ANOTHER DATE FOR YOUR DIARIES

Saturday 18 October, Central London

More info here: http://www.tuc.org.uk/economic-issues/britain-needs-pay-rise

If a trade union member contact your union to secure a space on transport organised by unions.

Or else contact GHathway@wtuc.org.uk or 02920 347010

APOLOGIES FOR LATE NOTICE

Cardiff Saturday 4 October 2014 11.00 – 16.00 at the Owain Glyndwr High Street
Arcade CF10 1GL
Proposed structure of the day
i. Introduction to the Day to include briefing paper on the public sector
cuts situation in Wales – Len Arthur. 11.0-11.20 a.m.
ii. Feedback from the floor, to include reports of action already taken or
proposed by local groups. 11.20 – 12 noon
iii. People’s Assembly UK speaker 12 noon – 12.20p.m.
iv. Lunch – 12.20 – 1.20 p.m.
v. Two speakers from public sector unions – in support of the 14 October
strike and the 18 October TUC demonstration (names to be confirmed)
1.20 – 1.40 p.m.
vi. Questions and discussion from the floor 1.40 – 2.15 p.m.
vii. The Way Forward – Next Steps – Plans for Action (to include October 14th
and October 18th London Demonstration, and Action for Wales)
Open discussion around the draft outcome to be tabled leading to agreed
statement from the day. 2.15 – 3.15 p.m.
viii. Future organisation of Wales campaign. – 3.15 – 4.0 p.m.
Chairing
Woman in the morning – man in afternoon: TBC
Draft action statement
See attached
Name of campaign
People’s Assembly Wales will be put to the meeting as well as the working
title Wales Against Austerity and Cuts.
After the 4th
The action focus should initially be on the UK budget announcement and
the Assembly consideration of the 2015-16 budget. Following that process
supporting bodies should address ongoing organisational requirements.

Calling letter distributed in August

The People’s Assembly RCT/Bridgend made a call to anti cuts, anti austerity and
trade union organisation across Wales recently, to support a meeting to coordinate
and prepare for the fightback against the new Tory austerity measures that will be
announced this coming autumn. The outcome is this letter which is currently
supported by 14 organisations. It is also hoped to add individual’s names in the
near future.
We are asking you to add you own or your organisation’s name to this call and to
attend or send a delegate to the Cardiff 4 October meeting that will be from 11.00 –
16.00 at the Owain Glyndwr, St John Chambers, High Street Arcade, Cardiff CF10
1GL.
The prime purpose will be to establish a coordinated campaign across Wales to
oppose austerity cuts that will be announced this autumn, to help mobilise support
for the 14 October public sector strikes and the TUC 18 October demonstration.
A draft agenda will be circulated to all supporting organisations and individuals at
least three weeks before the start of the meeting. If you wish to help with this
please let us know.
The austerity policies of this Tory government are increasing inequality and
degrading public services across the UK.
In Wales we have been directly affected through cuts made to both devolved and
non devolved services.
About £700m will be cut from local council revenue budgets across Wales by 2017
– 18. If reductions in capital spending are added in this figures rises to about
£1000m or £1bn. These figures are dependent on a number of assumptions that
may not happen but are nevertheless based upon ‘prudent’ assumptions of
councillors’ financial advisers.
To put these figures into context the current Welsh Government budget is £15bn:
£1bn is therefore a significant additional reduction in real public sector spending
and a huge hit on a public sector that provides a quarter of all jobs in Wales.
Over 2010 to 2017 there is by the end date likely to be a loss of £750m in real
spending in the Welsh NHS.
Across Wales there will be loss of £930m through social security cuts in 2015/16.
This means that by 2017 austerity will have cost Wales almost £3bn a year in lost
public service spending – around £1000 per person per year in Wales or £4000 per
year for the average family.
Everyone in Wales knows a person or family that has been directly hit: everyone in
Wales knows of a local service that has been cut.
We cannot allow this to continue. We did not create this financial crisis and we
should not be forced to pay for it.
Wales already has some of the poorest and most deprived communities in the
United Kingdom, with both rural and urban poverty a feature of many Welsh
people’s lives. These cuts hit the most vulnerable members of our communities the
hardest.
This autumn we will be faced with decisions involving another round of cuts and
we should insist that our political representatives join with us in resisting and
fighting back.

