Author Archives: greenparty

NATIONAL GREEN PARTY CONFERENCE IN LIVERPOOL : 24th-27th FEBRUARY

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The National Green Party conference is at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool from Friday 24th to Monday 27th February. We are running a conference outreach programme which includes having one event per day that will be open to the public. We are also inviting individuals who are interested in Green politics to attend the conference as observers. Anyone can attend for the same rates as members and fully participate except for voting. We will also have a taster offer where those wanting to learn more about Green politics are offered a full day at conference for £5.
The following panels are open to the public. If you would like to attend, there is no need to book, just show up on the day and we will sign you in to watch and take part in the discussion:
Friday 24th Feb, 6.45pm. Crisis in the Eurozone, Crisis in the UK
Saturday 25th Feb 6pm: Corporate recipes: How big business is meddling with your dinner
Sunday 26th Feb, 5pm: Young Greens – Are young people turning to the left?
Monday 27th Feb, 11am: Elisabeth Whitebread – No more fish in the sea?

Among other highlights for those wishing to participate as observers is Caroline Lucas’ opening speech which is at 2pm on Friday.

If you want to find out more contact us on contact@liverpoolgreenparty.org.uk

IMAGINE WORLD SERVICE BROADCASTING FROM LIVERPOOL – IT’S EASY IF YOU TRY

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Liverpool City Council has recommended the BBC World Service be moved to Liverpool.[1]

At little cost to London this would:

  • raise Liverpool’s profile in the world;
  • support Liverpool’s existing language skills base; and
  • support BBC Merseyside through shared resources.

BBC World Service is the world’s leading international broadcaster[2].

It currently employs over 2000 people[3, p20], broadcasts in 28 languages[2], and has a weekly audience of 166 million[3, p49].
Moving the World Service here could be a big boost for Liverpool.Cllr Sarah Jennings said:

“BBC licence fee revenue represents a significant contribution from residents in Liverpool and it is a tax which bears heavily on people with low incomes or who are unemployed. it is fair to ask the BBC to do more to sustain employment in Liverpool and Merseyside by relocating jobs here.”

It is unfair to charge a regressive tax on the people of Liverpool while cutting services.  It is Green Party policy to scrap this unfair tax.[4]

Cllr John Coyne said: “BBC has defended the licence fee, a regressive taxation, claiming it ensures impartiality.  Yet currently BBC World Service is paid for out of general taxation with no doubts about its impartiality. The BBC should be paid for from general taxation.”

Currently BBC Merseyside is facing cuts due a change in the World Service’s funding arrangements.  By 2014 the World Service will cease to be paid for through general taxation and will be supported by the regressive licence fee.[2]

Notes:
[1]: Agenda for City Council Meeting 9/Nov/2011
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=305&MId=11958&Ver=4

[2]: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/institutional/2009/03/000000_about_ws.shtml

[3]: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/annual_review/bbc_world_service_annual_review_2010_11.pdf

[4]: http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/cms
CMS641 The primary public service broadcaster will remain the BBC (and S4C in Wales) funded wholly by public money from a tax which may be ring-fenced (hypothecated) for public service broadcast use. The operation of this tax should not be regressive. The existing licence fee will be abolished and in the first instance replaced by a guaranteed inflation linked payment from general taxation.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WEBSITE..

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… we have moved to a new home – please set your favourites to this new address.
We have updated our website over the past year to take advantage of the latest technology and allow it to be seen on more modern browsers and search engines, as well as adding in automated features such as the Twitter feeds and the YouTube Channel.
If you like what you see let us know what you think!

The old website (liverpool.greenparty.org.uk) will still exist for a short while, but we are gradually bringing all the old content across (we have completed 2010/11 news – but we still have several years prior to that to bring across).

MPs CRITICISE GOVERNMENT TOKENISM ON PUBLIC SECTOR PENSIONS

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Members of the PCS Group of MPs* were today critical of the government’s offer to trade unions on public sector pension reform, ahead of planned industrial action on 30th November.

Group Chair John McDonnell MP said:

“This offer fails to address the key concerns of public sector workers that the vast majority will still be working longer, paying more and receiving less in pension. People will not see this as an acceptable offer.”

PCS Group Vice-Chair, Caroline Lucas MP stated:

“The Government’s poor handling of public sector pensions is a cause of serious concern for my constituents and, more widely, for workers across the public sector. While today’s announcement was a welcome sign that Ministers may be starting to listen to workers’ fears about the impact of the planned changes, the devil is really in the detail – and it’s now crucial that Government works closely together with union leaders to reach a fair settlement for public sector pensions.”

