Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Green Party reaction to government go ahead for Sizewell C nuclear power plant [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 29 November 2022.

Responding to the government’s decision to give the go ahead to the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“This is an ideological decision driven by a misguided energy policy. It is clear there are cleaner, quicker and much less expensive options to meet our electricity needs. Investment in renewable energy and insulation at scale are what is needed to tackle both the climate emergency and cost of living crisis with the urgency needed.

“The design of Sizewell C will follow the much criticised Hinkley Point C scheme in Somerset which has been delayed by years and beset by technical difficulties and mushrooming costs. It is clear that large nuclear reactors are far too slow to help solve our climate crisis and way too expensive to address sky-high energy bills.”

Notes

1. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/nov/29/sizewell-c-nuclear-plant-confirmed-edf-suffolk-jobs-uk

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for winter rent freeze and ban on evictions [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 24 November 2022.

The Green Party of England and Wales is calling for the government to urgently bring forward its promised Renters Reform Bill in time to stave off a winter of evictions and homelessness.

The call came as new figures showed so-called no fault evictions leaping 76 per cent [1}

Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said the Bill must include:

“An immediate cap on rent increases until at least the end of March 2023, as well as a ban on no-fault evictions over the same period to prevent landlords evicting tenants in order to raise rents.”

In Scotland, where the Scottish Greens are in government with the SNP, similar measures have already become law [2].

Average rental prices outside London have hit a high of £1,162 a month, jumping 11% in the past year [3].

The UK government produced a White Paper in June [4] and Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson told Parliament in October the legislation was still a “priority.” [5]

Carla Denyer added:

“Knowing that you have a secure home over winter is vital for both physical and mental health. Households already face soaring energy and food costs; the last thing they need, on top of everything else they have to contend with, is unaffordable rent rises and the fear of being evicted.

“Rising private rents and increasing evictions have also been cited as major causes of a dramatic increase in homelessness in London and other cities. The number of people sleeping rough on the capital’s streets has jumped by a shocking 24% in the past year [6]

“We are calling on the government to introduce an immediate freeze on rent rises and a ban on evictions by landlords who simply want to increase rents between tenancies. The Scottish government has introduced legislation to safeguard tenants this winter. We want to see the Housing Minister introduce similar measures in England, and for the Senedd to use its devolved powers to do so in Wales [6].”

Notes

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-63719126

[2] Cost of living: rent and eviction – gov.scot (www.gov.scot )

[3] Average rent climbs to £1,162, according to Rightmove, up 11% in a year – as charities warn tenants are struggling to make ends meet (msn.com)

[4] A fairer private rented sector

[5] Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson

[6] Number of people sleeping rough in London up 24% in a year | Homelessness | The Guardian

[7] Rent freeze call by Plaid Cymru voted down by Labour – BBC News

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK Attorney General signs statement of international unity in securing justice for war crimes in Ukraine [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 29 November 2022.

Justice Ministers from across G7 nations signed a pledge of unwavering solidarity to the war-torn country.

The UK commitment to securing justice for the atrocities being committed in Ukraine was reaffirmed today as Justice Ministers from across G7 nations signed a pledge of unwavering solidarity to the war-torn country.

The Attorney General, Victoria Prentis MP, led the UK justice response in Berlin as signatory to a renewed commitment to international co-operation.

The Berlin Declaration seeks to strengthen cross-border responses to Russian war crimes at an international level to increase effectiveness and communication between investigative authorities.

The Attorney General, Victoria Prentis MP, said:

The conflict in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on the lives of innocent people. Like many UK families, we have invited a Ukrainian citizen into our home and heard first-hand how lives have been ruined and futures compromised by Russia’s illegal invasion.

The UK is proud of the support it has given harnessing the breadth of our legal capabilities and expertise to seek justice, but the growing importance of G7 unity is clear if we are to see accountability for the atrocities being committed. Our individual efforts must be coordinated at an international level.

Proposals in the declaration include the nomination of national contact points for coordination of the prosecution of international crimes to complement the work of existing well-established mechanisms, including Eurojust and the Genocide Network.

The declaration also recognises the vital role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in supporting survivors at the scene of war crimes and helping to document offences and the accounts of local people. It commits to further improving networking among criminal prosecution authorities and NGOs to streamline information flow and, in some cases, improve standards in collecting evidence and avoiding the retraumatisation of witnesses.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said:

War criminals should know they cannot act with impunity and we are united with international partners to ensure those responsible are held to account.

The UK has been at the forefront of the global response in assisting the International Criminal Court’s investigations, providing extra funding and expertise, and we will continue to work with likeminded countries until justice is served.

