One has to wonder what councillor Paul Carter's objection is to the proposed 
nuclear waste site on Romney Marsh when it is his party that are championing 
nuclear power in the first place.  This seems to be a classic case of NIMBYism 
in it's worst form: Not In My Back Yard but fine in someone else's!

Nuclear power is dangerous, polluting and economically unviable.  A Green New 
Deal would create 1 million new jobs while at the same time weening us off of 
oil and rendering stupid ideas like nuclear power irrelevant.  Not everyone's a 
fan of wind farms (excuse pun) but they're certainly prettier than nuclear power 
stations or cancer from radiation.  When a wind turbine goes wrong it takes a 
while to fix it, but I would remind everyone that the Fukushima Nuclear Power 
plant is still burning, and radiation in the Pacific Ocean and west coast of 
America is rising

I urge people, until we have a sensible, truly Green government that doesn't 
have a vested interest in the destruction of our country, find electricity 
suppliers that do not use dangerous and polluting methods of production. 


Steven Campkin
Ashford Green Party

ASHFORD GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE STEVE CAMPKIN IS SUPPORTING A CAMPAIGN TO GET
NIRVANA'S SONG, "SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT" TO NO.1 FOR CHRISTMAS. The campaign is to raise awareness of the music charity Rhythmix (1), based in Tunbridge Wells, which uses music to help vulnerable children. Simco (a company owned in large part by Simon Cowell) have applied to trademark the name “Rhythmix” whilst fully aware that “Rhythmix” was an existing trademarked name of a music charity that works with vulnerable young people, to grant them the exclusive right to record, create promotional items and even use the word in printed media.(2)

Steven said:"The music industry is now dominated by big companies churning out insipid rubbish, while genuine musicians are overlooked and local music scenes are dying, or being forced to conform to the industry's idea of music. The X-Factor is almost guaranteed a Christmas No.1, making millions for Simon Cowell and songwriter Gary Barlow, regardless of who wins. This campaign will be a massive effort to tell Simon and the industry in general that there are still people out here who know what real music is!!"

Steven also plays drums for Slam Cartel, who are currently promoting their debut album 'Handful of Dreams', without signing to any record labels. They can be seen playing live, (ie: NOT to a backing track!) at Ashford's Club Q on 12th November and London's Rhythm Factory on 18th November.

notes:
(1) Rhythmix is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales, registration no: 1125646. Rhythmix is a not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee, registration no:
6050730.
(2) http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/x-factor/rhythmix-the-charity-not-the-band-ask-
for-your-support-in-their-x-factor-legal-battle/

http://www.greenparty.org.uk
http://www.kentgreenparty.org
http://www.ashfordgreens.org.uk
http://www.slamcartel.com
http://www.facebook.com/steve.campkin
http://www.stevencampkin.blogspot.com ...Thinking Allowed?

Woodland Trussed

Currently the government owns the land which means we own the land, as everything the government owns is paid for out of our taxes. In other words they are selling off something you own without consulting you, and those of us who are saying 'no' are being ignored.

The private owners can then fence off land to stop public access to it, land that we and our ancestors have had access to for thousands of years. The Crow Law means that we can 'gain access' to this land and they cannot do us for trespass, but they can make it as difficult as possible and can prosecute you for damage to their property if you damage the fence while climbing over it.

Eventually the owners will want some kind of recompense for their investment, which means gaining planning permission then selling it to developers for a profit. if they did that tomorrow their would be national outrage (one hopes!) but if they do it in ten years time, for just a small part of that land, then again ten years after, for another small part...

This of course, doesn't take into account what hippies like myself call 'inherent value', which basically means the land exists for itself, as do we all, whatever species, not for our usefulness to others or the capitalist machine. If the land belongs to the government it belongs to everyone, thus it belongs to no-one, it belongs to itself, and that is as it should be.

