Radical roots
Dear editor,
The debate on NHS reforms is an interesting one, and the intervention by Alan Milburn particularly so. It is a pity that the Green Party is not engaging with the spirit of reform and change in this and other issues but simply retreats to a defence of the status quo and a championing of service providers whilst sidelining the needs and aspirations of users of public services.
Whilst it is right, in my view, that the Green Party should champion the principle of public service and services we have to be careful that our position isn’t simply one of knee jerk reaction to reform and a defence of vested interests. When I joined the Green Party in 1981 it was because I saw it as a party that championed reform and radicalism but many of our pronouncements now seem to be backing a very conservative position, just like Labour, and are very frustrating and disappointing. Can we get out of this box and develop really challenging policies and ideas that question people’s perceptions and positions and look to a real progressive agenda rather than one that simply defends the status quo?
It isn’t good for politics when the only radical agenda is that of the right whilst the Left simply retreats into a position of nay saying.
David Ford, Shipley Green Party
Dear editor,
The debate on NHS reforms is an interesting one, and the intervention by Alan Milburn particularly so. It is a pity that the Green Party is not engaging with the spirit of reform and change in this and other issues but simply retreats to a defence of the status quo and a championing of service providers whilst sidelining the needs and aspirations of users of public services.
Whilst it is right, in my view, that the Green Party should champion the principle of public service and services we have to be careful that our position isn’t simply one of knee jerk reaction to reform and a defence of vested interests. When I joined the Green Party in 1981 it was because I saw it as a party that championed reform and radicalism but many of our pronouncements now seem to be backing a very conservative position, just like Labour, and are very frustrating and disappointing. Can we get out of this box and develop really challenging policies and ideas that question people’s perceptions and positions and look to a real progressive agenda rather than one that simply defends the status quo?
It isn’t good for politics when the only radical agenda is that of the right whilst the Left simply retreats into a position of nay saying.
David Ford, Shipley Green Party
Detrimental to democracy
Dear editor,
There were vacancies on my Parish Council and my request to be co-opted was accepted.
I attended my first meeting in July and an early item of business was processing a payment of £80 to the Borough Council, for non-contested election expenses. This is quite a large sum out of the budget of a Parish Council and I asked what was provided for this – it appears to have been three posters for display and "administrative support". The Clerk then expressed relief that there had not been a contested election; a neighbouring council had been billed for over £6000, having been quoted £4000.
I was astounded and shocked. This system encourages councils to refrain from encouraging new people to put themselves up for election, so there is a financial incentive to discourage elections. I believe these facts are very little known and, if it is a widespread practice, the public should be made aware of it.
Chris Bluemel, Southampton Green candidate
Dear editor,
The prospect of the number of MPs being reduced to 500 may be welcomed in some political quarters, but the Green Party needs to think about long term strategy before endorsing this.
If parliament were devolving its powers down to democratically-elected regional assemblies there might well be a case for such a reduction. As it stands, changes based on numerically equalised constituencies, which involve boundary changes, will lessen the representation of distinctive communities.
In largely agricultural areas with a sparse population, representation will be weakened over such large tracts of land and returning a Green MP made even harder.
We need to strengthen the call for devolution of powers to regional assemblies, which are defined in terms of the electorate feeling they belong to them.
Likewise, greater powers should be given to town and city councils, so decisions are made as close as possible to the people who are affected by them.
John Lloyd (Cllr), South Shropshire Green Party
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