The UK has already committed a strong package of support to aid justice in Ukraine, providing £1 million and offering specialist legal and police assistance to the International Criminal Court’s investigations.

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Historic loss and damage agreement at COP27 must now be honoured by rich countries, Greens warn [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 20 November 2022.

Responding to the final Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan [1] from the COP27 climate negotiations in Egypt, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“The agreement to set up a fund for loss and damage is a significant and historic step towards climate justice for the poorest and most vulnerable countries, those least responsible for the climate crisis.

“However, the fund is currently empty and we now need rich countries like the UK to step up, honour their commitment to this fund and pay for the harm they have inflicted through historical emissions.

“But the real failure at Sharm el-Sheikh was that no significant progress has been made in commitments on fossil fuels, which is unsurprising given the hundreds of fossil fuel lobbyists who were active inside the negotiation. In terms of the commitment to eliminating fossil fuels from the global economy, COP27 represents a backward step.

“Future COPs must keep out the oil and gas giants and open the door wider to those with real solutions to offer as well as to a much greater proportion of women, who are bearing a disproportionate burden from climate breakdown yet made up only a third of the negotiating delegates [2].

“There has been a failure of international leadership from the world’s most powerful leaders. That includes the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Egypt, before rushing home to back his chancellor as he announced a continuation of business as usual – new licences for North Sea oil and gas, windfall tax loopholes for the fossil fuel giants [3] and billions on new roads.

“This COP was billed as an implementation summit where countries were supposed to come with detailed action plans showing how they would create the credible path that the UN says is missing to keep global heating to below 1.5C. Yet there is scant reference to the 1.5C target, let alone a credible path to get us there.

“We needed to make giant strides toward achieving net zero and holding down global heating below 1.5C. Instead global leaders have, at best, taken a few tiny, teetering steps back from catastrophe.”

Notes

1. Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan. Revised draft decision -/CP.27 | UNFCCC

2. COP27: Lack of women at negotiations raises concern – BBC News

3. Loopholes mean oil and gas giants will avoid more than half of govt’s updated windfall tax – New Economics Foundation

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for free social care for all [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 18 November 2022.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s refusal to carry out a Tory Manifesto pledge to “fix social care” through a cost cap highlights the urgent need for a radical NHS-style solution, Green co-leader Adrian Ramsay says today.

“Social care should be free at the point of use for all adults,” says Ramsay.

“A fully publicly funded, free at the point of use system would offer people certainty and dignity in times of need.

“Any of us may develop a long-term condition that requires social care support at any point in our lives, as well as in old age.

“Today – and thanks to Hunt’s Budget for many long years to some – people will have to pay the full cost of private social care if they have assets of more than £23,250 and even those who receive some publicly-funded social care end up paying, between them, nearly £3 billion a year towards their support. [1]

“Even the government’s own analysis shows that people’s homes are having to be sold after their deaths to pay care costs. [2]

“Hunt’s Budget postponed a Tory pledge to put an £86,000 cap on social care costs for individuals until beyond the next General Election. Yet local councils are reporting increasing requests for help, with demand from working-age adults in particular increasing by 15 per cent since 2015/16.

“The Dilnot Commission was set up in 2010 and the Tory government claimed to accept its recommendations, but even Dilnot’s partial costs-cap solution has been kicked down the road again [3].

“The Tory government previously said that charges should be capped at £86,000, now it says they should be unlimited for at least another two years. We say they should be capped at zero – social care should be free at the point of use.

“And there are options to fund a new NHS-style service that the Chancellor simply rejects – a wealth tax on the richest 1 per cent [4], a single unified income tax which could raise an additional £24 billion [5], or adding a social care levy to a more progressive tax system are just three examples.

“The funding options are available to be examined in detail, what’s missing is the political will to solve the social care crisis once and for all.”

Notes

1

https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-in-a-nutshell/social-care-nutshell

2

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015737/Build_Back_Better-_Our_Plan_for_Health_and_Social_Care_web_accessible.pdf

3

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/17/delaying-social-care-reforms-jeremy-hunt-uk-vulnerable

4

https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/33819/20/33819%20TIPPET_The_Case_for_a_Progressive_Annual_Wealth_Tax_%282021%29_v2.pdf

5

https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2021/09/06/green-party-proposes-to-abolish-not-increase-national-insurance-tax-to-fund-social-care/

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Greens condemn Austerity 2.0 budget as Chancellor announces spending cuts of £30bn [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Green Party on 17 November 2022.
- Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay: “The Greens would put an end to the spiral of chaos and invest in the green infrastructure and world-class public services our country deserves”
The Green Party has condemned the Chancellor’s Austerity 2.0 budget after he announced spending cuts of £30 billion which will impact the poorest the hardest.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay has warned that today’s Autumn Statement has left people paying the price for a decade of Conservative economic mismanagement, while those with the broadest shoulders and those profiting from the crisis have been let off the hook.

