Rupert's Read

The Lib Dems appear to be embarked on a deliberate campaign of misinformation about the Greens - presumably out of fear as to how well we might do on June 4th. They have made misleading claims about the way the voting system works for the European elections, highly-misleading claims about previous election results (they are using general election results presented in a biased way typically), plain false claims about our EU policy position; and overall it is an attempt to suggest the "Greens cannot win", whereas of course we certainly can win, and it's looking likely that we may well do so in just a few days time. The latest polls give us enough support to win with, here in Eastern. If you see Lib Dem leaflets or letters along these lines locally, please do get in touch with me so we can get a better picture of what they are doing. Given that we are currently at our strongest position in the polls for 20 years, it looks unlikely that the Lib Dems will achieve what they...

The upcoming European elections are being seen as a referendum on the future of British politics. On May 29th I made the Green Party's case for the future at the proposed wind-farm site in Bedfordshire featured in the fore-thinking Academy Award nominated film The Age of Stupid . Set in a future world ravaged by climate change, the film’s solitary narrator asks why previous generations failed to take the steps—like developing alternative energy sources—to forestall it. I addressed that question on Friday. "The global consensus has finally come round to the view Greens have held all along but more importantly, the economic conditions have finally caught up as well. It simply doesn’t make sense to go on in the same way, inching toward ineffective carbon reduction targets when a more wholehearted shift would translate into millions of high-quality, skilled jobs that are virtually recession proof." Building sustainable alternative energy sources like wind, tidal, and solar...

The UK political media has been dominated by the row over MPs' expenses - and speculation as to how the voters might show their disgust on polling day next week. Today Rupert Read, the Green Party's leading Euro-candidate in Eastern region, called for voters to make a positive choice on 4th June, and "vote for the only party in this campaign bold enough to set out a positive vision." Speaking from his campaign tour of the Eastern region, Dr Read said: "As we move towards the end of the European election campaign, there's one emerging story that the media is only now becoming aware of. Whilst political corruption, voter disillusionment and the threat of the BNP have been the main stories up to this point, quietly under the surface the Green Party has been steadily gaining support." Dr Read drew attention to strong evidence of the Green Party's growing support in the opinion polls, including: * A UKIP/ComRes poll that put the Greens on 11% nationwide,...

A recent survey of healthcare workers in the East of England conducted by the Green Party, has found that Green Party health policies are in line with many of the views expressed, particularly on many key points of principle, such as the price of healthcare provision and privatisation. The Tories, Labour and Lib Dems all support further privatisation in the NHS. This is far out of line with the opinions of the real people surveyed who are working in healthcare. The Green Party found that 70% of respondents agreed (‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’) with the statement ‘further privatisation in the NHS should be avoided’. And 73% of respondents believed the use of private cleaning companies for NHS contracts may increase the risks of infections like MRSA on hospital wards and should be avoided. The Royal College of Nursing and the Green Party both agree, while the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems oppose any re-nationalisation of cleaning services in the NHS. Cllr. Rupert Read, lead Green MEP ...

http://www.vote4animals.org.uk/euroelection2009.htm Green Party MEPs Jean Lambert and Caroline Lucas scored top marks for their voting record on animal issues in Europe in an analysis by PAD Director Dr Dan Lyons. The Green MEPs both got a perfect score of +15 from the award-winning political analyst, while Andrew Duff, Lib Dem MEP for the Eastern Region came bottom with a paltry -15...the lowest score possible. The UK Greens are the only party which has a policy called 'animal rights'. Both Green MEPs, Caroline Lucas in South East England and Jean Lambert in London, are staunch and consistent defenders of animals with a 100% positive record on this vote, both scoring +15. Dr Lucas has been especially active for animals and helps to table pro-animal laws. The Green group is now an influential force in the European Parliament, and UK Greens can rally their colleagues to help make a major difference for animals. The Euro manifesto includes a specific animal protection section and...

  We seldom earn brownie points from the media for holding such timely policy in our back pockets but whilst the stream of MPs continuing their Emergency Hypocrisy Duty continues it is useful to recall that we and not they have been signed up to the following for many years: Proportional representation (we prefer Additional Member System (AMS) or Single Transferable Vote (STV)) Fixed term parliament - 4 years, except where government loses vote of confidence Fully elected Second Chamber to replace House of Lords Recall Written constitution State funding for political parties to eliminate corporate buying of politicians Voting age reduced to 16 Radical decentralisation/localisation of power to localities Elected Regional Assemblies Remove all constitutional powers from monarch Disestablish Church of England Register of interests for MPs and senior civil servants Transparency! Reduce power of Prime Minister, increase power of cross-party committees of MPs...

