Rupert's Read

1. From the Royal Mail privatisation demo in London, 24/02/2009. 2. At Westminster protesting against democratic deficit in the Heathrow expansion decision with MP's from various parties including John McDonnell and Vince Cable. (In case it isn't clear: We had this mock-up / pretend-mace, to recall John McDonnell's wielding the mace out of frustration at the lack of democracy in the government's decision to bypass Parliament over the Heathrow 3rd runway plan...)

A 'guest post' from my pal John Whitelegg:   'A small number of Greens, feeling the urgency of the climate crisis, have suggested a nuclear re-think as a lesser of two evils. But it's also true that the Green Party overwhelmingly thinks they're wrong. The case for nuclear power to deal with climate change simply doesn't stack up.   Let's forget for a moment that nuclear energy is risky, and that after fifty years the industry still hasn't worked out what to do with the dangerous waste it generates. Even then, nuclear power should still be phased out in the interest of good economics. A recent study showed that the UK nuclear industry has wasted £32 billion. It's the most expensive form of energy when we take into account its long-term waste costs, even if we ignore the potential costs of a nuclear disaster.   But there are other reasons why Greens oppose nuclear power. We want to create a truly sustainable economy. That means viable...

So, the Government is advocating the sale of one quarter to a third of Royal Mail to a private European postal company.   On Tuesday I joined hundreds of postal workers at a rally in Westminster opposing any sell-off of this important British institution. They were especially angry about the fact that the Government is refusing to fund the pension fund deficit estimated to be around £9 billion – unless the privatisation goes ahead. This amounts to the blackmail of 450,000 workers by the Government.   The privatisation is strongly opposed by the Communication Workers' Union and more than 140 Labour MPs who have signed a motion opposing it, and for good reason. Putting essential public services in the hands of the private sector will lead to job cuts, cherry picking of parts of the service for profit, and potentially breaking up the service to be sold off. The postal service should not be exposed to the risks that private oper...

Sir; The INDEPENDENT has played a key role in the greenwashing of nuclear power over the last five years, from its trumpeting in 2004 of James Lovelock's support for nuclear (omitting to mention that he had been a virtually life-long nuclearphile) to its forlorn attempt now to pretend that 'the Green movement' is backing nuclear. What evidence does the INDY produce for that extraordinary assertion? The backing for nuclear, allegedly, of the following four individuals:  1) Mark Lynas, who has in fact backed nuclear for some time now and is no new convert. Lynas's most important book is 'High Tide', about the impact of global over-heat through rising sea-levels. It would be interesting to hear what the impact will be of rising sea levels upon nuclear power stations - nearly all of which are built right beside the sea...   2) Chris Smith, Labour peer. When I last looked, Labour were strongly pro-nuclear - so no great surprise there. Smith is not a green, merely a L...

Fresh from my lobbying visit to Parliament the other day...:   http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=37448&SESSION=899   will tell you if your MP has signed EDM 428.    Has YOUR M.P. signed? I can promise you that if they were a Green MP, they would have done...        

 

Do you want to help us make history and get the first-ever Green Party MEP elected in Eastern Region? This is an opportunity to work as a volunteer [reasonable expenses can be reimbursed] and gain invaluable experience in a target Euro-Region. The posts are open between between March 4 and June 4 ’09. You will be joining a number of other organisers in an Obama-style on-the-ground campaign [‘field’ operation]! Minimum: half day per week or equivalent; Minimum period: one month. The position would ideally be taken by someone living in or near Eastern Region, but if you live elsewhere in Britain and can come and stay here for a month or more to help us out on this full-time, then you are also eligible (we will in that case work to provide you with accommodation). Job involves [some or all, depending on your preferences and your availability, of] the following: Doing leafleting, mobilising members and potential supporters, writing letters to the local press, helping to create events for v...

