Inspired by Simon Welsh’s alternative lyrics to Jerusalem, I have penned the following lyrics to the Welsh National anthem, ‘Land of my Fathers’, one of the most spine-tingling anthems ever written. For those not so familiar, here is the original for you:

Andy Chyba’s alternative lyrics:

Our land and our water, are vital to us,
We’ll always protect them, whatever the fuss.
The frackers can ‘frack off’, get off of our land,
Our future must be in our hands.

Frack! Frack! Oh no you don’t, it’s not on!
Keep our water clear,
And the land we hold dear,
Pack up all your rigs and be gone!

(Repeat chorus)

Dennis had some technical issues with this one, but salvaged most of it!

Discusses my impressions of what is happening in Balcombe, following the Bridgend Greens visit last weekend and touches on some interesting political challenges. (Andy)

Many of you will probably know Emily as the fiancee of our International Co-ordinator, Derek Wall.

She is one very talented lady, and this melancholic melody is yet another addition to the growing canon of anti-fracking inspired music:

Must be time for an anti-fracking benefit album, surely!

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/saynotofracking

BBC Radio Wales – Morning Call with Oliver Hides

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b038dbfr

Hour long debate (minus the usual weather, traffic, news updates) that focuses on UCG and shale gas.
Involved representatives from the BGS and Universities – along with yours truly and and members of the public.

I would encourage you to listen to it all, but my contributions are in the last quarter – from the 44:00 mark.

Please let me know what you think.

Andy Chyba

PS Headline story on BBC Wales TV news also focused on UCG today – with a good contribution from Swansea Green, Keith Ross

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0389btr/BBC_Wales_Today_14_08_2013/

office | 020 8525 6988

Demonstrate at the Tory Party conference

Sunday 29 September, Manchester

People’s Assembly groups, trade union branches and campaign groups across the country are gearing up for the national demonstration at the Tory Party conference on Sunday 29 September in Manchester.

Coaches are also being organised from across the country. Get in touch with your local group to find out details of transport near you:

Sent to: dtletters

Sir,
With its bizarre and disturbing mania to force this appallingly dangerous technology upon us, the Tory agenda on fracking is approaching Goebbels lie proportions.

The Prime Minister’s desperate and dishonest treatise in the Telegraph today is utterly jaw-dropping and shows him to be on an increasingly desperate trajectory of political suicide.

The man is empowered to legislate for our safety. How DARE he deny the dreadful suffering of hundreds and hundreds of people in the frack fields of Pennsylvania and beyond? How dare he try to tell us that this will be an employment panacea; or that this short-term, quick-fix corporate folly will bring down energy bills, when experts from Ofgem and Deutsche Bank – and even Cuadrilla’s own PR people say otherwise?

How DARE he try to tell the British people that he can regulate an unregulatable industry?! The man is unworthy of office and ought to be deeply ashamed of himself.

He needs to wake up and smell the insidiously odourless methane now – and while he’s at it, to get a conscience. The British people are not stupid, they are listening to the myriad uninvested voices around the world exposing the true implications of giving this ecocidal industry sanction to frack our soil, air and water – and they do not like being lied to.

Vanessa Vine

(Vanessa is one of the leading lights in the Balcombe anti-fracking protests. I have worked with her since the onset of the anti-fracking movement in this country. She is an inspirational figure , who you would surely meet if and when you visit Balcombe. Andy.)

We have just returned from a life-enriching weekend in Balcombe.
I am too exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally to put together a full account, but that will follow (with photos) soon.

Enjoy this brief selection of video clips and get inspired to make your own pilgrimage soon.

Details of organised trips from South Wales will also be coming soon – watch this space – but get there whenever and however! (Balcombe train station is only 10 mins walk from the camp)

1. Getting into carnival mood:

2. Hymn to the Harmed:

3. Jerusalem fracked:

4. Today’s event organiser – the poet Simon Welsh:

Just back from a wonderful evening at O’Callaghan’s Coffee House this evening, put on to raise money towards Frances and Justin’s expenses in facing their ridiculous charges at Crawley Magistrates Court, following their arrests at Balcombe.