There has been wide coverage yesterday and today of Joanna Lumley endorsing Caroline Lucas and more broadly, the Greens: The Independent http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lumley-goes-green-in-european-elections-1691811.html politics.co.uk http://www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/lumley-throws-her-weight-behind-the-greens-$1298960.htm The Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1188893/Campaigner-Ab-Fab-star-Joanna-Lumley-comes-Green-Party.html The Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/05/28/saint-joanna-gives-greens-her-blessing-115875-21394866/ The London Evening Standard http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23700109-details/Lumley:+The+Green+Party+is+the+obvious+choice+in+poll/article.do

Greens look like main beneficiaries of anti-sleaze protest vote - as polls indicate Greens are up, UKIP and BNP down A YouGov poll to be published this week (1) suggests the British public trusts Green politicians far more than those of other parties. Over 2,000 people were asked - regardless of the party they normally voted for - which party's politicians they thought were most likely to put their own financial interests before the interests of their country. Allowed to choose three parties, only 5% named the Greens as likely to put self-interest before the country's. On the mistrust scale: Labour appeared to be the least trusted, with 45% of respondents naming Labour politicians as likely to put financial self-interest before their country. The Conservatives were almost as bad, with 40% naming them. Next were the BNP, the LibDems and UKIP on 20%, 16% and 15% respectively. The new poll was released in the same week that campaign group Open Europe rated the Green Party's le...

Green Party Lead MEP Candidate for the Eastern Region, Cllr. Rupert Read, brought his party's Big Green Bus-a converted routemaster touring bus that now runs on a mix of recycled cooking oil and bio diesel fuel-to Hertfordshire on Wednesday, 27 May, to promote the Green Party's European Election manifesto. The bus could be heard rolling through the towns of Harlow, Ware, and Hertford, it's PA system projecting details of the Party's plan to create 100,000 new jobs in sustainable energy, energy conservation, and transport as part of its 'Green New Deal'. The bus tour, which passed through Essex on Tuesday and visits Bedfordshire on Thursday, is another element of a ramped up campaign strategy aimed at taking advantage of the recent surge of support many polls show them to enjoy. Several of the Party's MEP candidates have joined county council candidates to highlight the likelihood that, with continued support, the Greens will achieve the 10% of the popular ...

With the Euro elections less than a fortnight away, a survey by the independent think tank, Open Europe, has ranked Caroline in joint first place on transparency and reform. UKIP's MEPs filled FIVE of the bottom 9 places amongst UK MEPs. All 785 MEPs were given scores for their records over the last five year term - including scrutiny of their expenses. Marks were given in 20 categories including voting records, attendance, written declarations, and a failed attempt to get taxpayers to top up their pension contributions. Open Europe monitored a range of MEPs' activities, including voting records, written declarations, and whether MEPs opposed "wasteful activities". Caroline Lucas scored 43 points, along with two Scottish MEPs, putting them in joint tenth place out of 785 MEPs and at the top of the UK table. A Swedish Green MEP, Carl Schlyter, won the most points - 55 out of a possible 58 and the far-right Italian MEP Roberto Fiore came bottom scoring just 2 points. Gr...

The Green Party’s lead candidate for the East of England in next month’s European elections, Dr Rupert Read, will be giving his backing to a long delayed windfarm when he visits the proposed site on Friday May 29th. The planning battle over the development at Airfield Farm, Podington, next to the Santa Pod drag-racing track in Bedfordshire, is documented as one of the real-life stories in the new feature film “The Age of Stupid”. The film stars Pete Postlethwaite as “The Archivist”, who looks back in time from a ravaged planet Earth in 2055 asking why we didn’t stop climate change when we had the chance. The film documents objections to the original proposal for nine turbines at Airfield Farm, a proposal rejected by planners in 2007 after a campaign by local people. Now the developers, Nuon Renewables, have submitted a revised plan for three turbines producing enough clean energy for three thousand homes. This application is currently being processed by Bedford Borough Council. Dr Read...