Len Arthur – secretary People’s Assembly RCT/Bridgend

Supporting organisation so far:

Bridgend Green Party
Cardiff Against the Cuts
Cardiff People’s Assembly
Cardiff Trades Union Council
Green Left (Wales)
Left Unity Wales – Chwith Unedig Cymru
Mid-Wales Uncut
North Wales Against the Cuts
Pembrokeshire People’s Assembly
Penybont Plaid Cymru
People’s Assembly RCT/Bridgend
People’s Assembly Wales – Cynulliad y Werin Cymru
People’s Assembly Wrexham
Powys Uncut
South Wales Federation Against the Bedroom Tax
Unison RCT branch

I cannot attend this march on Saturday, but I would be happy to pay for two unwaged members of Bridgend Green Party to attend in my place.

First come, first served!!

Andy
Call me 078 1066 3241

DETAILS BELOW:

Begin forwarded message:

From: Cardiff Stop the War <troopsoutcardiff>

Subject: Upcoming Protests

Date: 1 October 2014 13:48:52 GMT+01:00

To: undisclosed-recipients:;

Bcc: andy

Yesterday –

1) British planes dropped their first bombs in this new war on Iraq.
2) two hours before, Tory Home Secretary Theresa May announced an explicit attack on the Muslim communities, accusing them of not being British and sharing the “values” of the rest of us.
3) she and other ministers sent the reactionary right into a drunken orgy promising to scrap the Human Rights Act (this is the body of law that means that the phone-hacking newspapers and Rupert Murdoch got caught out, for example).

War, Islamophobia and attacks on civil liberties. All like 2001 to 2003. The assault at home is even more intense and comes after six years of the great economic crisis.
To cap it all – Netanyahu makes clear he will attack Palestine – Gaza, West Bank or Al Quds – as soon as he thinks he can.
The anti-war movement was founded on opposing these three evils and rapidly adopted also the slogan Freedom for Palestine.

We have, thankfully, a decade of experience and we have a living movement.Let us renew and build it.

Demonstrate this Saturday in London. The rally at the demonstration will aim to educate and to organise for the next great wave of agitation.
Seize the time.

In the last three days we have more than half-filled our coach to the national demo in London on Saturday. But we need to fill the coach to pay for it. If you can come or send a donation to help others please reply urgently. To book a seat send name, mobile number & which pickup point.

Coach details for Saturday 4th October National March –
8.00 am. National Museum Cardiff
8.30 am. Rail Station Newport
Costs £16 (£12 concession)

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS –

PROTEST: NO ARMS FAIR OF DEATH!
Wednesday 8 October, 8.30 am onwards.
Motorpoint Arena (Formerly CIA), Mary Ann Street, CF10 2EQ

The Defence Procurement Research, Technology & Exportability (DPRTE) 2014 conference will see politicians, academics, Ministry of Defence and arms manufacturers meet. Companies exhibiting include BAE Systems who have a close relationship with the Saudi dictatorship, and supply Israel.

MARCH & RALLY: STOP BOMBING IRAQ
Saturday 11 October
Assemble 2 pm, Cardiff City Hall

Full details to be announced shortly…

Adam Johannes
Secretary
Cardiff Stop the War Coalition
www.stopwar.org.uk
07940108146

Hi
Have ordered 4000 of attached from the place Darren recommend, for £85. Will collect today. Will be available at Cathays Community Centre, Cathays Terrace around 7.30 pm tonight – after that contact Joe Redmonds 07984 161547 – they will also be available on the coach.

Can anyone help with distribution at the Mosques this Friday around 2.00pm? Contact me 07704 356894.

We need at least another 15 people to make the coach pay for itself – do you have friends!

Jeff

Iraq March Poster.pdf

From Mike Shipley of Derbyshire Green Party:

For the third time in 25 years, Parliament has voted to support military action in Iraq. The two conflicts have killed over half a million people, displaced four million and orphaned five million children. By any measure, Iraq is now in a worse state than it was before the 2003 invasion. There is civil war, the western backed government has no legitimacy among the majority of the population, real power is held by local war lords as in Afghanistan, another failed military intervention.