The Woodland Trust has already stated that it cannot afford to buy enough woodland to make any difference, so the National Trust are probably in the same position. Also, the woodland will be sold in auction, so well meaning trusts and individuals will be priced out by rich developers. Even if we had the cash we could still be out-bid.

"The timeless giver of all life,

Offered as a sacrifice,

The priceless finds it's price,

In the greed of man"

Martin Walkyier

Kid's Army

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP today urged the government to raise the recruitment age for Britain’s armed forces to 18.

The Early Day Motion, EDM 781, reads: "That this House notes that sixteen to eighteen year olds currently entering the armed forces commit themselves to a period of four years beyond their eighteenth birthday; notes that after a period of six months they are unable to leave as of right; notes that no other country in mainland Europe recruits at the age of sixteen; welcomes the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its report on children's rights that the UK adopt a plan of action for implementing the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of the child; and urges the UK Government to implement the Joint Committee's recommendations and raise the age of recruitment to eighteen."

It occurs to me that, having left school, 16 year olds are faced with a crap job on minimum wage, unemployment (with the government now proposing to scrap certain benefits) or a so-called 'career' in the armed forces. Faced with this decision, and with the right to vote, many 16 year olds would surely vote for a party that would raise the NMW to a living wage, scrap tuition fees and introduce a citizen's income. Of course, they can't do this, as they are not trusted with a ballot paper and pencil till they are 18, but they can be trusted, it seems, with a gun. They can also be trusted with the task of creating and raising a child.

After two years in the armed forces they are 'brainwashed', in my opinion, to think that what they are doing is right and good, 'Dolce et Decorum', as it were. They're now not going to vote for a bunch of pansy pacifist politicians who are trying to get us off of oil like it's some kind of addiction.

16 = no job, no benefits, no cash for further education, no chance to vote for someone who offers you all this, a career in the Army.

18 = Indoctrination, a child to worry about, terrorists left, right and centre, a gun in your hand, the right to vote, three parties that 'Support the Troops', a bunch of hippies talking about climate change and human rights, or something.

One could even believe this has been arranged on purpose.

Stone of Praise.

Article in the Daily Fail: Stones of Praise

My response:

Every religion has it's misinterpretations, dark sides and extremists. Druidry was outlawed by the romans, persecuted by the Christians, revived by Phillip Ross-Nichols and now takes it's place alongside, not opposed to, all the other religions now practiced in it's homeland of Britain.

Druidry, as a recognised religion, can no longer be ridiculed (though I hope Frankie Boyle ignores this!), nor do we need an anti-Christian backlash to this terrible article by Ms. Philips.

What every religion has in common, including Atheism and Agnosticism, is the core message of compassion and wisdom. It's the 21st century, the Age of Aquarius, an age for spirituality and science to work together again, an age for us to respect our differences, celebrate our similarities and all work together through these difficult times.

Om, Shalom, Awen, Amen!

Religion and Politics

On the telly this morning was the question 'Should religion be kept out of politics?'

I would argue that this is indeed impossible. Ed Milliband and Nick Clegg are Atheists, this is going to affect their decisions whether they are conscious of it or not. Tony Blair was openly Christian, as is George Bush. Did this affect their decision to go to war? Was the claim of bringing stability to the middle east a smokescreen for a holy crusade against the infidels?

Every issue I take on is guided by my beliefs about morality, reality and the truths about the universe, and it was these beliefs that guided me to my chosen political affiliation. Hence the blank stares when I argue that, despite Ashford needing more houses (a view I'm not convinced of anyway) the land doesn't want to be built on, the trees don't want to be chopped down, they should be left alone for their own sake.

My belief is that all things have inherent value, and cannot and should not be judged only on their usefulness to humankind.

The point is that this is my belief and will guide my every move, word and thought so, as a representative of Ashford Green Party and 1014 voters I have a duty to be open about where my decisions and actions come from.