  Greens Mobilize for 100-day Countdown to Elections   With exactly one hundred days to go from tomorrow [23rd Feb.] until the European Elections on June 4th, Green Party members from across Eastern England are mobilizing to help elect Dr. Rupert Read as Eastern Region's first Green Party MEP.   Rupert Read heads the Green Party's full slate list of 7 candidates (1) for the European Elections. Four of the Green candidates are councillors and all of them live in the region; 3 from Essex, 2 from Suffolk, 1 from Norfolk and 1 from Bedfordshire.   With the help of an ever growing team of volunteers, Dr Read has already been touring and speaking with people all across the Region, and has launched the interactive www.rupertread.net and his own youtube channel: www.youtube.com/rupertread .   Dr Read said   "People are joining us from across the political spectrum, because many of them feel let down by politics as usual. They,...

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/7892123.stm

Sir,   Re "Britain's rail fares are by far the hghest in Europe..."   Here are your options, then. Vote Labour for the highest rail fares in Europe. Vote Conservative for the same (like last time they were in power). Vote LibDem for what Norman Baker calls "an immediate fare freeze" - that is, freezing rail fares at the hghest level in Europe.   Or vote Green. We will commit to spending the £500m a year necessary to bring our rail fares in line with those on the continent. We can easily afford it, given that we're spending up to three times that much each year building, widening and repairing motorways and trunk roads.   Yours sincerely Dr Caroline Lucas MEP Leader, The Green Party

Simon Blackburn remarks that some commentators on Wittgenstein's Tractatus 'have taken [its] framing remarks very seriously'. That sounds like a good thing. Isn't it wise to try to take seriously what an author says about the purpose and nature of their writings? Blackburn suggests that doing so amounts to treating 'the bulk of the Tractatus [as] some kind of Aunt Sally, written merely as something to be jeered at'. That is a grotesque distortion of the efforts of those of us who have been reading the Tractatus for years, frame, body, warts and all. When one takes the frame seriously, one can see the point in the progressive elucidations in the body of the work: namely, to inhabit the physiognomy of philosophical delusion, which inhabits us so deeply that it would be irresponsible to pretend that one can get outside it and jeer at it. Rupert Read University of East Anglia

My visit to Brightlingsea on Thursday 19 th February. I visited Brightlingsea on Thursday [yesterday] as part of my ongoing 'listening tour' of East Anglia.  I spoke to a number of the shopkeepers and small businesses in the town asking about their experience of the economic downturn. The owner of Cornflower wholefood shop told me that while people were buying less processed meals and luxury foods they were buying more ingredients to cook their own meals at home. Small local businesses are exactly what is needed to weather the downturn and to build a sense of community and improve our quality of life. I was glad to hear from a number of Brightlingsea businesses that they are coping with the recession so far. I also visited the offices of the contractors building the large offshore wind farm at Gunfleet Sands.  The Green Party is committed to all kinds of renewable energy production and the Eastern Region ...

HIGH COURT CHALLENGE TO STANSTED AIRPORT DECISION   An Appeal will be heard in the High Court over three days - 24, 25 and 26 February, following a legal challenge against the Government's decision to give permission to the BAA to expand Stansted Airport to 35 million passengers per year. A decision is expected in early March. The legal challenge has been brought by Stop Stansted Expansion.   Dr. Rupert Read, Prospective Green MEP for Eastern Region, will attend the pre-hearing rally to support the campaigners. The Green Party in Eastern Region has consistently supported the campaigns against expansion at Stansted - and Heathrow, Luton, Southend, Norwich and other airports. Essex Green Party has been active in the campaign to stop Stansted Airport expanding into the countryside for several decades.   There will be a 9.30 am photocall for 10.00 am start on Tuesday 24th February outside the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand. Dr. Rupert Read sa...

http://votedaniel.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/greens-the-way-to-go-say-st-mary-jersey-evening-post.jpg Daniel Wimberley has been a great help to Norwich Green Party in the past, having visited here on several occasions. I have been canvassing with him - a great bloke. Well done Daniel!

