Animals and Journalists

Having read my previous blog the guys at YourAshford decided to react by re-stating that I am fighting a general election campaign on recycling by lifting a quote from said blog, subtly letting me know that they read it. Friends and supporters were utterly bemused that I found this hilarious.

Touche guys!

It was also suggested that I copyright this blog, but what's the point of publishing stuff if you don't want it put around. What's the point of having opinions if you don't express them and, who knows, maybe YourAshford actually gained me some votes. All I ask is that anything that is lifted from this is credited to Ashford Green Party, and we'll leave it there, on trust.

};-)

Moving on, Saturday was World Day for Animals In Laboratories (WDAIL) which involved a march from Cavendish Square to Parliament square, then on to St. Pancras where there are plans to build yet another Animal Testing lab. The March was attended by myself and Jake from Ashford Green Party, Mark Dawes from Camden Greens and Sue Baumgardt from Brighton & Hove Greens (Caroline usually attends but is quite busy at the moment).



EDM 1037, states:

"That this House is firmly opposed to the proposed dairy unit in Lincolnshire housing up to 8,100 cows that will be kept indoors for most of the year;

notes that the cows are likely to produce extremely high milk yields;

further notes that the key finding of a 2009 scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority is that breeding for high milk yield is the major factor causing poor welfare to cows;

believes that cows should be farmed in pasture-based systems as these enable them to express natural behaviours and are associated with lower levels of lameness;

further believes that the proposed unit is taking UK dairy farming in the wrong direction and that the way forward lies in the use of healthy robust herds with lower milk yields but higher net margins for farmers due to lower culling rates, lower heifer replacement costs and higher sale prices for their calves and cull cows;

and urges retailers and producers of dairy products not to source milk from such large-scale intensive dairy units where cows receive only minimal grazing."

A vote for the Green Party in Ashford would be a vote for Ashford to support this motion.

Journalists and Animals.

YourAshford reported last week that "...Green Party candidate Steven Campkin (that's me, btw) will be campaigning on animal rights and recycling."

Well, that was a lucky guess, as animal rights is definitely near the top of my agenda, but I have never mentioned recycling, and I don't remember anyone actually asking me. I mean, I can, but what's the point? With YourAshford making stuff up I needn't bother campaigning on anything, they can do it for me!

"Oi, what's the hippy campaigning on?"

"Dunno, AR and recycling probably."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, bound to be, he's a hippy!"

"Fair enough, I'll put it in!"

Thanks, guys. Incidentally, recycling is a bit lame in Ashford. I have to carry cardboard over to the local Sainsbury's, and plastic is not collected, even though Shepway manage it. Ashford has even stopped garden waste, despite being able to sell it as compost at the local tip. Could I get any? No! They were always sold out! Oh, well, local elections next year...

On the Aniaml Rights front here's a response I've just sent to an Animal 'Welfare' charity I wasn't impressed with. I won't say who it was, that would be wrong and naughty, I wouldn't want to frame them:

Dear *****,

Thank you for your email.

I can tell you that I am against animal testing of any sort on moral grounds and
that is why I joined the Green Party. We are the only viable political party
with an animal rights policy.

We do not believe there is any benefit to be gained from torturing animals, in
fact it is a total waste of money and time and gives inconclusive and misleading
results. We would immediately ban all animal testing.

Many of the new chemicals and products are produced for financial reasons, not
for human health, so that companies like Proctor & Gamble and Pfizers have
something 'new' to sell us that, actually, we don't even need. The tests
involving animals are cruel and inhumane, especially the LD50 test, which does
not tell us if a chemical is safe but how dangerous it is or, more accurately,
how much the company can get away with!!

Many drugs and pesticides actually cause more harm than good, and I believe an
approach of 'prevention is better than cure' is far more humane and sensible.
The diseases we 'need' many of these drugs for are linked to meat and dairy
based diets and, of course, the chemicals used as fertilisers, pesticides,
cleaning products and beauty products that have already been tested on animals
and passed as "safe".

A programme of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement is slow and unnecessary,
and I would support any motion that calls for an investigation into the validity
of animal testing and/or the immediate banning of animal experimentation.

I hope this answers your questions but, if you would like me elucidate on this
subject, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours,

Steven Campkin
PPC Ashford Green Party

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

I'm constantly surprised and dismayed by how many people won't vote Green because we won't win. It seems to me to be a self fulfilling prophecy, that if everyone who said that did vote Green we'd probably win.

Knocking on doors yesterday in Godington Park the general mood seemed to be that no-one's decided how to vote, except most people have already ruled out Conservative and Labour! So it would seem that the Green Party's challenge is to get our policies out there, as there are still some that think our one policy is "Save the trees, man!"
That's not our only policy...

The Green Party manifesto is out this week, and I'm in YourAshford this Wednesday, but many of our policies have already been voted on. In a "Blind Election", where people vote online for the policies without knowing which party they come from, the Green Party wins hands down! The simple message: The Green Party have the best policies, and that is what people should be voting on.

