Letter to West Briton 3/6/2010
Well done for your excellent analysis regarding the housing shortage in Cornwall (A home of their own will remain dream for most- West Briton 27/5/2010).Your articles summarised the history of failure of previous governments to address the issue. Our new MP’s must address the need for rented and affordable housing in Cornwall as ‘the key issue of our time’.
Your correspondent AG Rawlings also analysed the situation correctly in the letter ‘Work for the working man’ (Letters 27/5/2010) by linking rural depopulation, the resulting closure of local shops, the pursuit of national government over the years for free trade and profit at the expense of community. The Green Party is the only main party which does not accept the current economic model is sustainable or desirable. We believe in the need to rebalance our societal and economic priorities in favour of rebuilding our communities and supporting small business against sectional interest, large corporations and multinationals.
The new government’s initiative to raise Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the sale of second homes to 40% to reduce demand from speculators and investors is commendable. This measure would help ensure housing in our communities is more affordable, and there will be a subsequent demand for local shops and businesses to thrive once more.
However, after picking up discarded copies of the ‘Times’ and ‘Financial Times’ on the train this week, I am concerned at the backlash of the right wing press, the right wing of the Conservative Party and subsequent speculative talk from some members of the cabinet to water down the CGT proposals. There is already much grinding and gnashing of teeth from right wing commentators that the proposals to raise CGT are ‘unfair’. This makes my blood boil. What is unfair is that ordinary local people cannot have a decent, affordable roof over their heads, small Cornish communities are dying and that the Coalition proposals to slash public expenditure will have a disproportionate impact the poor and vulnerable.
We are all aware that many second homes have been purchased by those working in the City and in big business who actually have contributed significantly, through short term and selfish interest, to get our country in to the mess it is now in. However these people fail to accept their share of financial responsibility although are quite happy for ordinary people to pay more tax and have services cut, while the wealthy think they can carry on as normal.
I hope the government will stand firm regarding its CGT proposals. It must face off its opponents on this measure as it represents a key tool in helping to rebuild local communities, and enable local people to have a home in the communities where they are born and bred. Subsequently we can then begin to see local communities thrive once more for the benefit of ordinary people rather than the wealthy.
Monday 31 May 2010
Towards building a local consensus
Published Letter to West Briton 20/5/2010
Many of us are obviously intrigued at the Lib Dem- Conservative Coalition that is now in place. It is not a decision the Green Party would have ever wished to have been involved in, but I am sure, what ever our political persuasions, we can all hope it is no worse than the Labour Government which got us embroiled in two wars and disappointed the expectations of many progressive people.
Anyway the idea of trying to build a political consensus among people who have disparate opinions got me thinking about issues raised at the various ‘hustings’ events to which all of the candidates generally agreed, and the audiences seemed to generally support. I therefore very much hope our new MP Sarah Newton will remember those discussions, and as appears to be the spirit of these times, will take up the following matters-in the hope of building a local consensus:
1. Lobby Cornwall Council and our parish councils to build more rented and affordable housing for local people. Sarah said she understood parish councils could take action to stop the increasing numbers of second homes. I hope she will now use her position to lobby Cornwall Council, and our Parish Councils-to take action to prevent any more houses becoming any thing other than people’s primary homes, to increase council tax for second homes, and help rebuild these communities.
2. Ensure action is taken to stop green field development-where it can be avoided- to protect Cornwall becoming overdeveloped and our local environment being ruined. There are plenty of brown field sites which can be used.
3. Support the development of a local low carbon and eco-friendly economy, with particular emphasis of obtaining additional funding for Cornwall for this because of our poverty and long standing disproportionate lack of investment. Investment should include further development of renewable energy such as on and off shore wind power, and looking at how we can use wave power to generate electricity.
4. Further develop better bus and rail links within and to Cornwall
5. Lobby central government to refuse permission to build the St Dennis Incinerator, and look at alternative waste disposal strategies; for example with an increased emphasis on recycling and waste conversion to energy e.g through anaerobic digestion.
6. Sarah said she was in favour of electoral reform. Although many would prefer proportional representation, I hope she will vote ‘Yes’ in the promised free vote on the ‘Alternative Vote’ government proposal.
7. Sarah supported a ‘free vote’ regarding the fox hunting ban, and said she would be persuaded by the views of her constituents. She said she did not hunt. Should the new government be distracted to reopen this matter, I hope she will be persuaded by many of us to support keeping the ban in place and support greater enforcement.
I hope Sarah with her Lib Dem- Conservative colleagues will promote the above issues as some of the key issues for Cornwall, and in the spirit of consensus building remember that these matters had broad support of most if not all the candidates and the audience at pre election hustings events. If she is able to ensure these matters are addressed this can only be good news for the environment and people of Cornwall.
Many of us are obviously intrigued at the Lib Dem- Conservative Coalition that is now in place. It is not a decision the Green Party would have ever wished to have been involved in, but I am sure, what ever our political persuasions, we can all hope it is no worse than the Labour Government which got us embroiled in two wars and disappointed the expectations of many progressive people.
Anyway the idea of trying to build a political consensus among people who have disparate opinions got me thinking about issues raised at the various ‘hustings’ events to which all of the candidates generally agreed, and the audiences seemed to generally support. I therefore very much hope our new MP Sarah Newton will remember those discussions, and as appears to be the spirit of these times, will take up the following matters-in the hope of building a local consensus:
1. Lobby Cornwall Council and our parish councils to build more rented and affordable housing for local people. Sarah said she understood parish councils could take action to stop the increasing numbers of second homes. I hope she will now use her position to lobby Cornwall Council, and our Parish Councils-to take action to prevent any more houses becoming any thing other than people’s primary homes, to increase council tax for second homes, and help rebuild these communities.
2. Ensure action is taken to stop green field development-where it can be avoided- to protect Cornwall becoming overdeveloped and our local environment being ruined. There are plenty of brown field sites which can be used.
3. Support the development of a local low carbon and eco-friendly economy, with particular emphasis of obtaining additional funding for Cornwall for this because of our poverty and long standing disproportionate lack of investment. Investment should include further development of renewable energy such as on and off shore wind power, and looking at how we can use wave power to generate electricity.
4. Further develop better bus and rail links within and to Cornwall
5. Lobby central government to refuse permission to build the St Dennis Incinerator, and look at alternative waste disposal strategies; for example with an increased emphasis on recycling and waste conversion to energy e.g through anaerobic digestion.
6. Sarah said she was in favour of electoral reform. Although many would prefer proportional representation, I hope she will vote ‘Yes’ in the promised free vote on the ‘Alternative Vote’ government proposal.
7. Sarah supported a ‘free vote’ regarding the fox hunting ban, and said she would be persuaded by the views of her constituents. She said she did not hunt. Should the new government be distracted to reopen this matter, I hope she will be persuaded by many of us to support keeping the ban in place and support greater enforcement.
I hope Sarah with her Lib Dem- Conservative colleagues will promote the above issues as some of the key issues for Cornwall, and in the spirit of consensus building remember that these matters had broad support of most if not all the candidates and the audience at pre election hustings events. If she is able to ensure these matters are addressed this can only be good news for the environment and people of Cornwall.
Thursday 13 May 2010
Electoral Reform must begin with the ‘rights’ of second home owners
This letter was published in the West Briton today (13/5/10) I have written to the electoral officer and await a response:
I note with dismay the tiny Tory majorities obtained in the Redruth-Camborne Constituency (66) and Truro-Falmouth (435). I have no evidence (yet) that second home owners have voted at their primary home, as well as at their second home. After discussing the matter with the electoral officer, readers must realise there is nothing-apart from a call to be honest- to prevent them from doing so, or choosing to vote in an address in Cornwall rather than their substantive address to vote . Presumably if they own several homes they could-if they wished-vote on multiple occasions. I am sure the Tory party has not instituted such a campaign, but we all know the moneyed tends to vote Tory.