To 'take religion out of politics' would only cause politicians to hide what they believe, with a danger that Atheists would take over, effectively creating a theocracy that those of us with different beliefs will not be able to challenge. No faith should have total control, all should be considered and our representatives have a duty to be open about their beliefs, so we at least know where their moral compass is pointing.

Awen!

The Web of Life

We share the Earth with innumerable other forms of life. Only now are we beginning to understand how each species, each sub-species and indeed every individual creature, from the largest to the microscopic, plays it’s role in the ongoing evolution of this living planet we call home. Only now are we hearing, understanding and using words like ‘eco-system’, and ‘biosyncracy’.

The old ideas of anthropocentricity, from “dominion over the Earth” to “survival of the fittest”, are falling away now their error is revealed. In fact Charles Darwins final theory was ‘co-operation, not competition’. As single cell life forms became multi-cellular organisms, and multi cellular organisms became societal species, and mutually beneficial relationships between species and even between plants and animals, even between humans and bacteria, developed, so did this planet evolve, and every form of life with it.

The seperateness we humans have believed in, even celebrated, is an illusion. And it is a cruel, self inflicted and dangerous illusion. Just as we are learning from ancient scripture and cutting edge science that everything is interconnected, so we are beginning to see that the effects of this illusion of exclusion are not exclusive! It is our folly, but all creatures suffer because of it.

The only way forward for humankind now must acknowledge this fundamental truth, or there is no way forward. And this realisation is part of our evolution, that is why the greatness of a nation can be judged on it. From the Celtic web of life, through the Buddhas dependent arising, to Lovelocks Gaia hypothesis, it is now obvious that speciesism is just as ignorant as racism, sexism or any other prejudice.

It is now time to recognise all other creatures as our fellow Earthlings, on the journey through evolution with us, we are they and they are us.

Hunt Sabbing?

So Tony bLiar sabotaged the hunting ban. There's a surprise.

What's more, he also requested that the police were steered away from enforcing it. Who the fox he think he is? He goes on to say he had so much trouble from the pro-hunters he felt like a fox himself: "If I’d proposed solving the pension problem by compulsory euthanasia for every fifth pensioner I’d have got less trouble."

Or, say, took us into an illegal war causing death and suffering for thousands, or ignored climate change till it was too late, or virtually privatised the NHS, or introduced Academies so the under-educated stay uneducated, or put CCTV everywhere and tried to waste millions on ID cards because crime is rife as a direct result of him invading countries illegally, buggering up health and and ruining education, or... alright, I'll shut up.

What else did he get up to? I'm certainly not handing over any cash to find out, I'll wait till his 'Book of Revelations' drops into a certain charity shop. Then hang it on the loo roll dispenser!!

If anyone would like to defend this war-mongering Red Tory, you can find me in town on Saturday trying to protect our countryside from Labours imposed building project which, interestingly, the Tories and Lib-Dems seem to want to perpetuate.

If you find yourself agreeing with me I could do with a hand. Click Here, then get in touch directly.

Iraqnophobia II

Just received a letter that was printed in an unspecified national paper. Don't know enough about copyright laws to reprint it here but the gist was that the author 'didn't care' about the torture that Britain has been complicit in, and she made it perfectly clear that she was a committed Christian (insert joke here). Apparently, as far as I could tell, they deserved it.

I don't normally respond to these e-mails* (though I do read them) but this particularly worried me. It seems the anti Islamic propaganda machine is working.

Here is my response:

"How very Christian of her! Shame people like this don't seem to have actually
read the Bible, much less understood it. I'm sure there's something in there

about loving thine enemy, forgiving those who trespass against us and turning
the other cheek.

The war on terror was started by US invasions, the terrorists happened to be
Islamic, but most Muslims don't actually go blowing things up. Every religion
has it's extremists, even Buddhists and Atheists.

It's also important to remember that most of the torture victims were being held
indefinitely without charge. These stories of torture are coming from the ones
who were never charged, were, in fact innocent.