A packed house, spilling out onto the pavement on a balmy evening, enjoyed the usual great hospitality and home cooked fair of the coffee house of hosts Helen and Mike, while enjoying some fabulous music. They regularly showcase local talent here, so get along – like this page to keep informed of what is on: https://www.facebook.com/ocallaghanscoffeehouse

I have toi confess to missing the Hippy Taffs set, but it was much enjoyed by all accounts, but I am so pleased to have caught the exquisite trio that make up Vinna Bee. They are wonderful as well as properly clued up on the issues, as shown by this magical anti-fracking song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fMYyv59DaWA#at=14

Their set was more acoustic than this video would suggest – but all the more intimate and poignant for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVO-ACkUb68

They were followed by the contrasting talents of the Bones of St James. Again, we have a local band with the potential to go on and make a huge name for themselves given the right exposure.
Loved their skiffle influenced set too.

Look out for them all around South Wales.

The whole event raised a goodly sum for the cause and helped inform a new audience of the fracking menace.

Time for bed – as I am off to Balcombe myself at the crack of dawn tomorrow with the Bridgend Greens fractivist posse!

Begin forwarded message:

From: Louisa Greenbaum <louisa.greenbaum>

Subject: Autumn Conference, Brighton, 13-16 September

Date: 8 August 2013 13:05:59 GMT+01:00

Dear Local Party Contact,

Autumn Conference will take place from 13-16 September in Brighton, the world’s first One Planet City! With the UK’s first Green led council, 22 Green Councillors and a Green MP, there’s a lot to celebrate and the local party would love you to join them by the sea for what we hope will be the most colourful conference to date.

We will have panel sessions on The Future of our Railways, Mental Health, Free Schools and Academies and Women and Austerity, tours of local housing and transport projects and presentations led by local councillors, over 50 fringes including training for activists, and evening entertainment.

I would be grateful for your help in distributing information about conference to your members. I have attached the timetable, agenda and booking form.

There is lots of information and online booking on the conference website:www.greenparty.org.uk/conference.
We have reserved student accommodation at £30 per night, walking distance from the venue.

The early bird booking deadline is 24 August

Perhaps you could also put it on the agenda of your next general meeting and take some print outs of the booking form for those who don’t have email?

Thanks for your help and look forward to seeing you in Brighton,
Louisa

Louisa Greenbaum
Conferences Co-ordinator
The Green Party
louisa.greenbaum

Autumn Conference 2013
13-16 September, Brighton
www.greenparty.org.uk/conference

Autumn2013_full_timetable (all content subject to minor changes).pdf

Final Agenda Autumn 2013 (Brighton).pdf

Booking Form_Autumn_2013.pdf

The Welsh Affairs Committee has taken it upon itself to get more informed on the issue of Shale Gas. This has to be seen as a positive step – especially, but not exclusively, for those of us campaigning against extreme energy in Wales.

The deadline is now noon on 14th August – they appear to have brought it forward as, I am sure it was originally 30th August. You therefore have less than a week to make a submission.

The Committee invites written submissions and requests observations on the following issues:

• The importance of gas to the UK’s overall energy needs and the potential role shale gas could play within it;
• The potential for shale gas exploration and commercial level extraction in Wales;
• The potential environmental and climate change impact of extraction and use of the gas;
• Whether the current regulatory regime covering such activity is adequate; and
• The potential economic impact of shale gas production in Wales; and
  The role of the Wales Office and the Welsh Government in developing a policy framework for the exploration of shale gas.

How to respond:

Each submission should:

• begin with a short summary in bullet point form;
• have numbered paragraphs;
• be no longer than 1,500 words; and
• be in Word format or a rich text format with as little use of colour or logos as possible. Please do not send your submission as a PDF document.

I have responded on behalf of Wales Green Party (a copy of my response can be seen here: https://bridgendgreens.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/submission-to-current-wales-affairs-committee-shale-gas-inquiry/ ).

It focuses on the stark scientific and technical evidence against fracking, and therefore leaves several of the listed issues unaddressed – for you!

Given the 1500 word limit, I found it impossible to cover everything that needs covering in my submission.

I would, however, urge as many people/organisations to respond as possible.
You do not have to live in Wales to submit information.

You can upload your submissions by clicking on this link:
Submitt written evidence to the inquiry into Energy generation in Wales: Shale Gas
(The spelling mistake is theirs, not mine.)

One of the first things you have to declare is whether your submission is from you as an individual, or behalf of an organisation.

The Committee members are all Welsh MPs, but any broadening of the knowledge base at Westminster has to be a good thing, The composition of the Committee is in the table below. If it includes your MP, please write to them direct as well, as they will be obliged to respond. (Share their response with us, please!)