The rules-as they exist- state people must only vote in the national elections at the address where they spend the majority of their time. In local elections people can vote wherever they are on the register. I am concerned that after assessing the electoral register for my village, there are at least 15 people who are registered to vote here, but I have either never or seldom seen. To leave it to second home owner’s ‘honesty’ not to get a postal vote, as well as vote at another address is not good enough. I am sure many of them are honest, but I also note many second home owners (some who do spend a lot of time here) have chosen not to register here.
I, for one, thought the link between the right to vote and property ownership was long dead. Not necessarily true. The Greens, Lib Dems and Mebyon Kernow were all totally united in the need to do more about affordable housing and taking strong action against second home ownership. We all fought a strong campaign on this issue, while the Tories sat very much on the fence.
Although, as yet, I have no evidence that second home owners had an impact on the election result in Cornwall, as well as other areas where second home ownership is prevalent, I urge other concerned people to write to the electoral officer, under a Freedom of Information Act request, for them to investigate the use of postal votes, and whether second home owners voted twice. If that is the case, and if that had an impact on the final result, MP’s must be recalled and by-elections take place. I remember vividly the Tories stating if there was any impropriety voters should have the right to recall their MP’s. If there is a need, let us put it to the test.
I note with dismay the tiny Tory majorities obtained in the Redruth-Camborne Constituency (66) and Truro-Falmouth (435). I have no evidence (yet) that second home owners have voted at their primary home, as well as at their second home. After discussing the matter with the electoral officer, readers must realise there is nothing-apart from a call to be honest- to prevent them from doing so, or choosing to vote in an address in Cornwall rather than their substantive address to vote . Presumably if they own several homes they could-if they wished-vote on multiple occasions. I am sure the Tory party has not instituted such a campaign, but we all know the moneyed tends to vote Tory.
The rules-as they exist- state people must only vote in the national elections at the address where they spend the majority of their time. In local elections people can vote wherever they are on the register. I am concerned that after assessing the electoral register for my village, there are at least 15 people who are registered to vote here, but I have either never or seldom seen. To leave it to second home owner’s ‘honesty’ not to get a postal vote, as well as vote at another address is not good enough. I am sure many of them are honest, but I also note many second home owners (some who do spend a lot of time here) have chosen not to register here.
I, for one, thought the link between the right to vote and property ownership was long dead. Not necessarily true. The Greens, Lib Dems and Mebyon Kernow were all totally united in the need to do more about affordable housing and taking strong action against second home ownership. We all fought a strong campaign on this issue, while the Tories sat very much on the fence.
Although, as yet, I have no evidence that second home owners had an impact on the election result in Cornwall, as well as other areas where second home ownership is prevalent, I urge other concerned people to write to the electoral officer, under a Freedom of Information Act request, for them to investigate the use of postal votes, and whether second home owners voted twice. If that is the case, and if that had an impact on the final result, MP’s must be recalled and by-elections take place. I remember vividly the Tories stating if there was any impropriety voters should have the right to recall their MP’s. If there is a need, let us put it to the test.
Post Election Fallout and Changes
I was asked by the website 'Truro People' to comment on my feelings of the new coalition government, and what people feel about the outcome of the general election:
What do you feel is the opinion of the public, as you have seen it over the last few days?
I think people are probably very disheartened by the election result. All that happened is the Tories and Labour swapped 100 seats. The lib dems lost seats yet they are now in government! I do not think people who support the ‘right’ wing of the Tory party or those who are Liberal (with a capital L) in the lib dems will be happy about the partnership.
It will be interesting to see how the two parties try to work together rather than in an adversarial way. That may lead for a change in our political culture-essential if we are to have proportional representation in future.
The best thing is we now have our first Green MP-Caroline Lucas in Brighton. I think she will communicate some new, fresh and interesting ideas to the British public about how we can deal with the three crises we currently face; climate change, the economic problems we have, and the energy crisis (peak oil, and our new dependence on foreign gas)
Could you please sum up your personal feelings on the Liberal Democrat / Conservative coalition?
It is interesting, as I have said above, to see how the parties will work together. However, I would have preferred to see a ‘rainbow coalition’ of nationalists, people in the Labour and Lib Dem parties, our Green MP. This may have been difficult to form, and hold together, but it would have been preferable to the Lib Dems forming a government with the Conservatives. I think many Lib Dem supporters will feel betrayed by their party; many activists could see no possible scenario where they would form a coalition with the Tories, yet that has happened. Many voters also voted tactically Lib Dem to ‘keep the Tories out’, yet they now find that their vote is assisting supporting a Tory led government. As a Green, I share Alex Salmond’s view (leader of the Scottish Nationalists) that I could never be involved with a Tory led government. Memories are too long (i.e. of the Tory government 79-97) and their reign of cuts, fostering poor employment relations, high unemployment, and how their policies decimated Britain’s industrial and manufacturing base.
The Liberal Democrats were seen to be campaigning, at least to some degree, on the idea that they were the party for change and that vote for Labour would guarantee a Conservative government. What is your thought on this now?
If it was not so upsetting that they are responsible for propping up a minority Tory Government, it would all be darkly amusing! The Tories said ‘Vote Orange and Get Brown’, and the Lib Dems said ‘Vote Green, Labour or MK and get the Tories’. Despite this we now have a Lib Dem-Con government! I think people will think twice about trusting the Lib Dems again- and people will not forget what the Labour Government did (Afghanistan, massive Debt, Iraq, sleazy politics, and a retreat from traditional labour policies to move closer to the right). Progressives will find a good home with the Greens. We would not form a coalition with the Tories, and we believe passionately that only a radical progressive, but realistic, basket of policies can ensure we develop a really new (as opposed to the veneer of new politics promised by the Lib Dems) radical political agenda to form a happier, Greener society.
Do you think Gordon Brown was right to step down when he did?
No he should have gone a year ago. The arguments within the Labour Party made him loose credibility as its leader. As writers such as Polly Toynbee argued if he had gone then Labour may have been in a position to form a minority government with centre left partners under a new leader. His own ego prevented him from throwing in the towel, and now we have a Tory government which will cut public expenditure and subsequently public services.
As Cornwall is split evenly between Conservative and Lib Dem MP's, how will this affect our constituencies as a whole?
Whether they are lib dem or Tory they are still the government! If the coalition is successful, that may be good for them, but I do not think it will be. Already there is talk of cutting public expenditure and putting up VAT. Both measures will hurt the poor and vulnerable disproportionately compared to the wealthy; so both parties will be tarnished by measures such as this. In Cornwall is unclear. People will not vote Labour as they have little credibility, with people here, for what they have done since 1997. I hope progressive people will listen to what the Green’s have to say and see us as the credible progressive alternative.
The other argument is having MP’s of the government will result in them having an ear to government. I hope that is the case. However, Cornwall is a very poor region of the UK, and what we need is investment in housing, public services and transport. In what is a cost cutting environment I do not think the Lib Dem Con Coalition will be too keen to provide additional income for Cornwall. However, I hope I am proved wrong-the issues we face in Cornwall are too serious.
Moreover, how do you think this will impact Truro & Falmouth specifically?
Sarah Newton seems a pleasant woman. I was surprised she is in the Tory Party! Her article in the West Briton this week (13/5/10) of her vision for Cornwall was very positive, and there was little she wrote which I disagree with. I wish her well, and hope she is able to have some influence on the government to improve the situation in our constituency. However, as I said above I remain concerned that the government will not wish to give the investment that we need here. I hope the Tory Party has changed, but I will take a lot of convincing, and proof will be their actions in government. I cannot believe the party of Gove, Hague, and Osborne etc. is really going to care much about ordinary people. Sarah Newton gave commitments in the hustings to supporting electoral reform, support for a Cornish Assembly, improving affordable housing provision, and supporting local communities (via parishes) to take action to deter more second home ownership. She also said she did not hunt, and I hope she will be convinced by the electorate to vote against reintroducing hunting, if that is proposed. We will watch how she votes on all matters, and judge her by her actions.