The East of England Green Party is taking to the road between May 26th and 28th on the Big Green Bus Tour as part of its campaign to win a seat in the European Parliament at the June 4th elections. The bus is a vintage Routemaster fuelled with recycled cooking oil. Green candidates and supporters will be travelling on the bus, with lots of stops planned for campaigning in the towns and villages along the route. The Tour starts at South Ockendon on the morning of Tuesday 26th May, before moving on to Stanford-le-hope. In the afternoon the bus will arrive in Basildon, before moving on to Brentwood and then Epping Forest, where the days events end. On Wednesday 27th May, the first visit is to Epping town centre, followed by multiple stops around Epping Forest.The bus moves on to Harlow at lunchtime, followed by Ware and then Hertford in the afternoon. The days events end at Welwyn Garden City. On Thursday 28th May, the tour restarts from Welwyn Garden City town centre in the morning befor...

See UKIP's Nigel Farage exposed on The Daily Politics for (according to Dennis MacShane, admittedly not the most reliable knife in the drawer) claiming £2 Million in expenses during his time as an MEP: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kntpp/The_Daily_Politics_19_05_2009/ (at 23 mins 10 secs into the show)

This is absolutely extraordinary. The BNP's ugly freepost leaflet came through my door yesterday. My suspicions were aroused when I saw the photo on it of a doctor purportedly voting BNP; I wondered whether any real doctor would take the risk of identifying himself as a BNP supporter, across the Region / the nation; I thought it unlikely. Turns out I was right:   http://lancasteruaf.blogspot.com/2009/05/british-national-party-voters-dont.html   There is surely a potential legal case here, should any BNP candidates win on June 4.

"Fat Cat" Makes Big Splash ... The Green Party in the East of England is today launching a campaign to show the electorate that they are ready to become the major new player in British politics. The ongoing scandal in Westminster has now claimed Speaker Michael Martin as its most prominent victim, and MPs are lining up to announce their retirement at the next election under clouds of expenses controversy. The Greens offer a fresh and clean alternative at the June 4th elections. In Eastern Region, the Greens are launching a multi-platform media campaign to promote their clean politics reputation to voters ahead of the elections. The latest polls show a surge in support for the Greens which could deliver many more seats than the current 2 MEPs the Greens have had since 1999 (in London and South East regions). If the polls are accurate, Green Lead candidate Rupert Read will become an MEP in just over 2 weeks time. The new Green Party campaign features "The Fat Cat", a ...

Sleaze extends beyond "the big three" parties BBC2's The Daily Politics (1) has published a survey of parties which currently have MEPs, asking each of them what their current policy is towards their MEP expenses and whether they would publish details. UKIP refused to reveal their expenses and stated "Sorry but we are unable to provide you with a full breakdown of our MEPs expenses. It is not that we do not think they should be published but because quite frankly at present we have neither the time or resources to provide them in the timescale you asked for. When a small party starts fighting a major campaign then everybody is working flat out on that and becomes the only priority." The Green Party did give details (2) on its expenses policy and confirmed that it had already been publishing some expenses details, with more to come as soon as the information can be collated, despite the Greens having less financial resources than UKIP and working flat out in an e...

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Stand up to MPs’ sleaze.  Stand up for clean politics. Click here to view our latest pamphlet and see how you can take part in cleaning up politics...

The Green Party wants a thorough investigation to ascertain the full details of what has gone wrong, and in exactly what ways, so that the issue can be completely addressed. But our immediate proposals would be: ·          MPs should not be allowed to make up the rules that govern their own expenses and communication. There should be an independent commission empowered to oversee and regulate. ·          There should be comparison with civil servants in how these matters are handled. ·          It should be a criminal offence to knowingly overclaim - just as it is a criminal offence to knowingly overclaim benefits. ·          Accommodation: MPs should have their main home in or near their constituency. When MPs who don't live in London need to stay in London, the following criteria should be applied: They shoul...

  UKIP are out of touch...   'Immigration to Britain stalls as foreign workers flee recession':   http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/may/20/immigration-britain-stalls   http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6325783.ece

Darwinism is 'just a theory'... We are about to go into a new ice age Global over-heat is just a scam to create an excuse for new taxes Roger Harrabin cannot be trusted because his salary ultimately comes from government sources... The above rubbish, contained in this leaflet , a laughable farrago of misinformation and poppycock (albeit laced as such farragos often are with a number of truths), is what UKIP MEPs are offering voters to 'inform' them with regard to the most serious threat of our time: manmade climate change.  These people are elected Parliamentarians.  Shudder, at the thought of more of these dangerous cretins being elected on June 4.