In recognition of the failure of military action in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, Parliament refused to back British involvement in the Syrian civil war. This conflict together with the sectarian policies of the corrupt Iraqi government, spawned ISIS, a brutal militia, armed and financed by governments hostile to the western presence in the middle east. Any engagement with ISIS will inevitably spill over into Syria where the Americans are already training and arming forces opposed to the Assad regime. No one knows the outcome, as in Iraq in 2003, there is no exit strategy.

Further military involvement can only make a bad situation worse and will further fuel the resentment many feel in the region to western interventions. Caroline Lucas was one of only 43 MP’s who voted to oppose further military involvement. The overwhelming majority won by the Coalition Government, supported by the Labour Party did not reflect public opinion. Despite the horrors depicted in the press of the actions of ISIS, 43% of British people oppose further military engagement.

The timing of the Parliamentary recall suited the Tory party, giving its leader the opportunity to play big international statesman on the eve of their conference to cloud the issue of a ministerial resignation and a defection to UKIP. He reminded us of another Conservative prime minister, who in 1982 and facing electoral defeat, used a foreign policy adventure to drive up jingoistic popularity and win a year later. But cynicism aside, there are many good reasons why this new engagement should be opposed. We are endlessly told that the economy is struggling and that we must all tighten our belts. Despite this, close to £1billion was spent on bombing Libya and we can not suppose that this campaign will come any cheaper. This is about the sum saved by scrapping the Educational Maintenance Allowance, three times that saved by scrapping the disability living allowance. So our young people and disabled are having to pay for a military adventure that will solve nothing.

From recent past history we know that this action will further radicalise young men into joining the jihad against us. It will kill and displace yet more civilians, it will condemn more hostages to death, it will bring closer the time when Iran will feel forced to intervene itself. Military force will not solve anything, it will make a bad situation worse.

We have to do something, the whole region is in a state of collapse. As Charlotte said, we have to open negotiations, this can be difficult, talking to people involved in atrocities. But then we are now allied to countries that are brutal dictatorships. In August alone, Saudi Arabian courts ordered the beheading of nineteen people, mostly foreign nationals, this year it has beheaded six women, again mostly foreign workers.

In the light of the headline reports of ISIS atrocities, calling for talks seems an inadequate response. But Europe is the living proof that only negotiations can solve age old problems. In 1945, Europe lay in ruins, divided by generations of bitter hostility that had broken lives, displaced millions and brought the full horrors of war home to everyone. Something had to change to alter the course of events that could so easily have lead to yet more conflict, such has been the 2000 year history of Europe. The response by a few wise heads to the brutality of two world wars in a generation was to negotiate. Not as in 1918, the victors dictating to the vanquished, but as equals. The bitter enemies of just a few years earlier, joined together to find a collective vision to banish warfare, to allow their countries to cooperate in building a peaceful society in which people could flourish. This process led to the Treaty of Rome and the European Union. The dream of warlords from Charlemagne to Napoleon, of a united Europe was achieved without bloodshed, through negotiation among equals.

This is the only way forward for the Middle East and every new military campaign only serves to further delay the opening of these talks. They have to involve all parties, including Iran and Syria, including the representatives of the Kurds and on equal terms, Sunnis and Shias. The west and western interests can not dictate terms. Peace is possible and there is a profound desire among the people of the whole region and beyond to find this peace. But a small minority, protected from the horrors of war, see profit in further conflict, Iraq, broken as it is, is spending $1billion on weapons, good business for some. Weapons flow freely, from Russia as well as the west, earning great wealth and creating more markets. This is where the west’s action is needed, control international arms sales, stop fuelling the conflicts that are threatening to spiral out of control and engulf us all.

For more information, visit: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/

12noon – 2pm 11th Oct Y Senedd, Cardiff Bay.

A day of action against fracking and associated technologies across the world, and Wales is no exception. Frack Free Wales is working with Friends of The Earth Cymru to organise a lobby and protest at The Senedd in Cardiff Bay on Saturday 11th October.

All groups and individuals are to meet up at the Senedd at 12 noon – until 2pm for a rally.

Confirmed speakers:
Gareth Clubb – Friends of The Earth Cymru
Bethan Jenkins AM Plaid Party of Wales
William Powell AM – Welsh Liberal Democrats
Pippa Bartolotti – Leader of The Wales Green Party
Frances Twms Jenkins – Founder of Frack Free Wales
Donal Whelan and Keith Ross – Frack Free Wales

Songs from Côr Gobaith (Aberystwyth) and Côr Cochion (Caerdydd).