Elfyn Llwyd MP, Vice-Chair of the PCS Group, commented:

“I am glad to see some movement from the UK Government on this hugely important issue, but this should not be their final offer. They have not moved on the planned increase in pension contributions or the arbitrary switch from RPI to CPI for uprating pensions, which will significantly devalue pensions in the public sector.”

 

“These pension schemes were re-assessed only a few years ago and are sustainable. People should not be misled that these are unaffordable or that public sector workers – teachers, nurses, tax collectors – are getting a better deal than anyone else.”

*PCS Group of MPs are cross party with over 80 members

CAROLINE LUCAS: EU REFERENDUM

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Caroline LucasLike most institutions the EU has good and bad sides. Caroline Lucas (Green Party Leader) spoke in favour of a national referendum on the EU. This speech was given to a commons debate 24th October 2011.

“The issue here is the right of the people to say what they want, the right to have that debate and the right for us to differ, as necessary, but none the less to have that debate about the advantages and, indeed, some disadvantages of the EU.”

Full speech available here

LAND GRABS: PUBLIC MEETING AT AIGBURTH CRICKET CLUB (8PM : MONDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 2011)

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Imagine being kicked out of your home. Imagine never being able to return.

Thousands of people around the globe do not have to imagine what this is like because it is happening now.

Come to a public talk, given by Beth Knowles, Oxfam Activism and Community Campaigner (North of England). Beth will be speaking about land grabs in the developing world.

The 2007–08 food prices crisis has led to an increase in land deals in the developing world. These deals often:

  • Violate human rights;
  • Flout the principle of informed consent;
  • Ignore environmental and economic impacts;
  • Avoid transparent contracts;
  • Eschew democratic planning;

And can rightly be described as “land grabs”.[1]

Land acquired in this manner is often left idle in the knowledge the land’s value will increase. In other cases it is used to grow food, cut-flowers and palm oil for foreign markets. In either case without strict rules governing land sales poor families will lose their livelihoods.

Major drivers of this process of environmental damage include perverse western policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions such as carbon trading and biofuel mandates.

Beth Knowles from Oxfam will be talking at a public meeting about the scale of the problem of land grabs and what we can do about it. The meeting takes place at Aigburth Cricket Club, Southwood Road, St Michaels Station, Liverpool, L17 7BQ.

Places are limited so please book for this meeting to avoid disappointment. Contact Alex Ferguson via email, or telephone 0151 427 3071 or 07905 931738.

For further information about land grabs and what you can do see:

www.commercialpressuresonland.org

www.farmlandgrab.org
p>[1] Source Land and Power: The growing scandal surrounding the new wave of investments in land.
Click here to download to the full article

www.oxfam.org/grow

LIVERPOOL GREEN PARTY CALL TO RELOCATE BBC WORLD SERVICE TO LIVERPOOL

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The Green Party has called for the BBC World Service to be relocated to Liverpool.

The proposal from Liverpool Green Party (LGP) follows the relocation of BBC Sport, Radio 5 Live, BBC Breakfast and Children’s programmes to Salford. Cllr John Coyne commented:

“A skill base in foreign languages already exists in this city region and it could be developed further to support BBC World Service programmes as well as assisting local businesses to thrive in international markets.”

He added:

“A relocated BBC World Service could plan to share some accommodation and resources alongside Radio Merseyside and therefore reduce the pressure for cuts in Radio Merseyside programmes.”

LGP is opposed to cutbacks BBC chiefs are planning in staff and output at Radio Merseyside and other local stations.

Councillor Sarah Jennings (Green Party) said:

“BBC licence fee revenue represents a significant contribution from residents in Liverpool and it is a tax which bears heavily on people with low incomes or who are unemployed. it is fair to ask the BBC to do more to sustain employment in Liverpool and Merseyside by relocating jobs here.”

The GP motion will be discussed by a full meeting of Liverpool city council on 9th November.

Sarah Jennings is calling other party leaders to support this as a cross-party motion (see note 5 below).