And it is pronounced Qur'an, two words separated by a glottal stop.

It would seem the five people at the end of this list have wasted their time,
along with the Buddha, Dalai Lama, Gandhi, and many others of all faiths and
none.

Habeas Corpus*2"

*I actually received some BNP nonsense through the post not long after the election. No senders address or name, no explanation and, disappointingly, no death threat. I'm obviously not making enough of an impact!

*2 Google it! Then watch 'Taking Liberties'.

Animal Rights Kent staged a protest picnic on Saturday 31st July outside the gates of Charles River, opposite Manston Airport. Charles River Laboratories supplies various rodents, from mice to rabbits, to the animal research community, including genetically modified species like the patented Immortomouse!

The picnic lasted from 12 noon till 2pm, without incident, and was to raise awareness of the cruelty that goes on in Kent in the name of so-called 'medical science'.

"A.R.K. believes that animal experiments are morally disgusting, but this view is increasingly backed up with science. The similarities between humans and other animals are enough to discontinue this barbaric practice, the differences are enough to render it useless. Animal research has held back vital treatments for years, torturing animals while people suffer and die. The whole industry is a fraud.

The best treatment is to stay healthy on a vegetarian or vegan diet with plenty of exercise."

A.R.K. are a collection of independent Animal Rights groups from around Kent. They take direct, non-violent action and work to educate and inform the public on the cruelty inherent in hunting, the meat and dairy industry, the pet trade and animal experimentation.

The Greenwash Fades...

I've actually spoken to people who voted Conservative because 'Cameron said something nice about the environment'. The Green Investment Bank was a fantastic idea, and won them a lot of votes, and the Lib Dems took on the Green New Deal, promising new jobs in the Green Sector, both of which were, of course, Green Party ideas.

The Green New Deal, based on Roosevelt's New Deal, clearly sets out how we can move towards environmental sustainability, whilst creating jobs, rescuing the economy, lifting people out of poverty and ending the need for armed conflict.

Now Cameron has turned his back on this plan, instead favouring his frankly weird Big Society idea, which basically means getting ordinary people to run the country for free whilst still paying (higher) taxes to the people who should actually be running the country.

I have nothing against charities, I donate, volunteer and even work for one, but it must be understood that charities exist where Governments fail. And now the Government is happy to exploit these well meaning people to fund their own interests.

Britain has a unique opportunity to lead the world towards a sustainable, peaceful, fair future, perhaps even making up for the crimes and destruction of the British Empire, but the Coagulation Government has decided instead to opt for abandoning ordinary people to the effects of poverty and climate change, while investing money in more nuclear weapons, more oil, and Cameron coming out saying he wants to make the military front and centre of our national life once again"

A peaceful, sustainable world? Or another British Empire, to protect us from the victims of our own actions? Hope or fear?

AV or PR

AV = Alternative Vote

PR = Proportional Representation

FPTP = First Past The Post

Nick Clegg is selling us short in agreeing to AV. Under the AV system, a more complicated version of the FPTP system, we will still have one party representing, not the majority, but the largest minority. No change.

Under the PR system, as used in Europe, every vote counts, and everyone is represented. We have Greens in the European parliament because some people voted for them. More people voted Conservative so we have more Tories in the European Parliament, but the Greens and UKIP, along with Labour and the Liberals and even the BNP are represented and have a voice. That's democracy!

The reason we don't have more Greens is because people who want to vote Green but don't understand the system don't vote Green, a situation made even worse in the FPTP system (If I had a pound for every time I heard "I'd like to vote Green but you won't win" I could have funded a much better campaign!!)

The compromise on the voting reform is compounded by the move to have less MPs. That means more people being represented by someone they didn't vote for, who effectively doesn't represent them. If anything we need more MPs, more parties, more people with a voice in parliament.

Under PR more people would vote, and more people would vote for what they really want. Or is that what the Government fear...?