(from http://www.brentwoodweeklynews.co.uk/news/localnews/4130094.Green_candidate_to_visit_Brentwood/) A GREEN politician will visit Brentwood next weekend to support the town’s bid for Fairtrade status. Dr Rupert Read, lead candidate for the Green Party for the forthcoming European elections, will be coming to the town on Saturday February 28. After giving an interview on Phoenix FM he will go to the High Street at 11.30am to meet potential constituents as part of Fairtrade fortnight. Dr Read, who is a councillor on Norwich City Council, said: “I'm looking forward to listening to what people have got to say to me about their experiences of the recession and about their hopes for the future. “One of those hopes is surely Fairtrade - that we can make a better world, and an economy that will actually last, by building relationships up with those who supply us with our food and drink, and making sure that every stage of that process is fair.”

http://www.airplot.org.uk/?utm_source=ebulletin20090217_airplot&utm_medium=email&utm_term=heathrow&utm_campaign=climate I've joined the plot: have you?

On my way to London tomorrow (to attend the anti-Heathrow-expansion rally at Downing Street, and to speak at the 'Forum for European Philosophy' tomorrow evening, on Gramsci and Tolkien), I am heading to Brightlingsea for some hours as part of my ongoing 'listening tour' of East Anglia / Eastern Region .  I am hosted by Bev Maltby the Green Party's local representative.  I will be in Brightlingsea from 11.30 to 3.30 on Thursday 19 th and would be happy for anyone to engage me in conversation on political issues.

PRESS NOTICE from Eastern Region Green Party Tuesday 17th February 2009 Getting Gordon to think again on airport expansion On Thursday afternoon [tomorrow], Rupert Read, the Green Party's lead MEP-candidate for the Eastern Region, is in Westminster to add his voice to the campaign to persuade the Government to think again about Heathrow's third runway. At a demonstration opposite Downing Street at 5.30pm on Thursday 19th February, people will have a chance to show that they do take the threat of climate change seriously - as loudly and energetically as they can. Speakers at the demonstration are due to include John Mcdonnell MP, Susan Kramer MP and Jean Lambert, Green Party MEP for London. Commenting on the call for a demonstration, which he will be attending to add the voice of those many people in Eastern Region who don't want a bigger Heathrow, Cllr. Read said: "The latest warning from a senior climate scientist makes it clear that the threat of catastr...

Councillor Rupert Read, the Lead Green Party Candidate in the East of England for the 4th June 2009 Euro-elections, will visit Farmers Markets around south Norfolk (and, time permitting, north Suffolk) on Saturday 21 February, including the Wymondham, Burston, Harleston and (time permitting) Halesworth and Beccles markets.   Last month, Cllr. Read participated in a 10 day tour of East Anglia where he listened to the views and experiences of constituents, and on 7 February 2009 he spent the day hearing the views of North and East Norfolk's farming community and small businesses, so that he can understand the issues that matter to them.   Read will now extend his "listening" tour to the south Norfolk area where there is a high concentration of the local farming community.   Rupert Read said   "I believe it is important that politicians listen to people, and so that is what I am do...

At the most recent Norwich City Council meeting, I asked a question of Labour Executive member Cllr. Alan Waters about the BBC's decision last month not to air a humanitarian appeal for Gaza. In an unusual cross-party move, we two have now written jointly to the BBC in Norfolk asking for their support in the quest to get a humanitarian appeal for Gaza aired on the BBC. [ http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/01/27/sky.bbc.gaza.advert/  ]  The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains absolutely critical. Here is the text of the letter as sent last week: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   To BBC Norfolk / BBC East; We write to you   as local politicians who are dismayed that the BBC nationally is refusing to transmit a charity appeal which is aimed at bringing much-needed humanitarian aid to thousands of ordinary people in Gaza .  The BBC's refusal ...

  In case you missed it: ... Politics Show today on ecotowns, inc. myself.     The piece starts at 39 minutes into the programme at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hlh7h/The_Politics_Show_East_15_02_2009/ The actual studio discussion runs from 52 minutes in to the end .      

Just a quick reminder that I'll be speaking in London on Thursday as part of the Forum For European Philosophy Provocations Series,  where scholars are invited to introduce a short text which has special significance to them. When: Thursday 19 February, 7.00-8.30pm Where: Institut Français, 17 Queensberry Place, South Kensington, SW7 The Text: Gramsci and ‘The Lord of the Rings’: Optimism and Pessimism at a Time of Crisis It should be an interesting evening - Please join me if you can!