During the event we will be handing over the FoE Cymru ‘Wales Against Fracking’ postcards to a representative of the Welsh Government.

FOE Cymru’s part in this is to facilitate the rally and lobby at the above times – in the meantime if individuals wish to march to the Senedd from separate locations please take in hand and organise. Put the date in your diary and start working out how to get there.

Last year we had around 150 people handing in the Frack Free Wales petition with over 1,000 signatures. This year we need ten times that number to show everyone how rapidly the anti-fracking movement has grown over the last year. We need you there to make an impact and let the Welsh Government, the media and the industry know that we are serious about creating a FRACK FREE WALES, a environmentally, socially just, sustainable future.

Seeing as though Wales – Cardiff failed to have a Climate March of any scale, we really need to make this big, it’s not just about fracking, it’s about all forms of fossil fuels, new and old still being expanded in Wales. It’s about the ‘Future Generations Bill’ being implemented into Welsh political policy, it’s about your children’s future, and not forgetting ‘The State of Nature’. The Future Generations Bill can not be a weak bill, but it will be if we don’t carry on holding them to their words, pointing out that politics in its current form is simply not sustainable; or that politics is not providing due care and diligence in supporting community resilience in the face of climate change. Time and time again communities pay the cost of those who seek power, to maintain the status quo. Climate change science excepts that we only have a small window of opportunity to actually make the difference.

Bring your message, your voice, children and friends.

We all can not rely on others to communicate things of urgency. Share widely, invite, through out social media platforms, and keep sharing, as there is only 15 days left to go. If you are an administrator of a local Face Book anti fracking group please pin this to the top of your page.

Ensure you check that your are ‘going’ on the ‘GLOBAL FRACKDOWN – Wales 2014’ Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/502908483178483/

Please ensure you like Frack Free Wales like page, and check ‘get notifications’ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frack-Free-Wales/399311250153926

Do you have a Twitter account? Share this event as frequently as possible.

Ready Made Tweet:

Pls share & attend #FrackFreeWales & @foecymrucydd’s ‘Global Frackdown’ 12-2pm 11th Oct Y Senedd #Cardiff Bayhttps://www.facebook.com/events/502908483178483/

Or your own version…..

You will be able to see how many times it has been posted by checking #FrackFreeWales

With out your input we will not be heard, we will not make our presence felt.

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/542404c7e4b006af6007793d?page=3

Jim Scott from Pembrokeshire not only joined, but hit the ground running. He has submitted this to the Guardian:

I didn’t just join the Green Party, I joined and set up my local Party.