It's also interesting to note that we are the furthest left party available, the BNP are the rightest, and you can trace the popularity from left to right:


I was also disappointed to hear that Chris Took had to put up with heckling and abuse from the Conservatives and UKIP during his Q&A session in town yesterday. We turned up out of curiosity and to say hi, but we did not gatecrash, hijack, heckle or even wear our rosettes. Maybe the right wing parties are less secure with own policies and have to rely on aggressive and frankly childish behaviour. Chris and his campaign officer, Kelly, were very accommodating, and were quite happy to introduce me as the Green candidate, even though it was their day.

No, there will not be a Green/Lib Dem coalition, but that's no reason to not get on.

Conversational gem of the day:

"Good morning, we're representing the Green Party..."

"Yeah? Well you can sod off mate!!"

Fair enough.

CONning themselves?

As I admitted a while ago, I'm not entirely comfortable with numbers, but it occurs to me that the Conservatives wish to cut public spending by sacking lots of people, thus denying these people the right to pay tax and forcing them to claim benefits...am I missing something?

The Greens, on the other hand, want to raise tax and NI, but also raise the National Minimum Wage, so we'll all be better off whilst at the same time rescuing the economy, paying for a state pension of £170 and a Citizens' Income. And, with our Green New Deal, that's one million more of us in work and off benefits.

Now that makes sense!

Junk Shun 10, Eh?

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM ASHFORD GREEN PARTY

REJECT JUNCTION 10A
Steve Campkin, Green Party Candidate for Ashford, rejects the idea of
spending £100 million on Junction 10A. He says:
“None of us ever voted for Ashford’s expansion. As traffic conditions
within and around Ashford worsen due to housing expansion, the best
environmental policy for Ashford is to prevent further greenfield site
house building which will lead to more traffic congestion and air pollution(1).
“Construction of housing planned for areas like Cheeseman’s Green cannot
take place without an additional junction. Good! Ashford Green Party has
long opposed the construction of this new junction, believing that it will
be environmentally very damaging and that resources intended for it are
really needed for health care, schools, and facilities for the elderly and
young people.
“I urge people in the Ashford Borough to write to their General Election
candidates and local councillors opposing spending £100 million on Junction
10a.”

FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Campkin on 07964 867589 Contact address:
37 Beecholme Drive, Kennington, Ashford TN24 9AA. Published for Kent
Green Party and promoted by M.Sansom, Gorewell, Old Wives Lees, Chilham,
Kent CT4 8BD.

Notes:
1. Air pollution, mainly from traffic, kills about 24,000 people a
year in the UK and damages the health and quality of life of thousands of
others.

The Budget.

I don't like Budget day, it's got numbers in it, and I don't get on with numbers. So I'll keep it brief.

Listening to Jeremy Vine yesterday we were presented with two points of view: raise taxes or cut public spending. And I couldn't help thinking "What about re-distribution of wealth?"

Both scenarios amount to nothing more than robbing the poor to placate the rich, the very opposite of the Robin Hood Tax Mr. Darling cynically referenced. Why? Because the poor don't fund air-brushed election campaigns!!

So we're faced with cuts to the NHS, privatisation of the post office and a right-royal shafting to pay for it, while the bankers still get their bonuses, more troops are sent to kill/die/both in foreign countries and our redundant and possibly illegal nuclear arsenal is completely re-vamped (£97 Billion).

Because "we must protect the economy, it's suffering, it must be revitalised".

IT'S NOT A SENTIENT BEING!! WILL EVERYONE, PLEASE, STOP WORSHIPING THIS THING LIKE IT'S SOME MONOLITHIC, JEALOUS GOD?

"I am the Economy. Bow down, voter!! You shall suffer, but I am a merciful god, thus you get a choice of how to suffer! Mwa, ha, haaa!!!"

Or there's the Green Party. (Yes, Jeremy, there are more than three parties) Who will raise the national minimum wage, shorten the working week, actually create jobs, raise pensions (£170 pwk, £300 for couples) scrap Trident, oppose road building, and war, and introduce a real Robin Hood Tax, one that hits the target, saves the day and gets the girl!!

Probably got carried away with the analogy there.

Herne protect us!

With the date of the election still not officially announced the campaigning has already begun.  It looks like we've got six candidates in Ashford (in order of personal preference):

Yours truly, Green Party;

an Independent as yet unconfirmed.

Chris Took, Liberal Democrats;

Chris Clark, Labour;

Damian Green, Conservative;

Paul Andrews, UKIP; 

The BNP are apparently not standing.

Your Ashford will be doing a feature in their Q&A feature over the next few weeks, and I think I'm the first featured.  It's out on Wednesdays.

And the Green Party General Election Manifesto is almost ready for release.

Ashford Green Party campaigning has been mostly via Facebook and e-mails to specific questions on policies.  So far I've committed to IFAW, Vote Cruelty Free, BUAV, the Woodland Trust, CPRE, Save the Children, NSPCC and was the first candidate in the country to respond to PAD.

I've yet to respond to others, but have rejected Cancer Research for their stance on animal testing and am ignoring BASC.

"Dear Mr Campkin, will you support shooting?"

"Dear Shooter, I think you're talking to the wrong chap!!"  I was tempted to say poke it up your arse and pull the trigger, but that would be rude.  So I won't.

I fully intend to be out canvassing over the next four to six weeks, so if anyone reading this would like a personal call let us know.