I will attending a European Elections hustings event being held by the Norfolk Federation of the Women's Institute on Friday 20 February. This is clearly a fantastic opportunity for me to find out how the Women's Institute feels about European politics.  The floor will be open to a question and answer session for part of this event, and this will help me discover what issues concern them the most. It is exciting that the hustings for the Euro-elections are now getting under way. We in the Green Party are looking forward to these events hugely, because, when people hear our message, they start voting for us... 60 members of the Women's Institute are expected to attend the event scheduled to take place at the Methodist Church in Godfrey Road, Spixworth.  Lunch will be held from 12.30 am to 1.15 pm, and the European event will then commence with a short overview of the European Parliament.  The question and answer session will then follow, with proceedings ex...

With Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas. Caroline addresses the group (I'm toward the back on the left!)

BRENTWOOD FAIRTRADE CAMPAIGN GROUP ‘WORKING TO MAKE BRENTWOOD A FAIRTRADE TOWN’ Events in the area: Library displays in Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone Fairtrade display in the Town Hall Saturday 28th February at 10.00 am Phoenix Radio 98 FM pledges to support Fairtrade and the event will be attended by The Mayor & Mayoress Cllr and Mrs. Payne. Listen to interview about Fairtrade with Cllr Rupert Read, Eastern Region European Election candidate. Saturday 7th March Fairtrade Information Stall in Chapel Ruins – find out about Fairtrade These are some of the events to be held in the Borough during Fairtrade fortnight. Sponsored by: The Co-op, Shenfield, Sainsburys, Brentwood and Marks and Spencer, Brentwood. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRENTWOOD CAMPAIGN CONTACT CARYL KWEI ON 01277226834

http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archive_detail.asp?content_id=2096   I've signed this; I hope you will too!

I have just received this note from one of the students who were occupying my university: "Just so you know, the students in occupation have ended the occupation. This was in part, due to a barely veiled threat from the uni saying it couldn't guarantee that security wouldn't break in during the night and forcefully evict the occupation and also in part a signed letter promising negotiations over the issues and agreement over at least some of the demands. For now at least, the direct action is over and we will be presenting a petition to the VC soon." 'Agreement over some of the demands' sounds very promising! That will surely make the whole thing very worthwhile, provided it translates into action.

I spent this morning at UEA, visiting with the students who are occupying part of the Arts Building, and also speaking with and listening to the views of a range of staff, students, administrators and officers of the student union. The senior administrators that I spoke to s eem to me to be quite as concerned as we all are to find a successful, peaceful and timely resolution to this occupation - which is much to their credit. I hope very much that the administration will feel able to offer the courageous student-occupiers a real and significant commitment to some of what the students are asking for , and soon. If this happens, I believe that this dispute could be solved very rapidly indeed. Like so many of us, I am very concerned about the dreadful suffering of the people of Gaza. I am also concerned that education at UEA should be able to return to normal as soon as possible. If this occupation yields tangible benefits for the stud...

This msg has been sent you from my mobile. [Please make a note of the email address: rupertread+mob@gmail.com ] You might [might] therefore want to cc your reply to my regular email address rupertread@fastmail.co.uk , especially if you are replying some time after I emailed you.    For all things Rupert, goto www.rupertread.net

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk:80/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED12%20Feb%202009%2010%3A03%3A58%3A643

OK, here's a longer comment from me:   "I applaud the student protesters and their admirable stand against the slaughter of civilians in Gaza. Their peaceful occupation (of the building in UEA where I have an office) stands in symbolic contrast to the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine. "The key to peace and to security for all sides in the conflict, is justice. This requires Israel to cease its disproportionate violence against Palestine, and to end its occupation and withdraw to its pre-1967 borders, thus allowing for the creation of a viable, independent and sovereign Palestinian state. In reciprocation, armed Palestinian groups should cease their attacks on Israelis. "The University of East Anglia has an ethical investment policy, which I helped pioneer a decade ago. So UEA has already disinvested from BAE and other companies that supply arms to Israel. Now UEA needs to take the next steps forward: UEA should expr...