What is the 'Green party central' standing on the alliance? Would you have been more in favour of a rainbow Lib Lab coalition, which may have included some Green?
We very much wanted to see a ‘rainbow coalition’ of the Centre Left. There was even a Facebook page dedicated to saying Caroline Lucas should be PM! However, the Lib Dems wanted to work with the Tories, and there was also disquiet in the Labour ranks about forming a coalition with the Lib Dems. However, it would have been great we think if we could have had a centre left national coalition of which Caroline Lucas was part.
What gains/sacrifices do you feel were most important for either side?
The Lib Dems have wanted power for some time. I think they have compromised themselves and their values by being part of the Tory led government. Obviously the Tories would have loved to have gone it alone, and despite the last few years of the Labour Government they still could not convince the British Public they could be trusted to form a majority government. They have however been very, very clever by appointing David Laws at the Treasury and Vince Cable at Business. They will have responsibility of cutting budgets and therefore services, making it difficult for the Lib Dems to criticize the government for cutting public services, because their ministers are at the helm . Similarly Chris Hulme will have responsibility for commissioning new nuclear power stations. So the Lib Dems seem to have got power, but will pay a big price with their core voters.
What do you see as the future for this alliance?
As I said at the beginning it will be interesting to see if our new leaders can step back from confrontational politics and whether they can work together. I expect there will be pressures within both parties due to their differing ideologies when difficult decisions need to be made about Europe, Immigration, Defence, renewal of Trident, supporting poorer people. Many core supporters will not be happy with the results if pragmatism rules and it seems we have a right wing or centre right government. Those Lib Dems on the Centre Left however will be very welcome to join the Green Party. We share many Liberal values-although we have a more radical edge; focusing on the environment and equality as our key priorities. As I have said- I can see no scenario’s where supporting a Tory Government would be on our political agenda.
Have you decided on what your plans are now that the government is formed? Has this changed given the new alliance?
I am looking forward nationally to following how the government, and its policies develop. I really hope my pessimism is misguided. Nobody wants to see the worst happen-because that always involves ordinary people suffering as the result of cuts and poor services. We need to watch, criticize and confront when that is necessary, and continue to show why the Green Party should develop as a progressive and credible force nationally and locally. Certainly if the government is unsuccessful, I think many will be attracted to our alternative vision for the future, and how we will deal with the problems we currently face and will confront over the next few years. I think Caroline will offer an interesting perspective on events, and our alternative view will be of great interest from that of the three main grey parties.
Locally, especially after the Lib Dems decision to be part of the coalition, I would have no hesitation in standing for the general election again. However, that decision is up to our party and members. I know we have more support than the 845 votes showed we got. Many of our supporters voted tactically Lib Dem to keep the Tories out! So I hope they and others disaffected with the main parties will vote for us next time around. We intend to remain active locally, and show our presence via our street stall and by engaging with the media. We do not have the big business and trade union support of the other parties, and most of our supporters are not wealthy people who can give us thousands of pounds. I hope however we can put up six candidates in the next general election and we can ensure we have some women candidates. I think the only way is up for the Green Party-particularly now we have a national MP, and I think people will become increasingly attracted to our alternative vision of society and how our policies would solve our local, national and international problems.
Ian Wright
13/5/10
What do you feel is the opinion of the public, as you have seen it over the last few days?
I think people are probably very disheartened by the election result. All that happened is the Tories and Labour swapped 100 seats. The lib dems lost seats yet they are now in government! I do not think people who support the ‘right’ wing of the Tory party or those who are Liberal (with a capital L) in the lib dems will be happy about the partnership.
It will be interesting to see how the two parties try to work together rather than in an adversarial way. That may lead for a change in our political culture-essential if we are to have proportional representation in future.
The best thing is we now have our first Green MP-Caroline Lucas in Brighton. I think she will communicate some new, fresh and interesting ideas to the British public about how we can deal with the three crises we currently face; climate change, the economic problems we have, and the energy crisis (peak oil, and our new dependence on foreign gas)
Could you please sum up your personal feelings on the Liberal Democrat / Conservative coalition?
It is interesting, as I have said above, to see how the parties will work together. However, I would have preferred to see a ‘rainbow coalition’ of nationalists, people in the Labour and Lib Dem parties, our Green MP. This may have been difficult to form, and hold together, but it would have been preferable to the Lib Dems forming a government with the Conservatives. I think many Lib Dem supporters will feel betrayed by their party; many activists could see no possible scenario where they would form a coalition with the Tories, yet that has happened. Many voters also voted tactically Lib Dem to ‘keep the Tories out’, yet they now find that their vote is assisting supporting a Tory led government. As a Green, I share Alex Salmond’s view (leader of the Scottish Nationalists) that I could never be involved with a Tory led government. Memories are too long (i.e. of the Tory government 79-97) and their reign of cuts, fostering poor employment relations, high unemployment, and how their policies decimated Britain’s industrial and manufacturing base.
The Liberal Democrats were seen to be campaigning, at least to some degree, on the idea that they were the party for change and that vote for Labour would guarantee a Conservative government. What is your thought on this now?
If it was not so upsetting that they are responsible for propping up a minority Tory Government, it would all be darkly amusing! The Tories said ‘Vote Orange and Get Brown’, and the Lib Dems said ‘Vote Green, Labour or MK and get the Tories’. Despite this we now have a Lib Dem-Con government! I think people will think twice about trusting the Lib Dems again- and people will not forget what the Labour Government did (Afghanistan, massive Debt, Iraq, sleazy politics, and a retreat from traditional labour policies to move closer to the right). Progressives will find a good home with the Greens. We would not form a coalition with the Tories, and we believe passionately that only a radical progressive, but realistic, basket of policies can ensure we develop a really new (as opposed to the veneer of new politics promised by the Lib Dems) radical political agenda to form a happier, Greener society.
Do you think Gordon Brown was right to step down when he did?
No he should have gone a year ago. The arguments within the Labour Party made him loose credibility as its leader. As writers such as Polly Toynbee argued if he had gone then Labour may have been in a position to form a minority government with centre left partners under a new leader. His own ego prevented him from throwing in the towel, and now we have a Tory government which will cut public expenditure and subsequently public services.
As Cornwall is split evenly between Conservative and Lib Dem MP's, how will this affect our constituencies as a whole?
Whether they are lib dem or Tory they are still the government! If the coalition is successful, that may be good for them, but I do not think it will be. Already there is talk of cutting public expenditure and putting up VAT. Both measures will hurt the poor and vulnerable disproportionately compared to the wealthy; so both parties will be tarnished by measures such as this. In Cornwall is unclear. People will not vote Labour as they have little credibility, with people here, for what they have done since 1997. I hope progressive people will listen to what the Green’s have to say and see us as the credible progressive alternative.
The other argument is having MP’s of the government will result in them having an ear to government. I hope that is the case. However, Cornwall is a very poor region of the UK, and what we need is investment in housing, public services and transport. In what is a cost cutting environment I do not think the Lib Dem Con Coalition will be too keen to provide additional income for Cornwall. However, I hope I am proved wrong-the issues we face in Cornwall are too serious.
Moreover, how do you think this will impact Truro & Falmouth specifically?
Sarah Newton seems a pleasant woman. I was surprised she is in the Tory Party! Her article in the West Briton this week (13/5/10) of her vision for Cornwall was very positive, and there was little she wrote which I disagree with. I wish her well, and hope she is able to have some influence on the government to improve the situation in our constituency. However, as I said above I remain concerned that the government will not wish to give the investment that we need here. I hope the Tory Party has changed, but I will take a lot of convincing, and proof will be their actions in government. I cannot believe the party of Gove, Hague, and Osborne etc. is really going to care much about ordinary people. Sarah Newton gave commitments in the hustings to supporting electoral reform, support for a Cornish Assembly, improving affordable housing provision, and supporting local communities (via parishes) to take action to deter more second home ownership. She also said she did not hunt, and I hope she will be convinced by the electorate to vote against reintroducing hunting, if that is proposed. We will watch how she votes on all matters, and judge her by her actions.