I have wanted to vote Green all my life, but since Thatcher I felt it was important to try and keep the Tories out by tactically voting if possible, and never felt that voting Green would have that tactical effect. I’m 37 now and over the years I seen all the main 3 parties pull heavily to the right to the point that I consider all of them to be more right wing than the conservatives were under Thatcher! Blair invading Iraq against our wishes was a big sticking point for me also, so in the last UK parliamentary elections I voted LibDem in the misguided belief that they were a ‘Left of Center’ and libertarian party.
I was shocked when they formed a coalition with the Tories, and then in disbelief as the raft of savage and socially abhorent policies like the student fee increases began to flood out of Westminster. I began to sit up and take notice of everything that was going on in terms of policy, like welfare cuts, cuts to public services, NHS privatization, ATOS assessments for the disabled, cutting legal aid for the poorest, Zero hour contracts. workfare, deregulation in employment law, The list goes on, and so did the UK media’s wholesale attacks on the poor and disabled as well as the immigrant population. The more I dug, the more I realized that whilst I had kept my eye off the ball and not been following UK politics too closely. New Labour had begun the process (which the Tories have now catapulted forward) of privatization of the NHS by introducing PFI’s and other legislation, Blair had actually brought in many laws which infringe on our civil rights and liberties under the guise of ‘Terror threats’ and Ed ball’s was schmoozing with his friend George Osborne at the Bilderberg meetings and announcing that Austerity would continue under Labour and Social security cuts would be increased! All this whistle Cameron announced from a millionaires banquet and from a golden chair and golden lectern that there would be permanent austerity for ‘the rest of us’.
It was plain to me that all three parties were now very right wing, and serving the same agenda, Billions for their banker friends but austerity for us, I also read a very good article by John Ress (Counterfire and Stop the War) called “The crisis in Europe and the response of the Left”http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/theory/55-the-crisis/16388-the-crisis-in-europe-and-the-response-of-the-left which highlighted this neo-liberal hegemony among the main three parties very well.
I was so angry and motivated by this point, I made up my mind that I would only vote for a party I believed in from that moment on and that a vote for what I believed in was not a wasted vote in these times of crisis in democracy and democratic deficit. So after a lifetime of tactical voting I returned to where I always belonged at the Green party. I read their manifesto and was instantly heartened and at home with their progressive approach to issues like immigration and job creation in the green sector, social justice and very forward thinking and economically productive environmental policies, this as well and the citizens income, living wage, re-nationalizing the NHS and other public services, and importantly their belief that the way the UK is governed should be changed to that politicians become accountable to the people who elect them. I was happy with it all so joined up and decided to get active. I also joined the ‘People’s Assembly Against Austerity” movement which is supported by many organizations including the Greens.
I rang my regional office (Wales) in 2013 and found that there was no active Pembrokeshie Green Party, but they did help me contact all the other members in my area, this was 14 months ago and most of the other local members where long standing members and only 2 other people where interested in setting up the group (which wasn’t viably enough) so I shelved the idea for a year and got on with campaigning against the governments vicious welfare cuts and other campaigns with the People’s Assembly. then Earlier this year I received and updated list of Pembrokeshire Members and was excited to see that the membership had doubled! I emailed all the new members and organized a first meeting, I informed the local press and invited Wales Green party delegates to come and speak, The Green party in Wales being a very inclusive party meant that offers to help came in and eventually Pippa Bartolotti was booked to speak at our first meeting. The rest is history, but at our third meeting members had doubled again! and the new party is vibrant, radical and full of potential, we are already on track to field three candidates in the General Election next May (we have taken on Carmarthenshire’s candidates for this as well!) and I was even privileged to be invited to speak as a Pembrokeshire Green party representative at a CND Cymru supported event called ‘Drape the Drones’ at Aberporth military drone testing base last weekend on the international day of peace, Link to my speech is here>>http://wales.greenparty.org.uk/news.html/2014/09/22/jim-scott-wales-green-party-speaks-at-cnd-drape-the-drones-international-day-of-peace/ << It is all very exciting and motivating and new members are joining our Pembrokeshire Green Party weekly, often daily! I am aware that we won’t topple the likes of Tory Stephen Crabb MP this time round, who sits in my own constituency, but I do strongly believe that the establishment is in for a big shock next May as people arrive in their droves to the stark realization that it is a vote for any of the main three parties that is meaningless and wasted whereas a vote for what you believe in however is a vote for change, a change I believe is in the air and coming at an unstoppable rate!

The other responses make equally intersting reading – most are not as in depth as Jim’s.

Other Contributions

First page of responses below – click on the links to read the full post full post
(There are currently 11 pages of these, and counting!):

Joining the Green party from Labour.

We had the EU elections and two local by-elections in very close succession where I live. I was a Labour party member at the time, and I di

Andrew Gibson2 days ago

The only party to protect and strengthen the NHS

I joined this year before the EU elections. I will vote for them next year, they’re the only ones who offer true change, protect the NHS, u

amj1232 days ago

The only UK political party with vision for the future

There will be no future if we do not plan and act immediately on a long-term plan to restore and reclaim our environment. There cannot be

Ponkbutler2 days ago

It’s time for change

I have finally realised that the “chumocracy” of the 3 main parties and major corporations is slowly destroying the fabric of our society.

Gwyn Tull2 days ago

Switching from Conservative to Green in three years

At the last election I was left wondering who to vote for. I’d just left university and it seemed that job prospects would be poor for my y

Ben Hickman2 days ago

An Alternative, Disillusioned Labour Voter.

