Rupert's Read

My call for a #ConstitutionalConvention, published this morning in Europe: http://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/now-must-constitutional-convention-whole-uk/

My post-referendum piece this morn on OPEN DEMOCRACY'S OurKingdom project, a key venue for the discussion now underway: https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/rupert-read/constitutional-convention-now

Statement from the Electoral Reform Society Immediate release 09:45 19 th September 2014 Contact: Will Brett ( will.brett@electoral-reform.org.uk / 07979 696 265) Time to give all UK citizens a say Commenting on the need for a UK-wide Constitutional Convention in the wake of the Scottish independence referendum, Katie Ghose (Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society) said: "This referendum has demonstrated that when it comes to deciding the future of our country, people want to be asked. It would be a terrible waste if we do not build on that passion by ensuring everyone in the UK, and not just Scots, have a say in where power lies. "Now is not the time for top-down commands on our constitution, issued by political leaders in the immediate, frenzied aftermath of this momentous vote. The future shape of the country is too important to be rushed through Parliament without consulting the people. "We need a UK-wide, citizen-led Const...

See my new piece on OPEN DEMOCRACY on this, co-authored with Rebecca Johnson, my colleague in 'Compass Greens': https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/rebecca-johnson-rupert-read/after-scotland-decides-build-citizencentred-democracy-through

Come hear Donnie MacLurcan of the Post-Growth Alliance at an event chaired by myself just outside Norwich, the weekend after this one: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/what-comes-after-capitalism-tickets-12750798983  

And I'm the only one putting myself forward for it...: At 7pm on Mon. 15th September, Cambridge Green Party will have a 'hustings' meeting to grill its potential candidate for the Parliamentary seat, Dr. Rupert Read, who is a Reader in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia. Dr. Read is well-known to many Cambridge voters and to the media as the recent lead-candidate for the Green Party in the European Elections: Read came within 1% of being elected MEP. Now he hopes to stand in Cambridge, for MP. Cambridge was the Green Party's 3rd strongest result in the whole UK, after only Brighton Pavillion (where Caroline Lucas was elected as the Greens' first MP) and Norwich South, at the 2010 General Election. This May, the Green Party scored nearly 20% in both the European Elections and the Local Elections. And according to the Green Party's own national geodemographic database, Cambridge has the strongest potential of any seat in the enti...

Music to my ears, as national Transport Spokesperson for the Green Party; this is what we've been saying for months/years: "Our railways are now owned by companies that cost us more in public subsidy than British Rail ever did, inflict annual fare rises on us and then reward their shareholders with record profits. All Britain gets is the bill. Last week the ailing Network Rail was quietly renationalised along with its £34billion (34,000,000) debt. Just as perversely, the East Coast Mainline, which has been publicly owned since 2009 and just made a profit of £235 million, will be re-privatised again next year.   "Which is not to say that national interests are not being served - they're just other countries national interests...   "David Cameron refuses to exempt the NHS from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which critics warn will make it impossible for future governments ever to reverse these decisions. That would a...