But the writing is on the wall for the fossil fuel industry – our Government needs to see it.”