I am from the Labour Heartland of all Labour heartlands Huyton in Liverpool, an area where very few vote any way other than Labour, I am al

davestanleylfc2 days ago

Best of the Worst

As a left winger, it has recently come to my attention that I have no trust left in Labour. I believe that the power structure at the heart

Tomas Hedwyn Savage2 days ago

Comparing polices, the Greens win, and now I believe no vote is wasted

No party is perfect, but every time I “vote for polices”, the Green Party wins. They represent my views better than any other party current

Nathan Wade2 days ago

Universal Basic Income

I thought the Greens were just about environmentalism, chemophobia and other unscientific policy. Only through my own research have I found

Will Fletcher2 days ago

i joined them

I’m a natural Labour voter. I’m a former youth worker, and worked in various charity sectors. I’ve seen how hard it is when funding is take

Paul Savage2 days ago

Lack of true alternatives

Below the voting age in 2010, I formerly supported the Lib Dems, with their sensible policies and status as a large party, however their ch

Tom Richardson2 days ago

New GP member – former lib dem student then climate activist.

As a student during the 2005 election I joined the Lib Dems. This seems ridiculous today but at the time they were the mainstream party of

Sockpuppet5632 days ago

Just joined Green party a couple of days ago…

After supporting the Labour party for most of my voting life and being a card carrying member for the past year, I switched my allegiance t

AKJBronx2 days ago

Recently joined the Green party?

Do you care about people who have joined the SSP? It’s seen a proportionally larger number of people joining.

Mark Hodkinson2 days ago

An Internationalist Ecological Society is essential to justice

I joined the Greens after doing an online blind poll to see which party’s policies i supported. I came out being nearly all Green. I knew t

eartheart12 days ago

First time local Green Candidate

I joined the Green Party last year and stood as a candidate in the local elections in May. Previously I was a labour supporter but as an NH

ID99184692 days ago

I recently joined the Green Party. Why Choose the Green Party?

Because they are the only sane voice on the left. Labour is committed to the neoliberal, global capitalist project and have made themselves

greenliberal2 days ago

The only party that supports a common good

I was previously a Labour voter and even live in a marginal seat, but Labour do not go anywhere near far enough to work for the benefit of

Jon Young2 days ago

The current system failed me

After all my training and best efforts, I have failed to find a job which I want or are able to stay within. This is based on the condition

Jackamomo2 days ago

Recent new Green Party Member

I’ve been to the left of politics since I was a student, having been active in the Labour Party in the 1990s, becoming Secretary for 2 ward

David Derbyshire2 days ago

It’s essential that Caroline Lucas is re-elected to Westminster in 2015; it’s essential for the people of Brighton Pavilion; but it’s also essential for all of us who want to make sure that Green policies, the only kind of policies that are designed for the Common Good, impact on the Westminster agenda. Read on to see why and how you can help.

You probably don’t need reminding, either, that with the ‘first past the post’ electoral system to achieve this, we have a mountain to climb.

But we do have things to cheer about: and there’s nothing more important on the list of things we have to cheer about than the fact that in Caroline Lucas, MP, we actually do have one Green MP; and more to the point: we have a fantastic MP! An MP who is working hard for her constituents in Brighton Pavilion, but who is also working hard to bring Green policy to the discussion of the House of Commons.

Just a few reasons why we can’t do without Caroline in the House of Commons:

See some of the priorities she’s working on look at her website:
http://www.carolinelucas.com/about/policies.html

See how hard she is working, have a look at the number of Early Day Motions she has proposed, seconded and signed: http://www.edms.org.uk/mps/24910/caroline-lucas

Early Day Motions (despite Bridgend MP, Madeleine Moon refusing to have anything to do with them) are an important way to put issues on the agenda.
Have a look at the Private Members Bill[1] she has put forward (first reading was on 7 July 2014); it has had its second reading; it may even get passed during this Parliament.

(Note the Plaid Cymru support for Caroline)

Why is it at stake?

In 2010, Caroline won Brighton Pavilion with a majority of just 1252 votes from Labour. That’s a very narrow margin. If you look at the percentage of the vote for different parties[2] you’ll see clearly how narrow it is:

And because it’s so close, and because for Labour a Green MP is a real thorn in the side (because that allows us to show the voting public that the Green Party is the only real voice of the Left, the only real voice for the Common Good), Labour have made Brighton Pavilion one of its top targets to win.

But it is only one of their top targets to win. For us, it is the top target to win again.

So all of us – irrespective of the work we will have to and want to do in our own constituencies – will need to support the re-election of Caroline Lucas as MP for Brighton Pavilion.

How can you contribute?

