Rupert's Read

Great news here! The first of many, I hope:   Green London Assembly Member Jenny Jones now Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb   Jenny Jones has today formally become Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, the Green Party has announced.   Jones has served as Deputy Mayor of London and has been a member of the London Assembly since 2000.   Jones said: “It’s a long journey from a council estate in Moulsecoomb to the Palace of Westminster, but it’s important to remember our roots.   “Until we have a proportional representation voting system we are locked into an inherently unfair democratic process.   “With this firmly in mind, I’ll speak out on ecological and social issues, while arguing that the chamber needs very radical reform to reflect the UK population.”   Jones...

Do come to this event: http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Cinema_City/film/Hannah_Arendt/  

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT RAFAEL CORREA OF ECUADOR [[I'm proud to be part of this letter...]]  To  HE Rafael Correa President Republic of Ecuador 18 September 2013 Dear Mr. President: As concerned academics and authors from many countries, we are writing in support of Ecuador's initiative to refrain from exploitation of the heavy crude oil of Yasuní-ITT. Along with thousands of other world citizens, we look to the Yasuní-ITT initiative as a pioneering step in the international struggle for a post-fossil-fuel civilization. We have been inspired by the determination of the Ecuadorian public to rejuvenate the initiative following your government's recent decision to abandon it. Accordingly, we are extremely concerned at reports that your government is attempting to repress the voices of the majority of Ecuadorians who continue to support the Yasuni proposal. We understand that efforts are under way to block a public referendum on the ...

Exciting news. A massive (and therefore unusually reliable) opinion poll conducted by YouGov for the ERS shows that the Green Party is in poll (!) position to gain in all four of our target Regions in next May's European elections. Here is a link to the news: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/european-parliament-elections-ukip-threat-reduced-in-new-system-8730105.html  . And here is the key quote from the findings of the poll: "Our research shows that ... Labour would win the election with 30% of the vote, UKIP would come second with 25%, the Conservatives third with 23%, Greens fourth with 12% , and the Lib Dems last with 10%." Yep, we are set to beat the LibDems, and knock out their only MEP here, the uber-federalist Andrew Duff. Here in Eastern England we were just 1% short of winning last time; I was runner-up. On these figures, we are set to make it next time. I'd become an MEP, the Tories and LibDems would both lose a seat, and ...

My piece now published in the Ecologist: http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/other_comments/2041207/a_superjury_of_guardians_for_future_generations.html

How the best way to be an activist is to get elected: http://www.resurgence.org/magazine/article3936-dont-lobby-your-mp-be-your-mp.html My recent review of Kate Rawles's book.

My attempt to mediate the debate between @georgemonbiot and @stevepoole: http:// blog.talkingphilosophy.com/ ?p=7380