Dungeness and the expansion of Lydd Airport

A new power station at Dungeness and the expansion of Lydd Airport would be insane.

Nuclear power is not the Green alternative it is passed off as, and must have no
part in the future of power generation. Though the nuclear reaction itself is
carbon neutral, the mining, processing and transport of uranium is a massively
polluting practice and uses yet more oil. Because of the long-term costs of waste storage, nuclear power is inevitably more expensive than any other form of energy production.

The future of Britains energy requirements must lie in Microgeneration, decentralisation and energy efficiency. This, in turn, will create the much needed jobs in Shepway, Kent and the whole country.

Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of green house gas, to be
expanding airports when we should be cutting back on air travel is another
example of the industry's disregard for the environment and our childrens
future, not to mention the immediate effect on the local environment and wildlife.

Prey for Justice.

Got myself in the paper again...



Kent Green Party is urging the public to write to their MPs in support of the Hunting Act. Steve Campkin comments:

"The Hunting Act of 2004 has led to 60 successful prosecutions of those who have attempted to break it. Opposition to hunting remains high, at 75% of the population and is a clear majority amongst the supporters of each of the three largest parties. In rural areas, opposition to Hunting is nearly as high as in urban areas at 71%(1).

" The new Coalition Government talks about a New Politics but, with this, they are ignoring the people, including high profile campaigns by Brian May, the League Against Cruel Sports, Vote4animals, and Vote Cruelty Free. Kent Green Party urges the public to write to their MPs in Kent and Medway to sign Early Day Motion 116 which supports the Hunting Act. They need to be reminded that they have no mandate for extending cruelty to animals."

"Repealing the Hunting Act would be a major step backwards for our civilisation to a barbaric age where killing for fun is acceptable. It is not. If we are to move forward into an age of responsibility, respect and equality we must not exclude animals and the environment, there must be no exclusions, that is what equality means. The Hunting Act must be strengthened, extended to all animals and, most importantly, enforced."

Ends c 237 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Campkin, on 07964 867589. Contact address as above. Promoted by H.Dawe on behalf of Kent Green Party, both at 27 Audley Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1XF.
Notes:
1. Vote Cruelty Free briefing on Hunting, May 2010.

EDM Watch

Here is a list of Early Day Motions I would have signed were I elected.


Early day motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few EDMs are actually debated. Instead, they are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.

An MP can add their signature to an EDM to show their support. They can also submit amendments to an existing EDM. Although majority of EDMs are never debated, the group of EDMs known as 'prayers' may be debated. Prayers are motions to overturn Statutory Instruments (laws made by Ministers under powers deriving from Acts of Parliament). Further information on EDM procedure can be found in the Commons Information Office Factsheet Early Day Motions.

Up-to-date and searchable information on EDMs is available from the Early Day Motions database. The database is updated nightly with new EDMs and signatures added to existing EDMs. To look at EDMs from any session going back to 1989/90, select the session you want from the pull down menu in the top right hand corner of the screen. For EDMs and signatures prior to 1989/90, please contact the House of Commons Information Office (020 7219 4272).

http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/

EDM 110

TRIDENT AND THE STRATEGIC DEFENCE AND SECURITY REVIEW
26.05.2010

Corbyn, Jeremy

That this House welcomes the Government's intention to hold a strategic defence and security review; notes with concern the stated intention to conduct it without giving due consideration to the role of nuclear weapons in ensuring the defence of the UK; believes that not only does the commitment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty require nuclear weapons and disarmament to be considered within the framework of the review but that the threat of spending cuts to the defence and other Government budgets makes this all the more important; and urges the Secretary of State for Defence to ensure that the review includes both the UK's ongoing possession of nuclear weapons and the replacement programme.

