Great news for Greens in the Midlands – maybe the electorate is starting to realise?

http://solihull.greenparty.org.uk/localsites/solihull.html

Yet another Lib-Dem has defected to the Green Party in Solihull, 3 in total now. Disenchantment with their own party, key lib-dem policies being thrown aside, lack of support for environmental issues and social justice issues all being cited. The Greens ‘bold and principled’ stance against the cuts and other policies being imposed are seen as a major reason for wanting to join. Politics can be principled, it can be bold, and it can stand against the corporate greed that is destroying lives and the planet – and the Green Party are that political party. It is certainly why I am a member.

May 3rd – voting in an undemocratic democracy

To all of those who believe we live in a free and democratic country: Anti-democratic action, censorship, suppression of free-speech and dictatorships come in many forms. The press, the right-wing corporates and most politicians in this country collude to ensure the public are ill-informed, mis-informed, mis-led and kept ignorant of so much. Ask any 15/16 year old in an ordinary comprehensive or academy how much they know about the ‘democratic’ and political system in this country and if they will vote when they get to 18, who they will vote for and where they get their information from about the different parties and their policies. See what kind of response you get. Ignorance is a weapon of destruction of the masses.

100 MPs write to Cameron to request withdrawal of wind power subsidies

I’m so not surprised to see the name of our ‘local’ Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi on this list. The portfolio holder for ‘small business’ seems far more interested in large corporate business from my experience – and of course that would include the corporate lobbyists from the likes of NPower, EDF, Eon, etc. They of course receive no government subsidies, nothing like reductions in corporation tax, being allowed to blatantly evade taxes, taking government and EU support subsidies wherever and whenever they can, no of course not!

Fossil fuels are finite, and depleting fast. What other choice do we have? “You want us all to live in caves in the dark wearing sack-cloth!” has long been the accusation levelled at anyone from the Green Party – but if we do not tackle the looming peak oil, energy security, lack of alternatives crisis that is fast heading our way, the one that the Green Party has been trying to get everyone to take seriously and make alternative provision for, that will be exactly where we do end up! Can I then say “we told you so”??

Voting Green

Yes I am standing again in the local elections. Why? Not sure really, my level of pessimism and cynicism with all things political – and all things involving people to be honest – has reached a new nadir! Maybe the great british voter will have some kind of epiphany this week, realise that the media has its own agenda and will seek out answers for themselves and vote accordingly. Or maybe not.

Time, tide and watering the greenhouse waits for no man…. or woman

Where does the time go??
I seem to have less hours in the day with each passing week.
I’m trying to limit my computer use and get out in the garden, as I find it so therapeutic, but life just seems to keep getting in the way – meetings, phone calls, protest marches and even trying to spend time with friends and family and do the housework all conspire to fill the days! Hence very few additions to this blog!
I think the internet was invented by men with few or no outside interests – for men (and a few women) with few or no outside interests! Me – I’m off to water my tomatoes!!

Polling day is finally here…

And what an anti-climax.
I’ve met some fabulous (and not so fabulous) people, had some interesting debates, answered stacks of emails from people concerned about certain issues (and sadly not had time to answer all of them – many apologies to those of you I didn’t respond to – but I doubt you would have voted for me anyway!) and helped in Warwick & Leamington too.

Our democracy isn’t just skewed because of the ridiculous first past the post counting system which disadvantages smaller parties – but also the fact that the more money you have the bigger your campaign – where is the great British sense of fair play in that??

This is why the Green Party wants state financing and monitoring of political parties – until it is a level playing field don’t even call it a democracy.

Why just building lots of new houses isn’t the answer to any of the questions.

Irish Ghost Estates show flaw in UK housebuilding policy

This report from the BBC shows just how foolish allowing unfettered property development is, and how instead of improving an economy – it can destroy it – and the landscape, the environment, communities and farming and food production.

When will the world learn – we cannot eat money.

Campaign Against the Arms Trade

Weapons kill – no seriously – not just in a ‘BANG BANG you’re dead’ way – but in an economic and social way too.

Selling arms to other countries has made certain companies, and individuals in our governments and civil service very rich indeed.

The fact that these death bringers are putinto the hands of children in countries where people need food not guns, and that often they end up on our own streets killing our own young people seems to be beyond their limited comprehension. (or they just want the money and they really don’t care about anyone except themself).

For a person to say they are a spiritual person when they have sold weapons and armed someone when they do not know how, where or when that weapon will be used is to me the ultimate in hypocrisy, and I feel so very sad at their lack of humanity.

Selling guns to foreign regimes has caused so much death, and debt. Many of the poorest countries are in debt because of purchasing weapons they didn’t need and couldn’t afford because they were sold the lie that they would receive help if they bought the weapons. Some countries have got into massive debt due to paying ‘bribes’ to salesmen who promised them special treatment.
Now thousands of children die of hunger.
Campaign Against the Arms Trade

People Building Peace

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Peace Pledge Union The Peace Pledge Union is the oldest secular pacifist organisation in Britain. Since 1934 it has been campaigning for a warless world. Many of the original founders were widows and family members of those killed in World War 1. They hoped for such terrible loss of life never to be repeated.
When will mankind learn?

Post Election (and OU course work) celebration planned!

I’m going to go and see the absolutely marvellous folk group, Show of Hands, at the Leamington Assembly Rooms.

Their song ‘Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed’ (Initials AIG – after one of the American firms that started the financial crash selling sub-prime debt) is an absolutely fantastic, rousing, tuneful indictment of the political and banking system and what it is doing to our country and society.

Folk music and protest songs are a way to bring people together and stir them up for action and came from the tradition of slave and worker songs made up to help the day pass through use of music, rythmn, and often subversive lyrics.

has a preview of the video

or this is the official website

As I have now discovered that sadly the BNP will be standing in Stratford I also want to put a link to Folk Against Fascism -

For a safe future where people don’t have to look over their shoulder because they look or sound different, or have an unusual surname ( like me!) then I urge every right thinking person in this country to vote against them – with a party that will put in place policies that will remove the need for the hate filled angry policies of these sad people.

Caroline Lucas launches Green Party’s PEB

PEB?
Personalised Election Broadcast!

You can send it to friends and family and it will address the issues that matter most to them.

Clever!!