Greens 'are the real Opposition' in Westminster'.

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

From the Daily Express - Caroline Lucas claims that the Green Party *is* Opposition Party in Westminster. Story in full is under the cut to save yr bandwidth. But isn't she right? I mean, how can Labour claim to be the ' loyal opposition' when in fact they are simply the 'Business Friendly, Tory Lite Party'?
And Nick Clegg's Liberals? Well, they are in the Tory led government coalition, fiercely fighting to make sure we don't have any increases in student fees, making sure that the government does not go selling off the nation's forests, opposing the renewal of Trident and... well, ok , so they are not actually doing any of that.

So, like Caroline Lucas said - if you want to vote for a party to oppose the Tories - vote Green



Friday February 25 2011

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has positioned herself as "the real opposition" to the coalition Government.
Ms Lucas, who became her party's first MP when she was elected to Brighton Pavilion at last May's General Election, accused Labour of suffering "a heroic amnesia" as it tried to block the Conservative and Lib Dems' policies.

Speaking from her party's spring conference in Cardiff, she said: "How can they oppose the market in the NHS when they first introduced it?

"How are they opposing tuition fees when they first introduced it? How do they oppose the selling off of the Royal Mail? That was (former business secretary) (Lord) Peter Mandelson."

Ms Lucas added: "I've always been a bit ambitious, but I do think the Green Party is the real opposition.

"The Lib Dems are part of the Government - they can't speak out about proper constitutional reform or nuclear weapons or nuclear power or many of the things they stood for.

"Labour is utterly contaminated by the fact they pursued many of the policies which now the coalition Government is simply taking to their logical conclusions, so I think people are looking for a genuine opposition - and you won't be surprised to know I think that's the Green Party."

Ms Lucas pledged her support for the Alternative Vote (AV) campaign, adding: "We think AV is a small step in the right direction. It will mean people don't have to agonise over tactical voting, they can vote for what they believe in and I think that will be very liberating for a lot of people."

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the AV system would end safe parliamentary seats, which she claimed were "hugely damaging in terms of the complacency they almost inevitably breed".

Ms Lucas believed AV would "keep MPs on their toes".

Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/231151/Greens-are-real-opposition-Lucas/Greens-are-real-opposition-LucasGreens-are-real-opposition-Lucas#ixzz1FTQ7bQjw

Comments

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

I would really love to "vote Green", but I'm afraid I'm not a British citizen. Thanks for the ad anyway.

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

Oh - where abots are you, may I ask?

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Me too. Not a UK citizen.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Also can't vote green since I'm not in UK. But we do have a green party where I'm from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-Green_Movement). Although I'd rather vote for "Æ" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Best_Party).

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

What is this place you call "the UK"? Is it by New Jersey?

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

There's a town called London just between Buffalo and Detroit. Cambridge is not too far away, and also Norfolk and Chatham-Kent. Proof:

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

closer to the old Jersey, actually.
The one in the Channel Islands.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I don't really like voting 'in opposition to' if I can help it, and in the UK you can help it because there's more than 2 parties. You may want to absolutely not vote for those tory guys, but maybe you want a bit of the business sauce, so the lite guys might really be the party for you.

My feelings about international green party ...

[russj.livejournal.com]

http://russj.livejournal.com/73869.html

And here is a response =)

[airiefairie.livejournal.com]

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

That only shows your ignorance about the tenets of green ideology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_politics#Core_tenets) but sure, go ahead.

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Baader Meinhof was decades ago. You fail.

Right.....

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Because the fossil fuel industry doesn't have a single agenda with their "studies."

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Yes, because scientists and public servants are making so much more money than oil company CEOs...

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Wealth?

As a government regulator or scientist?

You really need to put the bong down.

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

Ah, doublethink.

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

Dude, as someone selected as a candidate for the Greens in the UK, as someone who knows more about the inner workings of my own party that you will find out about by reading The Economist, never mind Fox News, I have to say that Climate Change - AKA 'Global Warming', is *an* issue, but not even the *main* issue that British Greens stressed in their manifesto.

The main thrust of Green politics, in the UK, at least is:-

A more Equal Society in the UK - a closing of the income and opportunity gap between the wealthiest and poorest people in our society.

Trade Justice and Democratic self determination should be upheld around the world.

More participation in society in the UK - all decisions should be taken at the lowest possible level by those most directly affected.

An economy that is sustainable , and not focussed on ever increasing economic growth with is ecologically damaging and benefits only a few at the top, not the majority of the world's people.

When you have something to say on these issues, please get back to me.
Even if global warming is not caused by human activity, poverty and crime is. Social inequality is. And if we tackle these, maybe Global warming will take care of itself. My own personal feeling is that maybe it is too late, and the world is in for severe changes anyway. but let's fix what we can and that will go a long way to cutting our carbon footprint.

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I have felt for quite some time that the great anti-Christ (the one from John's book of Revelations) will emerge from the radical environmental movement.

Thank you. I was all set to give you the benefit of the doubt, but that religious freak stuff just makes me content to ignore the crazy.

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

http://green-man-2010.livejournal.com/tag/cow%20bins

Re: My feelings about international green party ...

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Having read the article-you must be joking. The threat of Global Warming is one that Canadians, for instance, have flagrantly ignored without anyone so much as saying Boo about it and people are going to follow an Antichrist that is a latter-day Baader Meinhoffer? There just ain't no way.

I might also note that I rank the idea of the Antichrist together with multiple layers of Hell and Demons and Archdemons as Medieval mythology, certainly not something fitted for a good Bible-believing Protestant.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

If they're the real Opposition, why is David Cameron the compromise PM candidate?

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

Because the First Past the Post system 'gives us a clear winner and stops all this nonsense with Coalitions'.

Like it did in the 2010 election, presumably...

Well, actually, nobody voted "Coalition " - there wasn't even a box on the ballot paper, but a Coalition Government was exactly what the UK got. how did that happen ?

Over to you Mr. Cameron.
As the system you clearly favour could not deliver a clear result, as people are resorting to tactical voting anyway, don't you feel it's time to ditch FPTP?

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Are the Greens in the UK at all like the American Greens? Because I joined the Greens in Hawai'i when they were the only party talking about long term water rights on the leeward side and then when I moved back to the Continental US, I finally quit when a bunch of numbskulled Trustafarian kids were all excited to take a chartered bus to a WTO protest but looked at me like I was from another planet when I suggested that we actually canvass the wards in Lansing to find out what local issues that mattered to people were able to be addressed by the Greens.

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

I don't really see much Green-ness in what you cite here. not saying iit never happened, but I don't see this sort of thing lining up with Green's thinking.

The green party believes in taking decisions at the lowest possible level , by those most directly affected. So these greens didn't want to canvass locals?

I tell you what - I will send a link to our party website - you tell me if this is how American Greens go.

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

As you can see, we set out our policies in full. tell me if Americans do any different.