EDM 118

TRAFIGURA AND SHIPPING HAZARDOUS WASTE TO THE IVORY COAST
27.05.2010


Lucas, Caroline

That this House, concerned that due to the start of fresh legal proceedings in the Netherlands on 14 and 17 May 2010 concerning the multinational commodities trading group Trafigura, including allegations that UK nationals and UK firms may have been involved in illegal waste shipments and a subsequent cover-up and that payments were made to truck drivers in return for favourable witness statements and given that this is not being fully reported in the United Kingdom because of the chilling effect of the UK's libel laws, calls on the Government to launch a full inquiry into the allegations against Trafigura and to review the libel laws to ensure that this matter can be reported fully in the UK.

EDM 116

HUNTING ACT 2004
27.05.2010


Williamson, Chris

That this House reaffirms its support for the Hunting Act 2004 and notes that there have been almost 140 convictions under the Act; recognises that the vast majority of the public support the Act across all regional, political, social and religious divides; and therefore believes that any attempt to repeal the Act would be a retrograde step and out of keeping with a civilised society.

Academies

How long will it take for the new Coagulation Government to privatise everything? They are now trying to cash in on our childrens' education.

The problem with Academies is that they will be run by businessmen, as businesses. The way you run a business is you create a 'Product' as cheaply as possible and then sell it for as much as you can get away with. Then you make cut-backs, while raising the price. Then you do it all over again.

Do we really want our children educated like this? If your child doesn't meet their 'targets', will they be excluded as not economically viable? It's not about education, it's about making money. That's what a business is.

As for the Tory claims of choice (another capitalist smokescreen for 'control') how does a poor family living next to an underfunded, underachieving school with no free public transport have any choice but to send their child to the underachieving school next door which is stamping out clone, drones and and factory fodder?

Again, the Tories plan to favour the favoured over the poor, keeping the poor uneducated. And if the schools, police, NHS, etc, are all to be run privately as businesses, what are we paying our taxes for?

All schools should be state run and funded, equally, to the highest standard possible. People don't want the illusion of choice, they want a decent education for their children at their local school. This would mean a generation of people able to think for themselves, which suits the Greens just fine!

Kennington North Estate

It would seem the Kennington North Estate proposal is a big red herring. The main feature is a link road. In order to justify the road ABC need to build a housing estate, and then the road will be in place to relieve congestion on the A28. Except the A28, according to Winston Michaels' independent survey, is not congested.

The problem is between 07:30 - 09:00 when people are taking their kids to Wye school and lorries are coming into Ashford from Faversham but, even then, it is apparently not so much of a problem to justify destroying even more of our countryside and evicting the wildlife.

What's more, the building of more houses would mean more cars and more congestion even with the new road in place.

So, instead of building more houses and a link road, which can only be financially motivated, how about a school for the children of Trinity estate, with a free bus service for the children who continue to attend Wye school, and a long term strategy to get lorries off the roads by transferring freight to rail?

Baptism of Fire.

29,878 votes against Labour and 9,204 votes against Conservative? That's a lot of hate!!


Green 1,014
Labour 9,204
UKIP 2,508
CONservatives 29,878
Lib Dems 12,581


Disappointing, I admit, but watching the analysis of the whole thing from a national point of view, not surprising.

The general consensus, talking to people on the doorstep and in the street, was that no-one voted Conservative, they voted against Labour, and no-one voted for Labour, they voted against Conservative.

Taken in this context, 1014 votes for the Green Party in Ashford is not a bad result! 1014 votes for a hippy in a cheap suit is, actually, fantastic.

Three of us, Chris Took, Jeffery Elenor and myself, walked from the count with our heads held high.

The annoying thing is that, policy wise, we could have walked it. VoteForPolicies showed that the Green Party have the manifesto the people want, and the candidates you can actually trust. With people voting for what they wanted instead of against what they didn't want, The Green Party could have won a lot more seats.