What is the 'Green party central' standing on the alliance? Would you have been more in favour of a rainbow Lib Lab coalition, which may have included some Green?
We very much wanted to see a ‘rainbow coalition’ of the Centre Left. There was even a Facebook page dedicated to saying Caroline Lucas should be PM! However, the Lib Dems wanted to work with the Tories, and there was also disquiet in the Labour ranks about forming a coalition with the Lib Dems. However, it would have been great we think if we could have had a centre left national coalition of which Caroline Lucas was part.
What gains/sacrifices do you feel were most important for either side?
The Lib Dems have wanted power for some time. I think they have compromised themselves and their values by being part of the Tory led government. Obviously the Tories would have loved to have gone it alone, and despite the last few years of the Labour Government they still could not convince the British Public they could be trusted to form a majority government. They have however been very, very clever by appointing David Laws at the Treasury and Vince Cable at Business. They will have responsibility of cutting budgets and therefore services, making it difficult for the Lib Dems to criticize the government for cutting public services, because their ministers are at the helm . Similarly Chris Hulme will have responsibility for commissioning new nuclear power stations. So the Lib Dems seem to have got power, but will pay a big price with their core voters.
What do you see as the future for this alliance?
As I said at the beginning it will be interesting to see if our new leaders can step back from confrontational politics and whether they can work together. I expect there will be pressures within both parties due to their differing ideologies when difficult decisions need to be made about Europe, Immigration, Defence, renewal of Trident, supporting poorer people. Many core supporters will not be happy with the results if pragmatism rules and it seems we have a right wing or centre right government. Those Lib Dems on the Centre Left however will be very welcome to join the Green Party. We share many Liberal values-although we have a more radical edge; focusing on the environment and equality as our key priorities. As I have said- I can see no scenario’s where supporting a Tory Government would be on our political agenda.
Have you decided on what your plans are now that the government is formed? Has this changed given the new alliance?
I am looking forward nationally to following how the government, and its policies develop. I really hope my pessimism is misguided. Nobody wants to see the worst happen-because that always involves ordinary people suffering as the result of cuts and poor services. We need to watch, criticize and confront when that is necessary, and continue to show why the Green Party should develop as a progressive and credible force nationally and locally. Certainly if the government is unsuccessful, I think many will be attracted to our alternative vision for the future, and how we will deal with the problems we currently face and will confront over the next few years. I think Caroline will offer an interesting perspective on events, and our alternative view will be of great interest from that of the three main grey parties.
Locally, especially after the Lib Dems decision to be part of the coalition, I would have no hesitation in standing for the general election again. However, that decision is up to our party and members. I know we have more support than the 845 votes showed we got. Many of our supporters voted tactically Lib Dem to keep the Tories out! So I hope they and others disaffected with the main parties will vote for us next time around. We intend to remain active locally, and show our presence via our street stall and by engaging with the media. We do not have the big business and trade union support of the other parties, and most of our supporters are not wealthy people who can give us thousands of pounds. I hope however we can put up six candidates in the next general election and we can ensure we have some women candidates. I think the only way is up for the Green Party-particularly now we have a national MP, and I think people will become increasingly attracted to our alternative vision of society and how our policies would solve our local, national and international problems.
Ian Wright
13/5/10
Sunday 2 May 2010
Email to Friends etc etc. asking them to vote Green
I hope you do not mind me writing to you to ask you to Vote Green on May 6th. I thought I would write, so you can delete now rather than read on. Much harder just for you to walk away if some politician walks up to you and tries to engage you in debate.
Well I am glad you did not press the 'delete' button and are still reading on!
I hope I can help to persuade you to help the Green Party grow and gain momentum so we may win power. At the very least, with your help we can get a good proportion of the vote, and gain the momentum we need for next time when we can be in government at least as part of a ruling coalition. Unless all our sympathisers vote for us, put their faith in us, we will always be stuck with a three party system- and that will be more of the same as we have had for the last 100 years. The lib dems claim they represent the 'new' politics- they try to pretend they have never been in power. Gladstone and Lloyd George have been air brushed from history. Their misrule of Cornwall County Council , many of their MP's with high expenses claims, and their dodgy £2m donation from the fugitive Michael Brown is forgotten.
The Green's biggest challenge is not that people do not think our arguments are sound, but they are frightened the Tories will win if they vote for us. This is not going to happen. The polls (and bookies) show in Cornwall a clear LD win in all seats. For the Tories to gain the Cornish seats they would need a much larger 'swing' than is nationally and locally predicted. It may happen-polls are wrong at times, and we live in a 'new' constituency without an encumber ant MP, but it still looks unlikely. If you don't live in Cornwall- the same really applies; we are getting Clegg-Brown, or Clegg-Cameron. The polls show that has been decided, so why not make a real difference and vote for real change, and a fairer, green society??
I would argue that I could not vote 'tactically' this time around. I have done it before to keep the Tories out. However it looks like they are 'in' this time around, with Nick Clegg providing the support act, holding the machete to cut public services. Two public school boys for the price of one, telling us what to do, cutting our services while they can always go private. I cannot agree with the public expenditure cuts proposed by all the main parties. With that will come the cuts in essential public services; schools; hospitals, social services etc. Whatever is said about 'ring fencing' respected economic think tanks such as the Institute of Fiscal Studies say the main parties figures do not add up. Nick Clegg is happy to form a government with the Tories as with Labour. I cannot support that even if I was not standing for the Greens. I remember well the Tory Government of 79-97 -the cuts, the industrial conflict, the rearmament. Labour promised much,but has led us into two wars and the sleaze under the last Tory Government has got worse not better.
I also have to ask why should the vulnerable suffer through cuts when it is not their fault for the mess we are in? Both Tory and Labour administrations have failed to support our manufacturing base. Why are we so dependent on services and finance as a country? We cannot live by Latte Cafes alone. The Tories and Labour squandered the oil revenues; when Norway invested it in the future- a liberal, fair society there with no deficit, and real respect for the environment. Surely that is what we deserve here?
There are now numerous tax loop holes for big business-encouraged by the Tories and Labour. Many wealthy people and big business pay little if any tax in the UK (eg Murdoch, Arcadia Group-Topshop etc etc.) No wonder there is a £176bn annual deficit between what we get in income in tax to spend on services. The banks, and finance industry have not been held to account despite the massive structural deficit we now have following the bail outs over the last couple of years. They have not been told to give the profits back to the country, and their chiefs are still getting massive bonuses on you and me. All three parties support the status quo. The Lib-Lab -Cons however are prepared to make us pay through service cuts, while the wealthy won't pay their share (See National Insurance Debate which only equated to £4 per employee). However some programmes are protected. The Lib Dems will cancel Trident, but their policy is to have an alternative nuclear weapon system which will still cost billions. Such a system will not help solve our international disputes, will be unusable in most conflict situations, and will still cost us billions. Similarly the major parties all pledge to stay in Afghanistan, and protect the £40billion pa spent on defence.
So what would the Green's do:
* Have a progressive tax system. The poor would be taken out of tax or pay no more than they do, yet there would be more steps in what is taxable so the wealthier people are, the more they would pay. Any earnings over £100k pa would be taxed at 50%. We would close tax loopholes exploited by big business and the wealthy. This would generate the income required to pay off the structural deficit, and close the revenue deficit. This is a fair system. Research shows equal societies are fairer societies, more happiness, less crime, less 'status anxiety', less conflict-See the recent Equality Trust report if you do not believe me.
* We would work towards a 'new' sustainable economy based on new technology, renewables, sturdy manufacturing goods etc. We would reduce Corporation Tax for small businesses to 20%. We would prevent big business suffocating small firms. Thousands of small businesses would bloom.
* Environment; minimise building on green field sites, proper action against climate change (The Government's own Stern Report states Govt. Carbon targets will still result in a +50% chance of irreversible climate change) , move towards a zero carbon economy, introduce a 'carbon credits' scheme, invest heavily in public transport by using monies set aside for road building, positive action against peak oil and depleting gas supplies through the developing renewable rather than nuclear energies.
