The Green Party. All discussion here please

[Eamonn Ward]

I am the agent for all wards in the city and this is my usual apology to anyone who has not received a leaflet from us for this election. Everyone should have as we have participated in the Freepost scheme in which Royal Mail should deliver a leaflet to all households for the European elections. But their delivery is as patchy as ever.

 

For the council elections we have put out loads of stuff in Central and Broomhill which we are trying to win. Plus a leaflet in most or all of Gleadless Valley, Nether Edge, Crookes and Walkley. Plus some European newspapers in various wards. But we don't have the resources to hand deliver to what must be more than 200,000 letterboxes in the city. We are aiming to double our council group from 2 to 4 and hope to then build further to allow more activity and accompanying delivery of election leaflets in other parts of the city.

[I1L2T3]

In the same way that a lot of people are against having wind turbines in their area?

 

Well the visual appearance could be a common reason for rejecting both, but there will be many others unique to fracking. As you will know

[Penistone999]

How has this thread managed to get to two pages

 

I didnt realize the lettuce munchers had that many voters .

[Halibut]

How has this thread managed to get to two pages

 

I didnt realize the lettuce munchers had that many voters .

 

But then you were daft enough to say (on another thread) that they don't have any policies, when that's self evidently untrue.

[I1L2T3]

How has this thread managed to get to two pages

 

I didnt realize the lettuce munchers had that many voters .

 

They got 250,000 in 2010. The BNP got 500,000.

 

I think that should make most people sad.

[megalithic]

 

IIRC it was heavily discredited as most of it was complete fantasy.

 

 

Guess who was doing the "discrediting" ?

If the fracking companies have nothing to hide, then why wont they list the chemicals they pump into the ground ? Surely we should have a right to know ?

[I1L2T3]

Guess who is discrediting" ?

If the fracking companies have nothing to hide, then why wont they list the chemicals they pump into the ground ? Surely we should have a right to know ?

 

We do.

 

I vote Green and nearly everybody else I know who does is totally opposed to fracking. I am opposed too in principle but the pragmatist in me says that people really need to understand what they are opposed to.

 

That is why I've argued consistently on here (and in other arenas) for a full scale fracking complex to be set up to test and demonstrate the technology in the UK. One complex will do - 20-30 well heads over a limited geographical area. People can witness the process, they can witness the traffic levels, the industrial plant required, they can demand full disclosure of chemicals deployed, measure water usage, environmental groups can monitor air, water and ground quality after baselining everything before the complex is set up. Who could argue with that?

 

Who knows but it is possible that fracking (under strict control and regulation) could actually turn out to be a decent tactical short to medium term way of augmenting energy supply. In the longer term as technology improves it may turn out to be highly valuable. There is no need IMO to destroy the environment by going all out with the technology in the short term.

 

Alternatively it may turn out to be a turkey. The demo fracking complex could be set up in a core constituency of any party that is strongly in favour - they need to put their money where their mouth is.

 

This is heresy for Greens of course but the reality is the major parties are going to force it through anyway. Oppose it and they'll do it by force. Be pragmatic and reasonable and they have the chance to prove it, ball is in their court.

[frank ryan]

We do.

 

I vote Green and nearly everybody else I know who does is totally opposed to fracking. I am opposed too in principle but the pragmatist in me says that people really need to understand what they are opposed to.

 

That is why I've argued consistently on here (and in other arenas) for a full scale fracking complex to be set up to test and demonstrate the technology in the UK. One complex will do - 20-30 well heads over a limited geographical area. People can witness the process, they can witness the traffic levels, the industrial plant required, they can demand full disclosure of chemicals deployed, measure water usage, environmental groups can monitor air, water and ground quality after baselining everything before the complex is set up. Who could argue with that?

 

Who knows but it is possible that fracking (under strict control and regulation) could actually turn out to be a decent tactical short to medium term way of augmenting energy supply. In the longer term as technology improves it may turn out to be highly valuable. There is no need IMO to destroy the environment by going all out with the technology in the short term.

 

Alternatively it may turn out to be a turkey. The demo fracking complex could be set up in a core constituency of any party that is strongly in favour - they need to put their money where their mouth is.

 

This is heresy for Greens of course but the reality is the major parties are going to force it through anyway. Oppose it and they'll do it by force. Be pragmatic and reasonable and they have the chance to prove it, ball is in their court.

 

interesting post CND - my view of fracking is that it is a dirty form of energy, but I have a gas boiler, electric lights and a car. The niger delta is polluted to run my car, people are worked in vile conditions for little reward to provide the gas I burn other parts of the world are destroyed to satisfy our (and my) need for fossil fuels and it is hypocritical to expect to be warm in the winter and not use the fuel on the doorstop to achieve it.

 

I also think the production and supply of energy is a core state business and should ne nationalised.

 

Re the Greens - lovely people, decent values, good community activists - but things are tight right now and an outright Tory victory is possible - in times like these I vote labour, not great, don't reflect my politics at all, but not Tories.

[ivanava]

They got 250,000 in 2010. The BNP got 500,000.

 

I think that should make most people sad.

 

Just think how many votes the greens would get if they had a descent immigration policy, I have never really understood why the greens would want to keep building houses to accommodate an ever increasing population, it isn't very green nor is it sustainable. Greens should be more concerned about sustainability and the countryside.

[I1L2T3]

Just think how many votes the greens would get if they had a descent immigration policy, I have never really understood why the greens would want to keep building houses to accommodate an ever increasing population, it isn't very green nor is it sustainable. Greens should be more concerned about sustainability and the countryside.

 

In terms of sustainability they would be encouraging us to consume less and be more efficient. Houses would be more efficient too. They also favour greater self-sufficiency in food production so they would be using the countryside as an asset, not a building site.

 

And they do have elements of policy designed to put brakes on immigration:

 

MG207 Regions or communities must have the right to reject specific individuals on grounds of public safety.

 

MG208 The interests of both prospective migrants and the recipient area or community must be recognised and, hence, the appropriate resolution of a particular situation (unless covered above) must depend on negotiation between the parties affected.

 

---------- Post added 21-05-2014 at 08:02 ----------

 

interesting post CND - my view of fracking is that it is a dirty form of energy, but I have a gas boiler, electric lights and a car. The niger delta is polluted to run my car, people are worked in vile conditions for little reward to provide the gas I burn other parts of the world are destroyed to satisfy our (and my) need for fossil fuels and it is hypocritical to expect to be warm in the winter and not use the fuel on the doorstop to achieve it.

 

I also think the production and supply of energy is a core state business and should ne nationalised.

 

Re the Greens - lovely people, decent values, good community activists - but things are tight right now and an outright Tory victory is possible - in times like these I vote labour, not great, don't reflect my politics at all, but not Tories.

 

I think once people see a full fracking complex in action, even with the industry on its best behaviour they will reject the technology. They will not want it in their area.

 

That is why I want to see a demo complex set up. It's the best way to kill it off.

 

We have loads of renewable resources in the UK to exploit. We're blessed really.