Four Months to go to the European Elections - Prospective MEP says Europe-wide Green New Deal vital as economic outlook worsens

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 homes. By getting the funding for green projects, we'll create more jobs per mile, per tonne, per megawatt and per pound."

The Greens are pointing to worldwide demands for a Green New Deal - from the UN, from newly elected US President Barack Obama and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and from countries like Japan and Korea. But they are also warning about British politicians jumping on a bandwagon they are not really committed to.

 

Cllr. Read said

 

"In Britain politicians can be quick to jump on the bandwagon for the sake of popularity. We need to make sure real Greens get elected - the politicians who have been proposing these measures for many years, who really understand the issues and who are genuinely committed to action.

 

"In the proportional elections on June 4th every Green vote will count. It's a brilliant opportunity to get more Greens into positions where they can help sort out the recession. The policies for creating new jobs and sustainable industries are the same policies we need to tackle the climate crisis. Its a positive, 'win-win' manifesto in these difficult times."

ENDS

 

Notes:

 

1. Tomorrow, it will be exactly four months to go before the next major round of elections in the UK on Thursday June 4th at which voters will have the opportunity to elect their MEPs for the next 5 years and County Councillors (where these elections are held).

 

This will be a major electoral test for all parties, but polls show that increasingly, voters are becoming fed up with the "main" parties and are looking for an alternative.

 

The Green Party has consistently secured its highest nationwide vote share at the European Elections, with more than a million people voting Green in 2004. Every voter in Eastern Region and the UK will have Green candidates to vote for. 

 

The Green Party in Eastern Region is working hard to secure its first MEP, to join the 2 Green MEPs who have held seats in London and South East regions since 1999, when the proportional voting system was first introduced.

 

At the time of the 1999 elections, there were just 2 Green Party Principal Authority Councillors in Eastern Region. There are now 28, with the Green Group on Norwich City Council becoming the official opposition in 2008. There are also now Green Councillors in every county in the region. Since 1999, membership of the Green Party in the region has also risen.