* Improved animal welfare standards, No hunting; tax breaks for organic farms; better food standards. A level playing field for small producers, suppliers and shops against the supermarkets. No GM crops.
* Education; less testing, less bureaucracy, free tuition fees and maintenance grants for students. Life long learning as a right so we can develop a more equal and happier society
* Health; more preventative health, support a publicly funded and provided NHS, free social and health care.
* Build more public and affordable housing, revitalise our village communities, higher taxes and planning restrictions on second homes and investment properties.Make towns and cities nice places to live again.
* Crime; Restorative justice, more police on the streets, less bureaucracy.
* Defence; lower spending to fund a defensive armed force only, an independent and ethical foreign policy. Support a strengthened UN to solve international conflict.
* Europe; Radical reform of the EU. Less conformity, rules and regulations; less bureaucracy and waste; more co-operation than compliance between members on a local, regional rather than a pan European basis. No to the Lisbon Treaty.
* Development; support the developing world to build Green sustainable economies and fight climate change. Make developing countries good places to live, support democratic regimes to develop , and less tolerance of dictatorship to encourage change. This would result over time in there being less pull for people to migrate to Europe.
* Cornwall; Housing on Brown field sights and limit development in our countryside, support our natural environment against unfettered development, more devolved powers to a Cornish Assembly to control our services rather than through unelected quangos, and central control. More trust in local people to make their own decisions rather than centralisation.
Want to know even more:
Podcast of introductory speeches for West Briton debates:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Parliamentary-Candidates-Camborne-Redruth-Hayle-PODCAST-DEBATE/article-2009874-detail/article.html
BBC Radio Cornwall Hustings:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8621000/8621911.stm
And if you still want more look at our manifesto on www.greenparty.org.uk
and our party political broadcast on http://www.onlygreen.org.uk/
I am more than happy for you to contact me to discuss our policies and my candidature. Please do not hesitate to give me a ring.
PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES AND ASK THEM TO PASS IT ON
Best wishes and I hope you will vote Green on May 6th
Podcast of introductory speeches for West Briton debates:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Parliamentary-Candidates-Camborne-Redruth-Hayle-PODCAST-DEBATE/article-2009874-detail/article.html
BBC Radio Cornwall Hustings:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8621000/8621911.stm
And if you still want more look at our manifesto on www.greenparty.org.uk
and our party political broadcast on http://www.onlygreen.org.uk/
I am more than happy for you to contact me to discuss our policies and my candidature. Please do not hesitate to give me a ring.
PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES AND ASK THEM TO PASS IT ON
Best wishes and I hope you will vote Green on May 6th
Ian Wright
Green Party Candidate for Truro and Falmouth
01872 501374
Wrightian298@aol.com
http://www.greensarecoming.org.uk
http://www.onlygreen.org.uk/
www.cornishgreenparty.org.uk
www.cornishgreenparty.org.uk
www.greenparty.org.uk
www.ianwrightgreentrurofalmouth.blogspot.com
Well I am glad you did not press the 'delete' button and are still reading on!
I hope I can help to persuade you to help the Green Party grow and gain momentum so we may win power. At the very least, with your help we can get a good proportion of the vote, and gain the momentum we need for next time when we can be in government at least as part of a ruling coalition. Unless all our sympathisers vote for us, put their faith in us, we will always be stuck with a three party system- and that will be more of the same as we have had for the last 100 years. The lib dems claim they represent the 'new' politics- they try to pretend they have never been in power. Gladstone and Lloyd George have been air brushed from history. Their misrule of Cornwall County Council , many of their MP's with high expenses claims, and their dodgy £2m donation from the fugitive Michael Brown is forgotten.
The Green's biggest challenge is not that people do not think our arguments are sound, but they are frightened the Tories will win if they vote for us. This is not going to happen. The polls (and bookies) show in Cornwall a clear LD win in all seats. For the Tories to gain the Cornish seats they would need a much larger 'swing' than is nationally and locally predicted. It may happen-polls are wrong at times, and we live in a 'new' constituency without an encumber ant MP, but it still looks unlikely. If you don't live in Cornwall- the same really applies; we are getting Clegg-Brown, or Clegg-Cameron. The polls show that has been decided, so why not make a real difference and vote for real change, and a fairer, green society??
I would argue that I could not vote 'tactically' this time around. I have done it before to keep the Tories out. However it looks like they are 'in' this time around, with Nick Clegg providing the support act, holding the machete to cut public services. Two public school boys for the price of one, telling us what to do, cutting our services while they can always go private. I cannot agree with the public expenditure cuts proposed by all the main parties. With that will come the cuts in essential public services; schools; hospitals, social services etc. Whatever is said about 'ring fencing' respected economic think tanks such as the Institute of Fiscal Studies say the main parties figures do not add up. Nick Clegg is happy to form a government with the Tories as with Labour. I cannot support that even if I was not standing for the Greens. I remember well the Tory Government of 79-97 -the cuts, the industrial conflict, the rearmament. Labour promised much,but has led us into two wars and the sleaze under the last Tory Government has got worse not better.
I also have to ask why should the vulnerable suffer through cuts when it is not their fault for the mess we are in? Both Tory and Labour administrations have failed to support our manufacturing base. Why are we so dependent on services and finance as a country? We cannot live by Latte Cafes alone. The Tories and Labour squandered the oil revenues; when Norway invested it in the future- a liberal, fair society there with no deficit, and real respect for the environment. Surely that is what we deserve here?
There are now numerous tax loop holes for big business-encouraged by the Tories and Labour. Many wealthy people and big business pay little if any tax in the UK (eg Murdoch, Arcadia Group-Topshop etc etc.) No wonder there is a £176bn annual deficit between what we get in income in tax to spend on services. The banks, and finance industry have not been held to account despite the massive structural deficit we now have following the bail outs over the last couple of years. They have not been told to give the profits back to the country, and their chiefs are still getting massive bonuses on you and me. All three parties support the status quo. The Lib-Lab -Cons however are prepared to make us pay through service cuts, while the wealthy won't pay their share (See National Insurance Debate which only equated to £4 per employee). However some programmes are protected. The Lib Dems will cancel Trident, but their policy is to have an alternative nuclear weapon system which will still cost billions. Such a system will not help solve our international disputes, will be unusable in most conflict situations, and will still cost us billions. Similarly the major parties all pledge to stay in Afghanistan, and protect the £40billion pa spent on defence.
So what would the Green's do:
* Have a progressive tax system. The poor would be taken out of tax or pay no more than they do, yet there would be more steps in what is taxable so the wealthier people are, the more they would pay. Any earnings over £100k pa would be taxed at 50%. We would close tax loopholes exploited by big business and the wealthy. This would generate the income required to pay off the structural deficit, and close the revenue deficit. This is a fair system. Research shows equal societies are fairer societies, more happiness, less crime, less 'status anxiety', less conflict-See the recent Equality Trust report if you do not believe me.
* We would work towards a 'new' sustainable economy based on new technology, renewables, sturdy manufacturing goods etc. We would reduce Corporation Tax for small businesses to 20%. We would prevent big business suffocating small firms. Thousands of small businesses would bloom.
* Environment; minimise building on green field sites, proper action against climate change (The Government's own Stern Report states Govt. Carbon targets will still result in a +50% chance of irreversible climate change) , move towards a zero carbon economy, introduce a 'carbon credits' scheme, invest heavily in public transport by using monies set aside for road building, positive action against peak oil and depleting gas supplies through the developing renewable rather than nuclear energies.
* Improved animal welfare standards, No hunting; tax breaks for organic farms; better food standards. A level playing field for small producers, suppliers and shops against the supermarkets. No GM crops.
* Education; less testing, less bureaucracy, free tuition fees and maintenance grants for students. Life long learning as a right so we can develop a more equal and happier society
* Health; more preventative health, support a publicly funded and provided NHS, free social and health care.