But Caroline Lucas becoming the first Green MP in Britain? Some you win, some you lose, and this time we won! From a historical and global point of view this was an essential result and, while we can all celebrate and pat ourselves on the back because we knew it had to happen, we must not forget why this had to happen. It's not about The Green Party, or Caroline, or some hippy in a cheap suit, it's about the environment, equality, animals, human rights and the future of the planet.

Caroline started off as an animal rights activist and CND campaigner in a Tory safe seat, and on Thursday she took that seat away from Labour, and she is probably the only candidate in the country that can say that every single vote she received was for her.

So now what? It's looking likely that we will have another election in a year or so, and in Ashford we've got the local elections next year, and Ashford Green Party will be there. In the meantime we've got a Green MP actually making a difference in the House of Commons. The future's looking good. Fair is worth fighting for, and the fight continues.

My proudest moment yet!

"Steven Campkin, Green Party candidate for Ashford, has been fully endorsed by
Protecting Animals in Democracy as the candidate to vote for to protect animals
in Ashford (http://www.vote4animals.org.uk)

Steve was the first candidate in Britain to respond to the campaign and the only
Ashford candidate that endorses all six points brought up by PAD:

1) Support the Hunting Ban,

2) Work for democratic reform on behalf of animals,

3) Support a Full Ban on battery cages for hens and prohibit de-beaking,

4) Support the reduction and elimination of animal experimentation,

5) Support the repeal of Section 24 of the 1986 Act and the application of
Freedom Of Information to animal experiments,

6) Support subsidies to sustainable forms of energy production that protect
animal welfare, and ensuring that biofuels (except true waste products) are not
supported through targets and incentives.

Steve said 'I am honoured to be endorsed by an organisation that works so hard
to protect animals, this really is a subject close to my heart and was one of the main reasons for getting involved with politics. When it came to deciding which party to join, the Green Party was the only logical choice."

Animal Rights in Kent (A.R.K.) will be hosting an information stall at the
Canterbury Climate fair on 15th - 16th May.

Bollocks to the Economy!!

The economy is important, I know that, but it must not take precedence over other issues. Firstly lets look at money and ask ourselves two questions:

1) Where does it come from?
2) Where has it all gone?

The answer to both questions is, of course, nowhere!! Money doesn't exist. Like so many other things it was made up, it's an abstract concept, some information stored on a hard drive somewhere. Which leads to the next obvious question

3) Why are so many people suffering and dying for it, or for lack of it? Why do we torture animals and pollute our environment for it? Why on Earth are we fighting wars over it? Are we insane?

The oil spill in Mexico at the moment is due to BP (again) putting the planet at risk to save money. People know that the world is in danger and the Greens are the only party that can do anything about it, but they're more worried about the economy.

And the Green Party has had to take this into account, so we've come up with a plan to save the planet, restore equality, help animals and save the economy. This means we can't meet the £200 Billion demanded by Greenpeace, but our £44 Billion investment in a Green New Deal frankly pisses over the Lib Dems £3 Billion, and spits on anything the others have to offer.

So I ask everyone to think about what the priorities are at this juncture in history: Will a strong economy stop the floods and droughts that are coming? Can we bribe the rising sea levels? Can we buy food that will not grow? And is this abstract concept worth killing for? I don't think so.

I live in rented accommodation, work 39 hours a week for £12,000 pa, get everywhere by bike and refuse to buy cheap crap made by children in 3rd world sweat shops. At the weekend my spare time and cash is spent protecting and defending animals, the less well off, campaigning for justice. I don't get paid for this, I pay to do it, because there are more important things than money.

On May 6th, please, say "Bollocks to the Economy" and vote for a fair future, vote Green Party. And we'll sort out the economy anyway ;-)

Here's a bunch of rich people who agree with me:




On a lighter note, popped into Muffin Break while campaigning today and got recognised! Took part in their Bean Poll and replaced their picture for "Others" with a high res pic of Caroline, so a bit of a coup there! I think that earns them a bit of free advertising.