The Chancellor announced he was sticking to his cash spending plans for the next two years, meaning public sector pay rises of just 2% with inflation at 7% next year, which would result in a 5% real terms pay cut for public sector workers across the country.

Co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“Whatever Jeremy Hunt claims, this amounts to taking £30 billion away from people who need it during a cost of living crisis–both directly and through cuts in services.

“The cuts will force local councils and vital national public services to deny people vital support.

“Yet we know there is enough wealth in this country for us to avoid the dire economic situation this Conservative government is forcing us into.

“The problem is that wealth is concentrated in too few hands, when it should be spread throughout the economy to the benefit of everybody.

“The Green Party would introduce a 1% wealth tax on the super-rich and increase taxes on unearned income to ensure there is sufficient money to fund the public services we deserve.

“We would also close the loopholes in the windfall tax to enable investment in green solutions to the energy and the climate crisis.

“This would put an end to the spiral of chaos and invest in the green infrastructure and world-class public services our country deserves.”

Ahead of the Autumn Statement, the Green Party put forward its own proposals, including:
- Taxing the wealth of the richest 1% of households to raise at least £70 billion
- Imposing dirty profits taxes, without any loopholes, on the oil and gas companies making huge sums from fossil fuels and the energy crisis
- Provide increased funding for the Environment Agency and Ofwat to ensure proper enforcement of privatised water companies so that they invest in the infrastructure needed to end the scandal of sewage being poured into the rivers and seas
Money raised from the wealth tax and the dirty profits tax would help fund:
- a new green skilled workforce
- a dash for renewables to bring down bills
- a national home insulation programme to keep people warm
- free childcare to ease the cost-of-living burden
- reducing the cost of travelling by train and bus to make public transport cheaper than travelling by car
- an end to the sewage scandal
- a National Minimum Wage of £15 an hour
- decent pay increases that reflect rising inflation for public sector workers.
Ramsay said:

“More Tory austerity will create fear in communities across this country. Services are already facing extreme pressures and the country cannot stand billions more of public spending cuts.

“And while the government seems to have belatedly acknowledged the importance of driving down our use of gas through energy efficiency, the measures announced today go nowhere near far enough to help people who need their homes insulated right now.

“Our tax-raising alternative would mean polluting companies and the very richest households contribute more, while our investment in a rapid move to a net zero economy would fund the new skilled, sustainable, well-paid jobs that will be needed to replace those reliant on fossil fuels.

“Our plans ensure those most able and those most responsible pay, while the vast majority reap the rewards of a rapid move to a green economy.”
November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for protection of people and planet [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 11 November 2022.

Reacting to news that the UK economy shrunk in the last three months, the Green Party of England and Wales called for protections for people and the planet.

Adrian Ramsay, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

“GDP is a poor and limited measure of sustainable economic activity, but news that the UK economy on this measure has shrunk must not be used by the government as an excuse to cut public services or delay investing to tackle climate change.

“Wages are falling, prices are rising and at COP27 analysis by the Global Carbon Project shows that despite the need to cut emissions by half by 2030 to restrict global heating to 1.5C and avoid the most devastating impacts of the climate crisis, emissions are rising.

“We need a radical shift in economic priorities to protect people from poverty, properly fund schools and the NHS, and ensure the urgent shift to a net zero economy takes place now. This would create more sustainable economic activity while also reducing carbon emissions.”

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : County Devolution Deals – County Councils Network Response [November 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 17 November 2022.

Today the Chancellor has unveiled his Autumn Statement, which contained the announcement that the devolution deal in Suffolk is complete, with those in Cornwall and Norfolk close to completion.

When completed, these devolution deals will be the first of their kind, with these county authorities being the first to adopt directly elected leadership models of upper-tier councils, without a combined authority.

Separately, the Government has laid an amendment to Clause 16 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to ensure that the powers and functions that a new Combined County Authority (CCA) can only be those derived from upper-tier councils, or district councils where they choose to exercise powers jointly.

Below, the CCN responds to today’s announcements.

Cllr Martin Hill, Devolution Spokesperson of the County Councils Network, said:

“The announcement today that the devolution deal is Suffolk is complete, with those in Cornwall and Norfolk close to completion is another milestone in the county devolution agenda. All three agreements could be genuinely transformative for their local areas, with the Suffolk devolution deal the first of its kind in putting forward a directly elected county leadership model.