* Build more public and affordable housing, revitalise our village communities, higher taxes and planning restrictions on second homes and investment properties.Make towns and cities nice places to live again.
* Crime; Restorative justice, more police on the streets, less bureaucracy.
* Defence; lower spending to fund a defensive armed force only, an independent and ethical foreign policy. Support a strengthened UN to solve international conflict.
* Europe; Radical reform of the EU. Less conformity, rules and regulations; less bureaucracy and waste; more co-operation than compliance between members on a local, regional rather than a pan European basis. No to the Lisbon Treaty.
* Development; support the developing world to build Green sustainable economies and fight climate change. Make developing countries good places to live, support democratic regimes to develop , and less tolerance of dictatorship to encourage change. This would result over time in there being less pull for people to migrate to Europe.
* Cornwall; Housing on Brown field sights and limit development in our countryside, support our natural environment against unfettered development, more devolved powers to a Cornish Assembly to control our services rather than through unelected quangos, and central control. More trust in local people to make their own decisions rather than centralisation.
Want to know even more:
Podcast of introductory speeches for West Briton debates:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Parliamentary-Candidates-Camborne-Redruth-Hayle-PODCAST-DEBATE/article-2009874-detail/article.html
BBC Radio Cornwall Hustings:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8621000/8621911.stm
And if you still want more look at our manifesto on www.greenparty.org.uk
and our party political broadcast on http://www.onlygreen.org.uk/
I am more than happy for you to contact me to discuss our policies and my candidature. Please do not hesitate to give me a ring.
PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES AND ASK THEM TO PASS IT ON
Best wishes and I hope you will vote Green on May 6th
Podcast of introductory speeches for West Briton debates:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Parliamentary-Candidates-Camborne-Redruth-Hayle-PODCAST-DEBATE/article-2009874-detail/article.html
BBC Radio Cornwall Hustings:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8621000/8621911.stm
And if you still want more look at our manifesto on www.greenparty.org.uk
and our party political broadcast on http://www.onlygreen.org.uk/
I am more than happy for you to contact me to discuss our policies and my candidature. Please do not hesitate to give me a ring.
PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES AND ASK THEM TO PASS IT ON
Best wishes and I hope you will vote Green on May 6th
Ian Wright
Green Party Candidate for Truro and Falmouth
01872 501374
Wrightian298@aol.com
http://www.greensarecoming.org.uk
http://www.onlygreen.org.uk/
www.cornishgreenparty.org.uk
www.cornishgreenparty.org.uk
www.greenparty.org.uk
www.ianwrightgreentrurofalmouth.blogspot.com
Views on housing, tourism, NHS; most important issue for the constituency; submissions to West Briton
The candidates for Truro and Falmouth were asked by the West Briton and Falmouth Packet , over several weeks, to write about their views on a range of issues affecting the constituency. These are my published submissions:
Introduction: ProfileI am standing for this election as I believe the Green Party alone can make a real difference. I live on the Roseland, I am married with two children.
For several weeks the Green Party have run a Saturday street stall on alternate weeks in Truro and Falmouth. We leaflet shoppers about our campaign, and have been truly overwhelmed by the positive response.
People are sick of the main ‘grey’ parties, their corruption, and the dull predictable answers to the major issues of the day. We worry about the rise of the right through UKIP and BNP-their answers too simplistic, based on ignorance, racism and xenophobia. No wonder nearly 50% fail to vote.
We propose to protect public services from cuts. The deficit must be paid by the wealthy paying more and closing tax loopholes exploited by big business. We have a new economic strategy based on sustainable economics not unsustainable growth and massive debt. We will build affordable rentable homes for locals, but have higher taxes on second and investment homes. We will invest in education and public transport. We are the only party serious about combating climate change by developing a low carbon economy. We will withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, and believe in a truly ethical foreign policy. We support greater autonomy for Cornwall and keeping our fire, ambulance and NHS services local.
Greens promise a refreshing and credible alternative. A vote for us is a vote for a positive future for Cornwall and our country.'
A well-kept environment is vital to the people of Cornwall and the tourism industry. What can be done to protect it from over-development?
'Cornwall has a unique culture and environment. Ill thought out development threatens to destroy Cornwall, and seldom benefits local people. The current ‘creep’ of development threatens Cornwall becoming little different from elsewhere.
Truro is becoming an urban sprawl. Large private housing developments are not intended for local people. New superstores destroy local businesses in our communities. Anti social behaviour of some tourists, visiting towns like Newquay, make life miserable. Excessive house prices in our villages caused by second and holiday home ownership are equally damaging.
It is not too late. As your MP I would work to ensure there are strict planning controls to limit development which threatens our natural environment. Similar controls must ensure housing is affordable for local people. We must reverse the trend that threatens villages such as Portloe becoming middle class theme parks-open and occupied for school and bank holidays only.
Cornwall must put the needs of local people first, not the needs of developers and big business. We must preserve the attributes that make Cornwall special. That is Cornwall’s attraction and why many come to visit. Everyone is welcome to come in their thousands as long as they treat Cornwall with the reverence it deserves'.
In view of the issues over the planned transfer of upper GI cancer services to Devon, what do you see as the biggest challenges and priorities for the NHS in Cornwall?
Cornwall is angry about loosing our cancer services. Only health service managers are happy; mesmerised by management fashion of centralising services into ‘hubs’ and ‘centres of excellence.’ Nobody thought about the impact on patients travelling from Truro or Penzance. Travelling to Derriford is not easy by car, bus or train- especially for distressed patients undergoing treatments for potentially life threatening illnesses.
The NHS is a great achievement. It must be protected and cherished. Labour reversed eighteen years of Tory misrule of under investment and neglect. We must not forget what the Tories did to our country and public services. The Tories have not changed-despite the new image and rhetoric. Labour isn’t innocent either; there are now 40,000 managers in the NHS. Labour wasted millions on failed computer systems, and expensive ‘Private Finance Initiative’ projects.
We must reduce the national deficit but must protect local public services. We can cut bureaucracy and waste, but must maintain good public services through a more progressive tax system. Patients and medical staff must have more say how the NHS is run. NHS services must be delivered locally, and democratically controlled by the people of Cornwall. A Green government, and myself would deliver this promise.
What should be done to help normal working people afford to live in the places where they grew up?Cornish house prices are scandalous and unaffordable. Development must focus on the needs of local people. Many developments aim at existing homeowners, and those moving here. Many local people don’t wish to pay high rents for substandard housing, but cannot afford to buy.
As your MP I would ensure housing:
1. Is affordable. Where possible housing is built on ‘brown field sites' to protect our countryside.
2. Rebuilds local communities. Small scale developments in local communities are much better than large developments that do not focus on local needs.
3. Development focuses on affordable part-rent/part buy, and 100% rentable accommodation. Tenancies are secure to minimise the uncertainty of regular eviction.
4. In tourist areas housing is more affordable for locals. Planning permission restrictions; additional purchase and land taxes are introduced for investment/ second home/ holiday let property. This would deflate house prices and be a deterrent to property speculators.
5. Is prioritised for locals. As in the Channel Islands some housing should be restricted for locals-again reducing price inflation.
A key priority for me would be for everyone to have a decent home and to reduce the migration of our young people. This would ensure a sustainable future for Cornwall.
What would you and your party do to secure high quality sustainable employment opportunities for people in Cornwall ?In the 1980’s Conservative policies decimated heavy and manufacturing industry. Labour has provided some help during this recession, but there are still two and a half million people unemployed. Our country has too high a dependence on the service and finance sectors.
We would reduce corporation tax to 20% for small businesses to help them blossom. Our Green New Deal would provide financial stimulus to create a million new jobs in a range of Green and NewTech industries, renewable energy, as well as building social housing and proper waste management. We would support the manufacturing and engineering sector to make long lasting, useful sustainable goods people need. We would support Falmouth docks to provide world class shipbuilding and repair facilities. Our talented people will benefit from Green investment to ensure Cornwall has a sustainable future, not one based on the boom and bust cycles of free market economics.