The easiest way to help is to contribute to the campaign financially; and whatever else you might want to do, please consider this, and consider it urgently. The sooner the campaign can raise funds, the sooner they can be allocated and spent. And don’t forget, that nearer the time of the General Election spending is severely limited. So early spending really counts.

We will also be looking to organise groups to go down and help with canvassing and anything else that needs doing nearer the time. watch this space.

You can donate on line here:

https://my.greenparty.org.uk/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20

VOTED AGAINST WAR:

Martin Caton (Gower) – Labour
Paul Flynn (Newport West) – Labour
Sian James (Swansea East) – Labour
Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr) – Plaid Cymru
Hywel Williams (Arfon) – Plaid Cymru

ABSTAINED:

Chris Bryant (Rhondda) – Labour
David Hanson (Delyn) – Labour
Elfyn Llwyd (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) – Plaid Cymru
Simon Hart (Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South) – Tory

VOTED FOR WAR:

Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) – Labour
Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley) – Labour
Wayne David (Caerphilly) – Labour
Geraint Davies (Swansea West) – Labour
Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South & Penarth) – Labour
Chris Evans (Islwyn) – Labour
Hywel Francis (Aberavon) – Labour
Nia Griffith (Llanelli) – Labour
Peter Hain (Neath) – Labour
Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney) – Labour
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) – Labour
Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South) – Labour
Ian Lucas (Wrexham) – Labour
Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) – Labour
Jessica Morden (Newport East) – Labour
Paul Murphy (Torfaen) – Labour
Albert Owen (Ynys Mon) – Labour
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) – Labour
Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) – Labour
Owen Smith (Pontypridd) – Labour
Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside) – Labour
Mark Williams (Ceredigion) – Liberal Democrat
Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire) – Liberal Democrat
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central) – Liberal Democrat
Guto Bebb (Aberconwy) – Tory
Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) – Tory
Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire) – Tory
David Davies (Monmouth) – Tory

Here we go again. We never seem to learn.

I thought our Labour MP, Madeleine Moon, was asking most of the right questions on Thursday. She posted this on Facebook:
As we move towards tomorrow’s debate I remain very worried about air strikes leading to mission creep.
Questions I feel need answering include;
What role will the Gulf states play militarily?
What role will the Sunni tribes play in attacking IS?
What role will the Sunni and Kurds play in a future Iraqi state?
What role will Russia and Iran play in this conflict?
How can we be confident that Iraq will not end up like Libya where a humanitarian mission led to regime change and a failing/ failed state?
Is the Iraqi army capable of following through on the ground after air strikes?
Is it just coincidence that we are having this vote the day before the Conservative conference? And so on.

There were no answers given to any of these questions, but unlike the her colleagues with the courage of their convictions (listed below), she crumbled and vote in favour of war and the death of civilians and the further radicalisation of young Muslims.
Utterly spineless!!

The action is estimated to have a likely financial cost of £3 billion – great investment for the Tories chums in the arms trade.
Isn’t it amazing how readily available such cash is for slaughtering people. Imagine what the NHS could do with it or consider this….

You can pass judgement yourselves at the ballot box next year – and that will include judgement on you Madeleine Moon!!
We’ll see you at the hustings!

Roll of Honour: Heres a full list of the 43 MPs who voted against military action in Iraq.

Green

Caroline Lucas

Labour (24)

Diane Abbott
Graham Allen
Anne Begg
Ronnie Campbell
Martin Caton
Katy Clark
Ian Davidson
Paul Flynn
Stephen Hepburn
Kate Hoey
Kelvin Hopkins
Sian James
Mark Lazraowicz
John McDonnell
Iain McKenzie
Austin Mitchell
Grahame Morris
George Mudie
Linda Riordan
Barry Sheerman
Dennis Skinner
Graham Stringer
Mike Wood

Jeremy Corbyn (Teller)

Conservatives (6)

Richard Bacon
John Baron
Gordon Henderson
Adam Holloway
Nigel Mills
Mark Reckless

Lib Dems (1)

Julian Huppert

SDLP (3)

Mark Durkan
Alasdair McDonnell
Margaret Ritchie

Plaid Cymru (2)

Jonathan Edwards
Hywel Williams

Respect (1)

George Gallway

SNP (5 and teller)

Stewart Hosie
Angus Roberton
Mike Weir
Eilidh Whiteford
Angus Brendan McNeill

Mike Wishart (Teller)