Following the surge in support for the Greens reported in recent polls, Rupert Read's bid to become the first ever Green MEP for Eastern Region has received a further boost with the endorsement of high profile figures in public life. The most important boost that the campaign has received however is that former Independent MP Martin Bell is supporting the Greens' Clean Campaign Pledge. Martin Bell was a candidate at the 2004 European elections in Eastern region and is a long standing campaigner for higher standards in public life. Martin Bell said "I support the pledge. I believe that especially in the present climate of public disillusionment with so many politicans candidates for the European Parliament should sign up to this pledge or make a similar one themselves." Speaking at the 2008 Green Party National Conference, Martin Bell said "I think Rupert has a very good chance of being elected in 2009. I wish him every good luck." Rupert Read's bid...

I now have a twitter account in support of the upcoming European elections. As you might know, I'm an avid user of twitter, so feel free to follow me and tweet me on  www.twitter.com/RupertRead4MEP  - I'm eager to hear your thoughts and find out what interests you! And of course I'll follow you back! See you there! Rupert

Are the media ignoring the REAL Green shoots that are now growing fast...? This election is taking place in the most extraordinary political circumstances. Not only are we facing twin global crises of dangerous climate change and unpredictable global recession, we are also experiencing an unprecedented crisis of confidence in the governing classes. As I put it recently in the Morning Star [1]: "This ought to be a time of political meltdown. The system that has governed our thinking for at least a generation is literally bankrupt. And we have probably one chance, one window, to assure our survival as a civilisation. A proportional representation election such as that on June 4 offers the chance of course for a sudden radical change in voters' preferences." Indeed recent polling since the expenses scandal broke has shown that the Greens have been reaping the rewards of what the public perceive to be the moral bankruptcy of the main Parliamentary parties...

Good news! Long running road protest and counter-cultural campaign site Camp Bling, based in the middle of Southend-on- Sea, Essex, where I visited last year as described on this blog, is set to be decommissioned by the summer, after the long awaited announcement that the controversial Priory Crescent road widening has now officially been cancelled. (1) Members of the camp met with Council leaders last night with a view to resolving the situation, after the publication of an open letter from Transport Councillor Anna Waite, stating that £5m in central government funding would be spent solely on the Cuckoo Corner roundabout, with possible junction improvements - but no widening - to follow at the Prittle Brook industrial site at a later date.. (2) As a result, campaigners intend to honour their public pledge to clear and vacate the camp, now that their objective to stop the road has been met completely. It is expected that it will take a number of weeks to fully return the ...

SATURDAY 23rd MAY: 10am to 6pm, at 27 Clarendon Road, Norwich NR2 2PN. Can you spare a couple of hours or more to help with election canvassing at our next pre-election Action Saturday, only 2 weeks away from polling day? If so, help is needed throughout the day with door-knocking and there is also lots of leafleting to be done. Please come along and support us if you can - to achieve success at both the local county and European elections on June 4th, we need your help to get our message across on the doorstep. A successful campaign would be a huge boost for the General Election campaign too. Refreshments are provided for helpers, including a vegetarian/vegan lunch between 1 and 2pm. We hold a monthly Action Saturday, usually on the second Saturday of every month, which concentrates ordinarily on one ward in the Norwich South constituency. This month, however, we will be working in a number of wards, all of which are important wards for the Green Party in Norwich (in which we either a...

From the Eastern Daily Press Green Party activists donned hard hats while campaigning in Norwich yesterday. Euro and county council candidates were out in force at the Haymarket to promote their manifesto pledge for a “Green new deal” to boost eco-jobs, renewable energy, and locally sourced food and businesses. Last night the party also unveiled a “clean campaign pledge” and proposals to reform the expenses system. Rupert Read, the party's lead candidate in the European elections, said he was encouraged by polls showing a third of voters in the region are considering supporting the party on June 4. “What people are saying to us across the region is that it's time for change and they are definitely NOT voting for the three main parties,” he said. Andrew Boswell, who is campaigning for re-election the county council said the party was on course to boost its numbers at County Hall. “I'm confident that the Green Party will become a significant force at the county council,” he s...