What do you believe is the single most important issue facing your constituency today?
Truro and Falmouth needs an MP with honesty, integrity and independence. The expenses scandal, double standards, and Ashcroft’s dodgy Tory donations make us furious. Camborne rots while Julia Goldsworthy has a £1000 rocking chair on us. The ‘grey’ parties are all the same, fighting to say who will cut expenditure the most, while we will all suffer when public services are cut. Meanwhile big businesses pay little or no tax, and the bankers, who caused the mess, continue to receive get big bonuses. The ‘grey’ parties MP’s vote with their leaderships; few MP’s would do otherwise- they don’t want to damage their ‘careers’.
It’s time for real change, not some Tory PR exercise of ‘change’. Greens have a progressive alternative. We will be totally honest what we think and do. We have radical but realistic plans to solve the environmental and financial crises. We stand up for ordinary people. We have no links with business or other groups. We recently gained a council seat in Suffolk with a 33% swing from the Tories, a vote for us counts. We need change, and the Green Party and I are the real deal. We deserve a chance and won’t let you down.
Introduction: ProfileI am standing for this election as I believe the Green Party alone can make a real difference. I live on the Roseland, I am married with two children.
For several weeks the Green Party have run a Saturday street stall on alternate weeks in Truro and Falmouth. We leaflet shoppers about our campaign, and have been truly overwhelmed by the positive response.
People are sick of the main ‘grey’ parties, their corruption, and the dull predictable answers to the major issues of the day. We worry about the rise of the right through UKIP and BNP-their answers too simplistic, based on ignorance, racism and xenophobia. No wonder nearly 50% fail to vote.
We propose to protect public services from cuts. The deficit must be paid by the wealthy paying more and closing tax loopholes exploited by big business. We have a new economic strategy based on sustainable economics not unsustainable growth and massive debt. We will build affordable rentable homes for locals, but have higher taxes on second and investment homes. We will invest in education and public transport. We are the only party serious about combating climate change by developing a low carbon economy. We will withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, and believe in a truly ethical foreign policy. We support greater autonomy for Cornwall and keeping our fire, ambulance and NHS services local.
Greens promise a refreshing and credible alternative. A vote for us is a vote for a positive future for Cornwall and our country.'
A well-kept environment is vital to the people of Cornwall and the tourism industry. What can be done to protect it from over-development?
'Cornwall has a unique culture and environment. Ill thought out development threatens to destroy Cornwall, and seldom benefits local people. The current ‘creep’ of development threatens Cornwall becoming little different from elsewhere.
Truro is becoming an urban sprawl. Large private housing developments are not intended for local people. New superstores destroy local businesses in our communities. Anti social behaviour of some tourists, visiting towns like Newquay, make life miserable. Excessive house prices in our villages caused by second and holiday home ownership are equally damaging.
It is not too late. As your MP I would work to ensure there are strict planning controls to limit development which threatens our natural environment. Similar controls must ensure housing is affordable for local people. We must reverse the trend that threatens villages such as Portloe becoming middle class theme parks-open and occupied for school and bank holidays only.
Cornwall must put the needs of local people first, not the needs of developers and big business. We must preserve the attributes that make Cornwall special. That is Cornwall’s attraction and why many come to visit. Everyone is welcome to come in their thousands as long as they treat Cornwall with the reverence it deserves'.
In view of the issues over the planned transfer of upper GI cancer services to Devon, what do you see as the biggest challenges and priorities for the NHS in Cornwall?
Cornwall is angry about loosing our cancer services. Only health service managers are happy; mesmerised by management fashion of centralising services into ‘hubs’ and ‘centres of excellence.’ Nobody thought about the impact on patients travelling from Truro or Penzance. Travelling to Derriford is not easy by car, bus or train- especially for distressed patients undergoing treatments for potentially life threatening illnesses.
The NHS is a great achievement. It must be protected and cherished. Labour reversed eighteen years of Tory misrule of under investment and neglect. We must not forget what the Tories did to our country and public services. The Tories have not changed-despite the new image and rhetoric. Labour isn’t innocent either; there are now 40,000 managers in the NHS. Labour wasted millions on failed computer systems, and expensive ‘Private Finance Initiative’ projects.
We must reduce the national deficit but must protect local public services. We can cut bureaucracy and waste, but must maintain good public services through a more progressive tax system. Patients and medical staff must have more say how the NHS is run. NHS services must be delivered locally, and democratically controlled by the people of Cornwall. A Green government, and myself would deliver this promise.
What should be done to help normal working people afford to live in the places where they grew up?Cornish house prices are scandalous and unaffordable. Development must focus on the needs of local people. Many developments aim at existing homeowners, and those moving here. Many local people don’t wish to pay high rents for substandard housing, but cannot afford to buy.
As your MP I would ensure housing:
1. Is affordable. Where possible housing is built on ‘brown field sites' to protect our countryside.
2. Rebuilds local communities. Small scale developments in local communities are much better than large developments that do not focus on local needs.
3. Development focuses on affordable part-rent/part buy, and 100% rentable accommodation. Tenancies are secure to minimise the uncertainty of regular eviction.
4. In tourist areas housing is more affordable for locals. Planning permission restrictions; additional purchase and land taxes are introduced for investment/ second home/ holiday let property. This would deflate house prices and be a deterrent to property speculators.
5. Is prioritised for locals. As in the Channel Islands some housing should be restricted for locals-again reducing price inflation.
A key priority for me would be for everyone to have a decent home and to reduce the migration of our young people. This would ensure a sustainable future for Cornwall.
What would you and your party do to secure high quality sustainable employment opportunities for people in Cornwall ?In the 1980’s Conservative policies decimated heavy and manufacturing industry. Labour has provided some help during this recession, but there are still two and a half million people unemployed. Our country has too high a dependence on the service and finance sectors.
We would reduce corporation tax to 20% for small businesses to help them blossom. Our Green New Deal would provide financial stimulus to create a million new jobs in a range of Green and NewTech industries, renewable energy, as well as building social housing and proper waste management. We would support the manufacturing and engineering sector to make long lasting, useful sustainable goods people need. We would support Falmouth docks to provide world class shipbuilding and repair facilities. Our talented people will benefit from Green investment to ensure Cornwall has a sustainable future, not one based on the boom and bust cycles of free market economics.
What do you believe is the single most important issue facing your constituency today?
Truro and Falmouth needs an MP with honesty, integrity and independence. The expenses scandal, double standards, and Ashcroft’s dodgy Tory donations make us furious. Camborne rots while Julia Goldsworthy has a £1000 rocking chair on us. The ‘grey’ parties are all the same, fighting to say who will cut expenditure the most, while we will all suffer when public services are cut. Meanwhile big businesses pay little or no tax, and the bankers, who caused the mess, continue to receive get big bonuses. The ‘grey’ parties MP’s vote with their leaderships; few MP’s would do otherwise- they don’t want to damage their ‘careers’.
It’s time for real change, not some Tory PR exercise of ‘change’. Greens have a progressive alternative. We will be totally honest what we think and do. We have radical but realistic plans to solve the environmental and financial crises. We stand up for ordinary people. We have no links with business or other groups. We recently gained a council seat in Suffolk with a 33% swing from the Tories, a vote for us counts. We need change, and the Green Party and I are the real deal. We deserve a chance and won’t let you down.
Green sympathy with the public's disillusionment with main parties
I completely understand many of the views expressed in your Voxpop
‘What the people on the street are thinking’ (22/4/2010) over the
disillusionment of the current political campaign. My motivation for
standing was fuelled by similar feelings towards the main political
parties.
It is amusing the Libdems are ‘marketing’ themselves as bastions of a
‘new politics’ when their roots go back to the nineteenth century.
Certainly their tenure as leaders of Cornwall Council showed that,
until they were kicked out, there was nothing ‘new’ about the various
cock ups they caused, including signing away our millions in the
incinerator contract.
