Alan's Green Thoughts

Readers, I had a good time attending my seventh Green Party conference (also my seventh in a row) up in the spa town of Harrogate, in the north riding of Yorkshire. This time it was only 3 days long, rather than 4 days long as our conferences normally are, although this helped me afford the cost of attending. Despite its relatively short length, I found it rather enjoyable and lively. The good points about this conference: 1. We passed a motion affirming the rights of nature, which if implemented would not only outlaw drilling for shale gas but would also prevent destruction of forests and other wildlife habitats. We should live in harmony with nature, not exploit it simply for our own purposes. 2. We also passed an emergency motion calling for the outlawing microbeads, which are small plastic particles found in cosmetics and personal care products. They are now banned in the USA but not in the UK, so please be careful when you buy such products. 3. I managed to get my photogra...

Despite protests from arts students there, and the resignation of the CASS campus dean Robert Mull, London Metropolitan University sold the Sir John Cass building, which is London Metropolitan's main arts campus, to a property developer: https://www.a-n.co.uk/news/cass-faculty-building-sold-to-property-developer-for-50m This decision was taken in spite of the fact that moving the arts faculty to the main campus in Holloway Road even when space there is already limited and will be further constrained by the moving of the law faculty there, is likely to result in the closure or severe downsizing of important courses there such as silversmithing and instrument making, which are important but hard to find UK-wide. Similar situations could end up being repeated across UK campuses-specialist courses, sometimes offered only by a handful of universities in the UK, are there for a good reason. Meanwhile, unelected chancellors and vice-chancellors are experiencing 14% p...

It is official-the date of the important referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union will take place on Thursday 23rd June 2016. Keep this date in your diaries, readers, and if you are not already on the electoral register make sure you are so that you can vote in this referendum. And remember, consider all the facts as well as your individual circumstances before you cast your vote, either for yes or no-neither option can benefit everyone in Britain. With just four months to go now, here are some useful and informative tips for you all. 1. Every vote could make a difference in this referendum. Many polls initially pointed to a clear lead for Britons remaining in the EU, but that has changed significantly and there is a real possibility that Britain could vote to leave the EU. We are all affected differently by Britain's membership of the EU, and whatever your circumstances, it is important that this referendum has democratic legitimacy. 2. Think independen...

Readers, the results from yesterday's local by-elections that featured Green Party candidates were as follows: Argyll & Bute UA, Oban North & Lorn: (1st preference votes): SNP 1113 (42.3%, +9.9%), Conservative 609 (23.2%, +13.5%), Independent 608 (23.1%), Green 300 (11.4%). SNP elected at stage 4; SNP gain from Argyll First. Broxtowe DC, Toton & Chilwell Meadows: Conservative 910 (51.9%, +7.0%), Labour 368 (21.0%, -0.2%), Liberal Democrats 363 (20.7%), Green 111 (6.3%, -3.7%). Lichfield DC, Chadsmead: Lib Dem 300 (40.0%, +14.9%), Lab 195 (26.0%, +1.6%), Con 159 (21.2%, -12.2%), UKIP 73 (9.7%, -7.4%), Green 23 (3.1%). Manchester MBC, Higher Blackley:  Lab 1062 (65.2%, +7.7%), UKIP 308 (18.9%, -6.9%), Con 130 (8.0%, -1.8%), Lib Dem 78 (4.8%, +2.1%), Green 40 (2.5%, -1.7%), Pirate 9 (0.6%). None of these wards were Green targets and nor have they ever elected Green councillors, but the Green result in Oban North & Lorn is rather promising especially with ...

Peter Tatchell, a Green Party activist and long-serving LGBT rights activist, has reportedly been snubbed by Fran Cowling, an LGBT representative of the NUS, who has said she will not share a platform with someone with 'racist and trans-phobic views'. Peter is neither racist nor trans-phobic, just so we are clear: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/02/15/peter-tatchell-hits-back-at-transphobia-and-racism-claims/ In any case, we cannot strike a blow against discrimination by resorting to the same McCarthy-ite smears (as Peter put it himself) as those who peddle discrimination use (e.g. the 'benefit scroungers' smears of right-wing newspapers like The Sun and The Daily Mail). Nor will assuming everyone is 'privileged' in one way or another just because of whom they are or what intangible characteristics they may have solve any problems or bridge any gaps in society. Failing to share a platform with someone just because of who they are or what views they might pu...