See http://ueaoccupation.blogspot.com/ http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/421898.html   My comment is this [I'll post something more detailed in the morning]:   Respect to the student occupiers at UEA, as they struggle for the rights of students in Palestine. It is good to show such care about fellow human beings, even though they be thousands of miles away. We can all learn from the stand of these courageous young people. These are extraordinary times. Israel is in breach of the Geneva Conventions with its war and siege on Gaza. It still occupies Palestine. It has made the lives of students in Gaza almost impossible. In such cases the Green Party clearly backs such peaceful protest as is going on right now at UEA.

There are now 12,500 signatures on the Give Up The Bonus petition (to stop RBS handing out the bonuses) and more than 6,200 people are now on the Facebook group, No Ifs, No Buts. But there's still work to do and your help is needed. Tomorrow afternoon, the Group Chief Executive of RBS, Stephen Hester - a man who has the power to stop the bonuses - goes in front of the Treasury Select Committee at the House of Commons. No doubt he will probably say sorry like his former colleagues did yesterday. Sorry is a start - but not the end of the matter. It's claimed Stephen hasn't made his mind up on the issue. So let's see if we can help make his mind up for him. Here are a list of things that you can do to keep the pressure up. 1. If you're on Facebook, change your Facebook status to ask people to sign www.giveupthebonus.co.uk. 2. Email and Facebook your friends about the campaign, get them to join us and sign the petition 3. Send on this viral to your friends to show your ...

The recent apologies of top bankers before the House of Commons Select Committee are not enough. This appalling financial meltdown, and the obscene greed that fuelled it -- for example, bankrupt Royal Bank of Scotland paid 20,000 people an average bonus of 100 grand each, in 2007 -- must never happen again. Eastern Region Green Party says that there is only one way to guarantee that: the banks must be taken into public ownership. Not just those that are already basket-cases; all of them. This is what the old politicians from the old parties will never dare to do, and it is why it is time for a radical change, time to get Greens elected en masse to Brussels and to Westminster, time for a Green New Deal. The public must control the banks: the government should intervene now, and simply cancel all bonuses for high-earning bankers. These people are lucky to have a job at all: where was the bail-out for the workers at Woolworths? Bankers should be glad that they are not out ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=x4f-DTqKdyM   You heard it here first - the great new eco-drama-documentary will be coming to Norwich, in March, BEFORE it goes on general release...   This will be an event !

Please take the time to sign the petition below urging the Prime Minister to call on the BBC to broadcast the DEC Gaza appeal. http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/decgaza/

I have just signed this:   http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Royal-Mail-Sale/ The petition reads: We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to reject any part privatisation or minority stake sale of Royal Mail which could lead to loss of service, price hikes and would erode a much loved public service. A petition to keep a much loved public service fully intergrated and wholly in the public sector. Could I ask readers of 'Rupert's read' to please add your names and feel free to pass onto friends, family and anyone in your address book that will support this campaign...

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/02/is-an-environment-minister-a-g.html

Councillor Rupert Read, the Lead Green Party Candidate in Eastern Region for the 4th June 2009 Euro-elections, visited Farmers Markets around Norfolk on Saturday Feb. 7, including the Stalham and Aylsham markets. Last month, Cllr. Read participated in a 10 day tour of the Eastern Region where he listened to the views and experiences of constituents. Last Saturday he spent the day hearing the views of North and East Norfolk's farming community and small businesses, so that he can understand the issues that matter to them. Rupert Read said "I believe it is important that politicians listen to people, and so that is what I am doing. I found it very useful to hear the experiences of small farmers and smallholders who play a vital role in our local economy. Finding out their views and concerns will enable me to help them more effectively if I'm elected as their MEP in June this year." Cllr. Read continued "I passionately believe in supporting our local economy in No...

To BBC Norfolk / BBC East; I write to you today as a local politician who finds himself in shock and disbelief that the BBC nationally is still refusing to transmit a charity appeal which would have brought much-needed humanitarian aid to thousands of ordinary people in Gaza .  The BBC's refusal to show the appeal unfortunately suggests that they are making political judgements when this is surely not their role: leading politicians from all the Parties have expressed opposition to their position on this.    We in the so-called "civilised" world should be doing everything humanly possible to provide the relief and aid the people of Gaza , and their children, so desperately need.  They are living in devastated, inhumane conditions following Israel 's prolonged attacks, which killed over 1,300 people, most of whom were civilians, and over 400 of whom were children.  The BBC's denial ...