NOTES:

Draft motion to Liverpool City Council by Councillor John Coyne

  1. Council considers that the relocation of BBC assets to Manchester should be balanced by relocating BBC World Service operations to a headquarters in Liverpool. Council recognises that a skill base in foreign languages already exists in this city region and that it could be developed further to support BBC World Service programmes as well as assisting local businesses to thrive in international markets.
  2. Council considers that a relocated BBC World Service could plan to share some accommodation and resources alongside Radio Merseyside and therefore reduce the pressure for cuts in Radio Merseyside programmes.
  3. Council notes that BBC licence fee revenue represents a significant contribution from residents in Liverpool and it is a tax which bears heavily on people with low incomes or who are unemployed. Council considers therefore that it is fair to ask the BBC to do more to sustain employment in Liverpool and Merseyside by relocating jobs here.
  4. Council instructs the Chief Executive to include these points in representations to the BBC on behalf of the City Council.
  5. Cross-party motions are decided at a whips meeting on Tuesday, 1st November.

LIVERPOOL GREEN PARTY CALL FOR DIRECT RAIL SERVICES FROM LIVERPOOL TO UK

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Liverpool must gain direct rail services with other cities in Britain, says Liverpool Green Party. This follows ongoing losses of direct, long-distance train services from Liverpool to Scotland, Wales, the South Coast and West of England.

Efforts by the city council and Merseytravel to reinstate at least one direct rail service to Edinburgh – during the consultation for the renewal of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) franchise – have so far been unsuccessful.

The Green Party want Liverpool to have direct long-distance rail connections.

Cllr Sarah Jennings, of Liverpool Green Party, said:

“A regional transport strategy for North West England should recognise and support two major city regions: Manchester and Liverpool. The reconnection of Liverpool to the long-distance rail network should be a key aim of transport planning.”

Cllr Sarah Jennings and Cllr John Coyne, Liverpool’s two Green councillors, are calling on the council’s Chief Executive to write to each of the current bidders for the WCML franchise asking them to undertake to reinstate direct services to Scotland if their bid is successful.

Sarah Jennings is calling other party leaders to support this as a cross-party motion (see note 6 below).

The matter will be discussed in a full meeting of Liverpool City Council on 9th November.

NOTES:

Draft motion to Liverpool City Council by Councillor John Coyne

  1. Council regrets the progressive loss of long-distance direct train services from Liverpool to Scotland, Wales and the South coast and West of England. Council notes the representations made on its behalf and by Merseytravel to reinstate at least one direct rail service to Edinburgh in the consultation for the renewal of the West Coast Main Line franchise.
  2. Council regrets that those representations were unsuccessful.
  3. Council agrees with the view expressed by the North West Green Party that further representations should be made to the potential operators of the new franchise to press them to include direct Liverpool services in their bids.
  4. Council considers that a regional transport strategy for North West England should recognise and support two major city regions and that the reconnection of Liverpool to the long-distance rail network should be a key aim of transport planning.
  5. Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to each of the current bidders for the West Coast Main Line franchise asking them to undertake to reinstate direct services to Scotland if their bid is successful.
  6. Cross-party motions are decided at a whips meeting on Tuesday, 1st November.

GREEN DEPUTY LEADER TO SPEAK IN LIVERPOOL

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Adrian Ramsey will address a meeting in the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool on Saturday 15th October at 4pm.

Green Solutions for a Jilted Generation

Adrian Ramsey

Please join Liverpool Green Party and Liverpool Green Party Student Society for a debate with Adrian Ramsay, deputy leader of the Green Party.

 

 

The news is full of examples of problems facing young people such as
unemployment and increasing tuition fees.
What alternatives are there?

This event is primarily aimed at students and young people, but is
open to anyone who is interested in hearing the Green Party
perspective on a range of issues including tuition fees, the recession
and climate change.

This Saturday 15th October at 4pm in the Crosby Room, at the Adelphi Hotel -
Refreshments provided

More about Adrian here …

HIGH SPEED MANCHESTER-LONDON TRAIN LINK – EXACTLY WHO BENEFITS?

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Cllr Sarah Jennings posted a letter in the Liverpool Echo regarding this subject last weekend. The government wants to build a high speed 250mph line from London to Birmingham initially, with separate spurs to Manchester and Leeds following on later. This is known as the “High-Speed 2″ or HS2. However, it is questionable as to who this really benefits and the timeline for such plans is in the region of 20 years to complete. The reduction in travel time is just short of 20 minutes. The investment may, as Sarah suggests, be better spent in improving local transport in ways such as better regional connections and reducing overcrowding.

Full letter can be read here