Caroline Lucas on what 2010 may bring

[Big Daz]

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/31-12 ... lucas.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A Green vote in the 2010 general election, and in local elections around the country, will be signal for a sea-change in UK politics. People are fed up with sleaze stories and are looking for something fresh. If people vote with their values, 2010 will be the year in which the Green Party shows that a smaller party can win in a general election despite the current electoral system. It can also be the start of restoring hope in politicians and the political system. What would that mean in practice?

Instead of a political and economic culture where bankers' bonuses are seen as fair play, we need real and lasting change. Labour is planning to waste billions on renewing Trident, introducing ID cards and building new roads. Greens want money spent creating vital new jobs in public transport, green energy, affordable housing and care for older people. This year, Greens will continue to push for a ‘Living Wage' - to ensure low-income workers earn enough to provide for themselves and their families. Greens in parish councils, in local authorities, at London City Hall, or in the European Parliament, will continue to challenge discrimination, celebrate diversity and uphold human rights.

One of the real dividing lines this year will be over public services. Greens want public services that are local and easy to access. Furthermore, the middle of a severe recession is not the time to be making cuts. We think it's unfair that public money is wasted on botched privatisation schemes, and that quality of care suffers when hospitals and surgeries are treated like businesses rather than public services. The Royal Mail needs to remain as a public service -- publicly owned and publicly accountable.

The failure of Copenhagen means that we need redoubled efforts in 2010 to reach a real agreement. World leaders produced an empty accord which was not fair, not ambitious and not legally binding. More than anything, we need to change the discourse around acting to prevent climate chaos, by highlighting the huge number of benefits which action will bring - the millions of new jobs in energy efficiency and renewables, the warmer homes and better transport.

In Brighton in 2010, which represents the Green Party's best opportunity for a Westminster breakthrough, the chances of finding a decent job are in severe decline. Under a Labour Government, with a Conservative-run council, the number of people on Job Seekers' Allowance in Brighton and Hove has risen 80% in the last 18 months. Brighton has been failed by the current political class.

I want to become an MP who will stand up for the city, not someone who talks the talk, but toes the party line when it comes to the vote. A proudly independent place deserves an independent voice.

There are signs that people are beginning to agree with us. A recent general election ICM poll in Brighton Pavilion showed that the Greens have 35% of the vote (with Labour in third place on 25%, the Tories second on 27%and LibDems on 11%). Nearly two thirds of Labour and Libdem supporters in the Brighton poll said they would be prepared to back the Greens to stop the Tories.

I hope that, by the middle of the year, we will see Green success in Brighton Pavilion, and in our other two target constituencies, Norwich South and Lewisham Deptford. Let's seize the moment of history and ensure we deliver the fresh Green approach our political system so badly needs.

[Big Daz]

What criteria do you use to decide who wants to represent and who wants to govern?

[dvbuk55]

What criteria do you use to decide who wants to represent and who wants to govern?

Is one not the same as the other?

[DGP1]

What criteria do you use to decide who wants to represent and who wants to govern?

Is one not the same as the other?

Yep, I agree with you, they'd say anything to get themselves onto the gravy train and then anything to keep themselves there.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

What criteria do you use to decide who wants to represent and who wants to govern?

For me its VERY simple! To represent is to do as you TOLD by the people that pay your wages and to GOVERN is to rip the arse out of us the people that pay for the very nice lifestyle they live at OUR expence. I have NO doubt that a vote for your greens is better than the rest but until we get a 51% spoilage of papers we as workers will see NO change and will all pay! Thats ok cause it wont happen in my lifetime and i except that. but it will happen and thats all i need to know.

Thats why I think we live in a Dishonest Democratic society - at a General Election in fact at any election in the UK, you vote for a particular person who has to mention on the ballot paper which party he is representing. Yet when they get to whichever elected position do they have to vote on the interests of the people that voted them in or on the interests of the party (we all know the answer). A classic example is the the Post Office Network Change Programme , how many Labour MPs in the cabinet voted it in for the whole of the UK, including their own constituencies, then when the local populace complained about local ones closing down, the MPs concerned mouthed platitudes and promises to "to do everything they could to keep it open".

The best thing that will ever happen to UK democracy is when they get rid of the "Party" system, however, with "vested interests" its unlikely to happen without the voting system being changed drastically. Without that change we will lurch between Conservative and Labour Governments, just like we did between the "Whigs" and "Tories" before Labour came about and then NuLabour sold us out.

[Big Daz]

Remove the whipping system

A MP may well indentfy with say Labour but will not nesscarily agree with how the values and principles are translated into a everday reality such as the plans to include a partial sell off in the much needed Postal Services Bill.

[dvbuk55]

Remove the whipping system .

Well I'm not in favour of that, just how would DGP and I spend our weekends?

[DGP1]

Remove the whipping system .

Well I'm not in favour of that, just how would DGP and I spend our weekends?

Nope, I'm not in favour of that either you can't take away what little fun we have


ps. dvb you do know that we can add stokesy to our little band

[dvbuk55]

Remove the whipping system .

Well I'm not in favour of that, just how would DGP and I spend our weekends?

Nope, I'm not in favour of that either you can't take away what little fun we have


ps. dvb you do know that we can add stokesy to our little band

Oh Yes indeedy - it does remind of that Madonna song, now how does it go now - something like "talk about somethin or other, by the way there's a special offer on canes at the garden centre

[chewi]

as someone once said "If voting made a difference they wouldn't let you do it"

The whole system is too big ! If I vote on something which affects 64 other voters then I have 1/65 say in the issue. My vote counts. If it's 1 in 65,000,000 then it counts for practically nothing. Don't worry I'm not falling for Dangerous Dave's local accountability plan.That is just about "local entrenched interests" (Toffs) getting to put the proletariat(US) back in their box(something that has been happening since 1979 non-stop but slowly).

What is the answer. I don't know

The Swiss system has it's good points but still allows the establishment to mould public opinion.
Even the Greeks only allowed the vote for people with property interests.

Any suggestions