The Tories should be walking this one, with Gordon Brown and Labour so
discredited after thirteen years of disappointment; particularly after
initial optimism in 1997 that ordinary people’s interests would be
prioritised. People have long memories, and even David Cameron’s PR
smile does not make us forget eighteen years of Tory misrule. We should
not forget the record so far of our now Tory controlled council, which
has spent £11 million since April 2009 alone, on consultants (West
Briton 22/4/10). Is that really a template to cut waste and what the
Tories mean when they ask us to ‘Vote for Change’?
The current ‘X factor’ style ‘beauty contest’ of the leader’s debate on
TV, particularly with the exclusion of the ‘small’ parties, has shown
that despite the bickering, there is a broad consensus to cut public
services, do little to protect the environment, stay in Afghanistan,
and keep nuclear weapons of one sort or another. Hardly a manifesto
from the ‘Big Three’ for a sustainable future, but more of the ‘same
old, same old’, that we are used to.
If I had a pound for everybody who said they won’t vote with their
conscience and vote Green, I would be a wealthy man. Once people read
the Green Party manifesto they know it makes sense. In Brighton, the
bookies have the Green’s odds on favourite to win, and the LibDems in
last place. Our leader, Caroline Lucas, unlike Nick Clegg, is truly
inspiring. Voting Green is a vote for the future and we are starting to
gain momentum. People should not vote tactically but vote for real,
genuine change. 'Change' and 'Fairness' are just mere buzzwords as far as
the 'Big Three' are concerned.
We offer a progressive alternative where there would be real change to
our political and economic system for the better. Our policies would
tackle climate change, the current financial deficit and close the tax
loopholes exploited by big business and the very wealthy. By developing
a progressive tax system, where every one pays their fair share, we
would ensure there is enough money not to cut public services but
create a sustainable future with ordinary people and the environment at
its core. The leaders’ debates are a turn off. Green’s want to
inspire those who don’t vote, or are disillusioned by the main parties.
Just like the people in your article. Subsequently we want to ensure
there is an alternative where the future is not grey but green.
‘What the people on the street are thinking’ (22/4/2010) over the
disillusionment of the current political campaign. My motivation for
standing was fuelled by similar feelings towards the main political
parties.
It is amusing the Libdems are ‘marketing’ themselves as bastions of a
‘new politics’ when their roots go back to the nineteenth century.
Certainly their tenure as leaders of Cornwall Council showed that,
until they were kicked out, there was nothing ‘new’ about the various
cock ups they caused, including signing away our millions in the
incinerator contract.
The Tories should be walking this one, with Gordon Brown and Labour so
discredited after thirteen years of disappointment; particularly after
initial optimism in 1997 that ordinary people’s interests would be
prioritised. People have long memories, and even David Cameron’s PR
smile does not make us forget eighteen years of Tory misrule. We should
not forget the record so far of our now Tory controlled council, which
has spent £11 million since April 2009 alone, on consultants (West
Briton 22/4/10). Is that really a template to cut waste and what the
Tories mean when they ask us to ‘Vote for Change’?
The current ‘X factor’ style ‘beauty contest’ of the leader’s debate on
TV, particularly with the exclusion of the ‘small’ parties, has shown
that despite the bickering, there is a broad consensus to cut public
services, do little to protect the environment, stay in Afghanistan,
and keep nuclear weapons of one sort or another. Hardly a manifesto
from the ‘Big Three’ for a sustainable future, but more of the ‘same
old, same old’, that we are used to.
If I had a pound for everybody who said they won’t vote with their
conscience and vote Green, I would be a wealthy man. Once people read
the Green Party manifesto they know it makes sense. In Brighton, the
bookies have the Green’s odds on favourite to win, and the LibDems in
last place. Our leader, Caroline Lucas, unlike Nick Clegg, is truly
inspiring. Voting Green is a vote for the future and we are starting to
gain momentum. People should not vote tactically but vote for real,
genuine change. 'Change' and 'Fairness' are just mere buzzwords as far as
the 'Big Three' are concerned.
We offer a progressive alternative where there would be real change to
our political and economic system for the better. Our policies would
tackle climate change, the current financial deficit and close the tax
loopholes exploited by big business and the very wealthy. By developing
a progressive tax system, where every one pays their fair share, we
would ensure there is enough money not to cut public services but
create a sustainable future with ordinary people and the environment at
its core. The leaders’ debates are a turn off. Green’s want to
inspire those who don’t vote, or are disillusioned by the main parties.
Just like the people in your article. Subsequently we want to ensure
there is an alternative where the future is not grey but green.
More Shock at Council's use of Consultants
24.4 Consultants
I was intrigued by your article ‘Shock as council’s £11m consultants’ fees revealed’ (West Briton 22/4/10). It is good that even in such times of recession that one industry is doing well. Sorry, I should remember sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
I seem to remember a small minority of your correspondents defending the current Council CEO-Kevin Lavery’s salary. The defence-if I remember rightly- was something along the lines of the council has to pay top dollar to get the best.
Taking that line as factual (which personally I don’t), why then has the council had to supplement its top talent by paying an additional £11 million to consultants, on top of these senior managers’ salaries? And that is just in a year! Surely Mr Lavery et al should bring such talent themselves to the table, without the extra expense of paying consultants? .
To top it all, and to add further insult to injury, Mr Lavery’s own Chief Executive’s Department top the council’s consultant’s league table-by almost double- with expenditure of £2.36m. Human Resources-who are supposed to advise managers on personnel matters, thought they needed further advisors at a cost of £1.1m. Private Finance Initiative schemes required consultancy of just under £0.5n ( I thought such outsourcing was meant to be cheaper than in house provision; so why did they need to ‘outsource’ advice to decide to ‘outsource’. (If you can follow that- which sounds straight out of Yes Minister!)
The current Conservative led administration of the council promised to cut waste, so frontline services could be protected in such times of austerity. Despite encouraging us to ‘Vote For Change,’ the Tories are clearly following the New Labour template of being too frightened to make up their own minds, and to outsource advice. However we must remember they themselves are elected to make decisions, and to employ officers of high calibre to advise them. This will not do, and does not bode well if the Tories are elected on 6th May, with Mr Cameron (ex PR Consultant) at their helm. We need real change. We must protect and develop public services and cut unnecessary waste such as this.
I must go now I have an election to fight.
I was intrigued by your article ‘Shock as council’s £11m consultants’ fees revealed’ (West Briton 22/4/10). It is good that even in such times of recession that one industry is doing well. Sorry, I should remember sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
I seem to remember a small minority of your correspondents defending the current Council CEO-Kevin Lavery’s salary. The defence-if I remember rightly- was something along the lines of the council has to pay top dollar to get the best.
Taking that line as factual (which personally I don’t), why then has the council had to supplement its top talent by paying an additional £11 million to consultants, on top of these senior managers’ salaries? And that is just in a year! Surely Mr Lavery et al should bring such talent themselves to the table, without the extra expense of paying consultants? .
To top it all, and to add further insult to injury, Mr Lavery’s own Chief Executive’s Department top the council’s consultant’s league table-by almost double- with expenditure of £2.36m. Human Resources-who are supposed to advise managers on personnel matters, thought they needed further advisors at a cost of £1.1m. Private Finance Initiative schemes required consultancy of just under £0.5n ( I thought such outsourcing was meant to be cheaper than in house provision; so why did they need to ‘outsource’ advice to decide to ‘outsource’. (If you can follow that- which sounds straight out of Yes Minister!)
The current Conservative led administration of the council promised to cut waste, so frontline services could be protected in such times of austerity. Despite encouraging us to ‘Vote For Change,’ the Tories are clearly following the New Labour template of being too frightened to make up their own minds, and to outsource advice. However we must remember they themselves are elected to make decisions, and to employ officers of high calibre to advise them. This will not do, and does not bode well if the Tories are elected on 6th May, with Mr Cameron (ex PR Consultant) at their helm. We need real change. We must protect and develop public services and cut unnecessary waste such as this.
I must go now I have an election to fight.
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