“In all of these areas, as well as the previously agreed deals with Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and North Yorkshire, county authorities have shown flexibility and a willingness to meet government halfway in considering to adopt a mayor or a directly-elected leader. We know how transformative county devolution can be, and we are urging government to go further and faster – turbocharging devolution so at least two-thirds of County Councils Network members have begun discussions, at least, by 2025.

“Separately, the government has laid an amendment to Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill to ensure that the powers and functions that a new Combined County Authority (CCA) can only be those derived from upper-tier councils, or district councils where they choose to exercise powers jointly.

“Earlier this year, ministers reassured all parts of the sector that the intention behind Clause 16 was never to unilaterally strip any councils of their powers, and today’s amendment, which we will support, confirms there is no intention of using this new legislation to force reallocation of functions between tiers of local government.

“It is imperative, however, that the government now progress the Bill as soon as possible and ensure that no further changes are made to the legislation on CCAs, including constitute membership. The upper-tier CCA provides a far more suitable governance model for complex county areas, with the ability for county and unitary authorities to work closely with district councils in their area.”

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : County Councils Network Response to the 2022 Autumn Statement

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 17 November 2022.

Today the Chancellor has unveiled his Autumn Statement, which confirmed that the government is to delay forthcoming adult social care reforms and will provide an uplift in funding for care services.
This package includes £1bn grant funding for social care in 2023/24, and a further £1.7bn in 2024/25, in addition to postponing the social care reforms until October 2025, which is a two year delay.

The breakdown of social care funding, which also incorporates re-prioritising funding set aside for the reforms and extra council tax flexibility, is below:

£600 million will be distributed in 2023-24 and £1 billion in 2024-25 through the Better Care Fund to get people out of hospital on time into care settings, freeing up NHS beds for those that need them Autumn Statement 2022 27
£1.3 billion in 2023-24 and £1.9 billion in 2024-25 will be distributed to local authorities through the Social Care Grant for adult and children’s social care
£400 million in 2023-24 and £680 million in 2024-25 will be distributed through a grant ringfenced for adult social care which will also help to support discharge
CCN had led calls for social care reforms to be delayed because of intense pressures on services – and for funding earmarked for the changes to be re-prioritised to frontline care services.

Below, the CCN responds to today’s announcements.

Cllr Tim Oliver, Chairman of the County Councils Network, said:

“The County Councils Network has been clear that its member councils face unsustainable pressures: with inflation and demand adding £3.5bn to their costs, we have called on the government to postpone the forthcoming adult social care reforms so funding earmarked for those changes can be reinvested in into stabilising care services that are creaking at the seams, as well as further support for vital services.

“Today’s confirmation that these reforms for adult social care will be delayed is a brave decision but completely the right one. We understand that many will be disappointed but postponing these reforms and reinvesting significant additional funding into frontline care services is strongly welcomed and will protect the most vulnerable in our society as well as buy councils vital time to stabilise the care system. This will go a long way to enable us to address existing pressures, commission more care packages, and ensure that the reforms are a success on day one of their introduction in 2025. The government must ensure that as much of this additional funding as possible is distributed directly to councils, who will work tirelessly with their health partners to speed up hospital discharge.

We understand the financial climate the Chancellor has made today’s decisions in, and the outcome is better than envisioned a few weeks ago – with councils spared any further reductions over the next two years and seeing a rise in funding due to the additional resources for social care and extra flexibilities on council tax. We also strongly welcome the extension of the Household Support Fund for councils, which will allow our members to provide more support to families through the cost of living crisis.

“However, while today’s announcements help meet inflationary and social care pressures, councils still face very difficult decisions over the next two years, with little resource available for local leaders to protect non-care services and deliver improvements to vital services. In addition, some county leaders may be reluctant to levy a 5% council tax increase during a cost-of-living crisis considering ratepayers in county areas currently pay the highest bills on average.

“Looking ahead, a reduction in planned funding growth from 2025 could be extremely difficult for local services, which are already under immense pressure. Unless government addresses inflation next year, and the economy picks up before 2025, councils’ funding shortfall will grow year-on-year and become unsustainable.”

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Only one in five of England’s largest councils are confident of setting a balanced budget next year [November 2022]
The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 11 November 2022.

Only one in five of England’s largest councils are confident they can meet their legal obligation of setting a balanced budget next year, with a new survey revealing the extent of planned service reductions due to soaring inflationary pressures.
Council leaders warn that ‘everything is on the table’ in reducing local services if the Chancellor does not spare councils from further cuts and provide more funding for local government in Thursday’s Autumn Statement as they grapple with £3.5bn of additional costs this year and next.