I am very concerned at the recently-announced decision (1) by National Savings & Investments (NS&I) to deprive tens of thousands of its savers of the right to deposit their savings at the Post Office.   This is bad for the elderly, who want the security of depositing their money in person at their local Post Offices. Seven out of ten people over the age of 65 don't have access over the internet and many people don't like the idea of sending money through the post.   More than a quarter of a million savers have chosen the security of a cash ISA.   Even though these accounts pay a poor rate of return, they offer security. This is especially important for the elderly, who are seeing their savings elsewhere under threat or earning them little or nothing.   The decision will also further damage the Post Office network and rob it of more regular customers, at a time when the Government are describing the Post Office as potentiall...

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/02/06-0   This is a must-read.   This Nobel Laureate, an impressive critic of neoliberal globalisation, is copying what I have been saying on Rupert's Read for months...    ;-)

Check out my new 'squeeze-page': www.rupertread.net . I am pretty chuffed about it... Let me know what you think! Leave a comment on the guest book there...  

I'm off to Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal this afternoon, weather permitting!   My key stop will be in Woodbridge on the Suffolk coast, to find out the issues and concerns that really matter to the local people there.   Last month, I participated in a 10 day tour of the Eastern Region where he listened  to the views and experiences of constituents.  This Friday afternoon, I will continue this exercise at The Seal Public House in Woodbridge, and then elsewhere in Suffolk Coastal area.   I believe it is important that politicians listen to people, and so that is what I am doing.  We are living in testing times, both economically and environmentally, and f inding out how the public feels, what they believe and what concerns them will enable me to help them more effectively if I'm elected as their MEP in June this year.   Then after that I am going onto Witham in Essex to join Greens ...

Four months ahead of the European Elections, Prospective Green MEP for Eastern Region, Cllr. Rupert Read has called for a Green New Deal for Europe as a vital measure to halt the economic slide and to help to build a sustainable future.   Cllr. Read said   "I have recently been on a tour of Eastern Region, meeting people in many communities, and it is clear that concerns about the economy are widespread.   "Decisions made in the European Parliament could help Britain come out of the recession with a stronger, greener economy. Or they could do the opposite. So we need to send more Greens from Britain to join the 42 Green MEPs who are already fighting for a better economic future. While the other parties talk green, they don't deliver. A stronger Green voice in Europe can help divert funding from unsustainable roadbuilding and nuclear power projects into greener transport, green waste management, green energy and better insulation for our ...

Norfolk Green Party Questions Snow Disruption and Call For Urgent Measures to Help our Region's Most Vulnerable   Norfolk Green Party has spoken out against the widespread disruption to Norwich's transport infrastructure yesterday, caused by 2 inches of snow.  The Green Party has also re-emphasised the growing need for quality insulation in our county and our region, especially for those experienceing fuel poverty.   The Green Party candidate for MEP for the Eastern Region in the 4 June 2009 Euro-elections, Councillor Rupert Read, said, "The snow has shown how vulnerable Norwich's economy is to its workers travelling excessive distances and how it can so easily break under pressure.  Most people would prefer to work within walking or cycling distance of where they live, yet because of a lack of joined-up thinking where planning is concerned, lack of affordable housing in the city...

'Rupert talks today in his podcast about how his greast hope for the Obama administration is not connected so much with Obama being a black President - it is easy for the system to co-opt outstanding individuals from hitherto excluded races, sexes, classes etc - but rather to do with the unprecendented and radical electoral mass movement that brought him to power, and may now hold America's political system to account.'

                          Clockwise from top left: 1. At award winning Chalkwell Beach. 2. At vegetarian restaurant 'My Kitchen'. 3. Door to door! 4. The Green Team.

Because of this little spell of snow... Anxious to get back to my Region! ...Renatioanalise the railways! ...How can it be that so little snow virtually shuts down our country? This really is a pitiful state of affairs...