Rupert's Read

I want to thank every single person who voted Green on May 22, here in the East. You have contributed to a movement that is growing, and will only continue to grow: for Green is the future, if there is to be a future at all. It is terrifying that a Party whose basis is victim-blaming and which denies the very reality of dangerous human-influenced climate chaos has done so well at these elections (and some of the Conservative Party here are no different, by the way). I blame the tiny handful of multi-millionaires who bankroll the Party that shall remain nameless, and the national media for giving them bucketloads of coverage while ignoring the rise of the Green Party in the opinion polls during the campaign. I hope that once people realise what the Party that shall remain nameless actually stands for they will turn away from it in disgust, and turn to the Green Party, which offers a positive alternative to the old, failed parties. As for me: I am ...

My new article: http://blog.talkingphilosophy.com/?p=7957

The Green Party is celebrating a strong set of local election results in Norwich. The party increased its majority in all five of the wards it was defending and also increased its city-wide vote to 30%, despite a strong challenge by Labour who were quoted as confident of taking two wards from the Greens. For the Norwich City Council area as a whole, Labour took 35% to the Greens' 30% but for the Norwich South Parliamentary constituency Greens are ahead by 35% to 34%. Three Green councillors were re-elected (Lesley Grahame in Thorpe Hamlet, Ash Haynes in Town Close and Simeon Jackson in Mancroft) and new Green councillors were elected in two wards: Tim Jones in Nelson and Sandra Bogelein in Wensum. Andrew Boswell, Leader of the Green Party City Councillors, said: "This is a fantastic set of results for the Green Party. Voter...

So pleased to have Craig Murray's backing, for a green vote: Craig, a former ambassador and human rights activist says: "So who should those of us living in England vote for tomorrow? I intend to vote Green – it seems to me that in England that is the best way to give a positive expression to the discontent with mainstream parties. I particularly hope that those who have the opportunity to vote for Rupert Read in the East of England will do so. Their support for renationalizing the railways would be enough for me, but actually I find myself in agreement with the large majority of their platform." See Craig's full article here: http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/05/vote-green-in-england/

See this letter in today's _Guardian_, that I'm proud to have co-signed: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/21/nigel-farage-ukip-bigoted-populism #VoteGreen today to express an unequivocal opposition to the values of UKIP, and to stand up for a positive alternative to neoliberalism.

So, Norfolk UKIP are now cosying up to Norfolk Conservatives to make a deal to gain control of the Council here... http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/conservatives_to_discuss_deal_with_ukip_to_take_back_control_of_norfolk_county_council_1_3608604  This is hardly a surprise. UKIP are nothing other than the nasty (anti-renewables, climate-denying, anti-tax, anti-immigrant, etc) wing of the Conservative Party - many of them actually having been expelled by or defected from the Conservatives.  This is what the so-called 'anti-establishment' party intends doing - shoring up the very establishment party that got Norfolk into such a mess over the years (e.g. purveying the dreadful incinerator project). 

Former Labour MP Dr. Gibson has put his name to a letter in support of lead candidate Rupert Read. Other notable signatories include Sir Jonathon Porritt, former chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and the journalist and author George Monbiot.  In the letter they urge readers, whichever Party they normally vote for and whichever they might vote for at the General Election next year, to consider voting Green this time. That's because the Euro elections are run on a proportional representation voting system which gives the Greens, as a smaller Party, a fairer chance of winning a seat.  The Greens already have MEPs representing the neighbouring constituencies of South-East and London.  Dr Read can join them with only an extra 1% more of the vote than he achieved at the last Euro election. He said: "I feel honoured to have this distinguished group behind me, but it's especially exciting to have the backing of ...