The survey, carried out by the County Councils Network (CCN), finds that in order to make up the shortfall and stave off bankruptcy councils are likely to have to reduce economic growth projects, their spend on climate action, and reduce adult social care packages and support for young people. They are also likely to reduce other essential everyday services such as bus route subsidies, waste centres and streetlighting. This comes off the back of councils seeing a reduction in spend each year between 2010 and 2018.

The survey, which received a 90% response rate, asked councils about the impact inflation and demand were having on their budgets over the next two years and reveals:
- Only one in five (22%) of councils are confident of preventing financial insolvency next year if there is no additional support in the upcoming Autumn Statement. Councils are legally obliged to set a balanced budget, unlike the NHS, meaning they must use their reserves or cut services if spending exceeds their funding.
- This is because councils are grappling with £3.5bn of additional costs this year and next due to inflation and rising demand; more than double the expected rise. Even if local authorities raised council tax by 3% and the Chancellor does not reduce their budgets further, those councils face a funding gap of £821m. In addition they face £700m of extra costs for their capital expenditure over this year and next, which is for one-off projects such as new buildings and roads.
- At a time when economic growth and levelling-up is a key aim of the new government, councils say they will have little choice but to cut back on growth-related activity. Almost two-thirds (65%) of respondents said it was ‘likely or very likely’ that they will pause or cancel some economic growth and major road projects as well as routine road maintenance, whilst 81% said it was ‘likely or very likely’ they would have to pause or cancel projects such as building new leisure centres and bus or train station improvements. In addition, 78% said it was ‘likely or very likely’ they would have to scale back climate change action.
- Services for the elderly, vulnerable people and children could be scaled back. In total, 72% of councils said it is ‘likely or very likely’ they would tighten eligibility for adult social care services, and 56% said they would likely have to reduce reablement and community-based adult social care services. In addition, 63% would scale back school transport services, with almost half – 44% – councils said it is ‘likely or very likely’ they would have to cut support packages to young people with special educational needs, with 45% reducing the number of children’s centres and youth services.
- Highly valued everyday services would also see reductions, unless further funding is made available. In total, 75% of respondents said it was ‘likely or very likely’ they would cut some or all bus route subsidies which enables services to run on uncommercial routes. Almost two thirds – 63% – said it was ‘likely or very likely’ they would turn off an increased amount of streetlights or turn them off at certain periods in the night. Over half (56%) of councils also said they would likely reduce the number of libraries and (53%) household waste recycling centres or cut their opening hours
The release of today’s questionnaire follows CCN publishing a document with the Society of County Treasurers and LG Futures last month, which projected councils’ funding pressures over the next 18 months due to inflation and demand. You can download it here.

With inflation soaring this current year, significant shortfalls have opened up in every single county authority’s budget. To address this, CCN members are using their reserves this year but these can only be spent once and are viewed as a very short-term solution.

The CCN says that many of its councils are facing a ‘cliff edge’ where even making substantive cuts to frontline and highly-valued services may not be enough to prevent them from issuing a Section 114 notice. For all of its member councils, difficult decisions over what services to reduce will have to be made with many likely to offer just the bare minimum in local services.

The CCN has written to the Chancellor to outline the scale of the challenge facing its members, which calls on the Treasury to maintain existing 2021 Spending Review commitments for local government at the very minimum, and not propose any reductions. However, the councils say that the government needs to go further to support councils to cope with rising inflationary costs by increasing direct funding or reprioritising existing spending commitments.

Cllr Sam Corcoran, Labour Vice-Chairman of the County Councils Network said:

“The next two years are shaping up to be some of the most challenging for councils in recent memory. After a decade of austerity and with inflation soaring, if the Chancellor does not spare councils from further cuts and provide more funding for local authorities, everything is on the table when considering which vital services to cut.

“This County Councils Network budget survey paints a clear picture of what will happen if we do not receive more funding to address inflationary and demand pressures. Councils will have little choice but to reduce vital everyday services and those for the most vulnerable in society, as well as economic growth projects and those aimed at tackling climate change. Reducing these all create a false economy that stores up problems for the future.

“Even these decisions will not be enough, with less than one in five councils confident of setting a balanced budget next year without further support. This is why it is vital that the government recognise the value in supporting councils – with investment in local government allowing us to continue vital economic growth and climate action, supporting people to stay outside of hospital settings, and provide vital services people rely on every day.”
November 29, 2022