Yesterday, The Independent and The Independent on Sunday, newspapers which I have been reading very frequently for years both online and offline, have announced they will cease all printing and become digital-only newspapers from late March 2016, almost 10 years to the day I first read The Independent cover to cover. This will in all likelihood be just the start of a trend where eventually, all major newspapers in the UK (and in some other countries) will become entirely online publications. What will all this mean? 1. It will cost less for us to view major newspapers, or rather 'news-sites'. Most major UK newspapers, with The Times and The Financial Times being notable exceptions, can currently be read online for no cost at all, but if you want to buy them on a frequent enough basis, it will cost you hundreds of pounds each year. For example, if I bought The Independent 310 times per year, enough to cover every weekday of news and every weekend's worth of news it w...

Readers, the results of yesterday's local by-elections were as follows: Bolton MBC, Crompton: Labour 1,961 (70.9%, +7.0%), UKIP 321 (11.6%, -9.5%), Conservative 302 (10.9%, -0.7%), Liberal Democrats 117 (4.2%, +0.5%), Green 65 (2.8%). Coventry MBC, Lower Stoke: Lab 1,235 (57.5%, +7.9%), Con 344 (16.0%, -5.2%), UKIP 290 (13.5%,-4.8%), Green 154 (7.2%, +1.1%), Lib Dem 124 (5.8%). Eastleigh BC, West End North: Lib Dem 582 (53.0%, +13.2%), Con 315 (28.7%, -6.4%), UKIP 115 (10.5%, -4.9%), Lab 58 (5.3%, -4.3%), Green 28 (2.6%). Hounslow LBC, Cranford: Lab 1264 (54.7%, +0.0%), Con 638 (27.6%, +1.7%), Lib Dem 265 (11.5%, +5.3%), UKIP 96 (4.2%, -9.1%), Green 48 (2.1%). Notably, the Green Party candidate in Coventry, Aimee Challenor, has just become Green Party spokesperson on LGBTIQ rights, and given that the Lib Dems stood this time around when they did not last time in Lower Stoke, she has performed well in a solidly Labour ward (which the majority of wards in Coventry are, alth...

Readers, Prime Minister David Cameron is trying another round of 'negotiations' with European Union Ministers about Britain's obligations to the EU, all to suit his interests and those of the Conservative Party in reality. Some of this is in hope that Britons will become more inclined to vote to stay in the EU rather than vote to leave the EU, but he once again plans to just use these 'negotiations' to give the UK opt-outs from important social parts of the EU whilst still leaving the UK with the substantial drawbacks of EU membership, such as the effects of the Lisbon Treaty and not affecting the drive towards neoliberalism within the EU as a whole. What needs to be made clear in the context of the EU referendum, whichever side one takes, is this: since we are the people whose votes in the upcoming referendum on Britain's EU membership, we collectively should be steering whatever reform is possible in the EU, and no negotiations on Britain's compliance to...

Readers, the results from yesterday's local by-elections featuring Green Party candidates were as follows: Northumberland UA, Hexham West: No Description (Derek Kennedy) 501 (36.6%), Conservative 454 (33.2%, -15.1%), Labour 200 (14.6%, -0.3%), Independent (Diane Pickering) 125 (9.1%), Green 89 (6.5%). No Description gain from Conservative. Shropshire UA, Oswestry South: Green 518 (48.8%, +17.1%), Con 367 (36.4%, -11.4%), Lab 95 (9.0%), Liberal Democrats 81 (7.6%, +1.8%). Green gain from Conservative. At last, my Green colleagues regain local representation in Shropshire, which we lost in 2009 when South Shropshire District Council, where we had one councillor at the time, was abolished under the Local Government Act 2007 that created the unitary authority of Shropshire Council in the first place. I am pleased for the hard work of now-Cllr. Duncan Kerr, who was formerly a Green Party councillor in Bolsover meaning he was from 2011 to 2013 one of a handful of opp...

The Taoiseach of Ireland, Enda Kenny, announced earlier today that Ireland will go to the polls this month-specifically on 26th February, only 23 days from now. 1. How is it different from the last Irish general election of 2011? Several new parties will be entering the fold-Renua Ireland (centre-right and liberal conservative, led by ex-Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton), the Social Democrats (centre-left, led by TDs Stephen Donnelly, Catherine Murphy, and Roisin Shortall), and Direct Democracy Ireland (plus a few splinter groups also dedicated to the concept of direct democracy). The Socialists and People Before Profit have also allied to form the Anti Austerity Alliance/PBP joint ticket, although TDs Joan Collins and Clare Daly, who were originally elected under the PBP and Socialist Party of Ireland banners respectively, have refused to join it. There have also been significant constituency changes for this election, particularly since there will be 158 TDs elected...