Yesterday evening I attended the Leadership Hustings in Cardiff. All four candidates were present:
An Englishman, a Scotsman, a Welshman and an Australian man went into an Irish pub ………Except three of them were women and this was no joke, but the very serious matter of working out who is the best person to take over from Caroline Lucas as Leader of the Green Party of England & Wales. I do not propose to cover the content of their addresses and answers to questions from the audience, as their views and stance on key issues can be seen on their websites (see links above). I know of quite a lot of Greens who dislike the notion of a leader altogether, but I believe they have two key roles to play:
The first point is the reason why many shy away from the notion of leaders altogether, but in the world we live in today, it would be a high risk strategy to swim against this particular tide. And I don’t think anyone could say that Caroline was not a big success in this role and thereby has been an asset to us all. So in terms of this aspect of the role, how do the the candidates shape up? All are highly intelligent and confident, articulate people, as I am sure you would expect, but as much as we may despise it, this aspect of the job boils down to persona, charisma and communication skills. For me, this rules out Natalie and Pippa, for very different reasons. So this leaves Peter and Romayne. As for strategic leadership, they all have a lot to offer, but again, not necessarily in the Leader’s role. Peter has a particularly strong vision of what is needed to help us here at the grass roots and has a strong socialist agenda in terms of human rights, housing etc., but I am unconvinced about his long term vision for the party. He talks repeatedly about being against ‘debt capitalism’ as if the right type of capitalism may be ok. I feel confident that he would help the Party develop and, as I said before, be a relatively safe pair of hands, but is this enough, I keep asking myself? One huge advantage he does have is that, with the Party constitution as it currently stands, he would probably come packaged with the very impressive Alexandra Phillips as his Deputy – http://alexfordeputy.org.uk/ . They have similar priorities and I believe Alex offers leadership skills that could effectively complement Peter’s. How well they know each other and would work together, I am not sure. (Update: please read comment below from Caroline Allen – also a candidate for Deputy) This again leaves me with Romayne, on balance, as my preferred choice. Romayne not only has the fullest, most rounded CV for the job, but she has the strongest socialist, anti-capitalist vision. She does not come across as a career politician, but as passionate would-be revolutionary (peaceful, of course). She also comes with a declared running mate, in Will Duckworth. Again, he provides complementary qualities and they come with an assured symbiosis between the two of them. Some may perceive them as a riskier option to Peter/Alex, but I firmly believe that we need to be more outspoken and provocative, but in a controlled and measured way. If we want to start ridding ourselves of the white, middle-class, do-gooder image, and start connecting with the disaffected, disillusioned traditional Labour voter, then it simply has to be Romayne and Will. |
Llandow Planning verdict response
| As soon as the verdict was announced on Friday morning, and with Louise Evans out of the country, I had a deluge of requests for response interviews from local TV and radio.The BBC and ITV TV interviews ended up as quick sound bites (not available as yet in iPlayer), but I was pleased with the two in depth interviews broadcast on Radio Wales.
The first was broadcast on the lunchtime news bulletin: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01kdrq2/The_Radio_Wales_PhoneIn_06_07_2012/ from 1:01:12 to 1:04:04 I was then called to the Llandaff studios for an interview on Good Evening Wales to respond directly to an interview they had recorded earlier in the day with Gerwyn Williams. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01kdrq6/Good_Evening_Wales_06_07_2012/ Gerwyn’s segment can be found between 32:15 and 38:52, but unfortunately, the second half of the programme is not playing at the moment. When you listen to Gerwyn’ segment, most of you will be able to predict my response I would imagine. This battle may be lost, but my resolve to win the war is strengthened! Andy |
Bridgend Local Hero Awards – any Green nominations?
| Nominations close on 15th July. Any suggestions for nominations for The GREEN AWARD, in particular?
More info: http://www.bridge.fm/?do=hero |
Green Party Leadership Hustings in Cardiff next Saturday
| All party members are invited to a hustings event for all the national Party Leadership candidates. Come and meet the person who will try to fill Caroline Lucas’ boots as our Party Leader. This is a great opportunity to properly inform you vote in the ballot. Ask the candidates the questions you want answered about the future direction of the Party and evaluate who is best equipped to cope under the spotlight that being Party Leader inevitably brings. All 4 candidates for Leader are expected to attend. EVENT DETAILS Cost? No charge – although a collection will be taken towards meeting candidates expenses. It will be the end of a long and tiring day for the candidates; they have similar events in Reading on that morning, and Bristol that afternoon. If anyone is unable to attend, but has a particular question they want answered by the candidates, then please forward it to me and I will do my best to get it answered for you. Andy |
Llandow Appeal Decision
| THIS IS THE TEXT OF THE INSPECTOR’S PUBLISHED DECISION. COMMENT AND REACTION WILL FOLLOW Appeal Decision Inquiry held on 22&23/05/12 By Emyr Jones BSc(Hons) CEng MICE Appeal Ref: APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 The Welsh Ministers have transferred the authority to decide this appeal to me as the . . . . Decision 1. www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 To minimise the risk of the loss of drilling fluid to ground water resources during 6) I) Ii) Iii) Iv) V) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate 2 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 Application for costs 2. 3. 4. 3 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 9. Groundwater 10. The application was refused planning permission on the basis of Dwr Cymru/Welsh 4 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 14. The anticipated drilling fluid is a proprietary product known as Pure-Bore. Noise and vibration 20. The application proposes 24 hour working during the drilling, testing and restoration 5 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 260m away is 20 dB(A)L90. This is well below the level at which it would be 22. However, the Noise Assessment only considers the drilling rig whilst the operation 6 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 glacial till which would absorb surface vibrations, I have no reason to believe that Protected species 27. The Countryside Council for Wales notes that the site is within 800m of a known lesser 31. Interested persons are concerned as to the volume of traffic that would be generated. 7 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 Conditions 33. The Statement of Common Ground includes a list of conditions with reasons agreed 8 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 Overall conclusion 40. For the reasons given above, I conclude that the proposal does not conflict with UDP Inspector www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate 9 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 APPEARANCES FOR THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY: Mr G Davies, Solicitor The Vale of Glamorgan Council www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate 10 Appeal Decision APP/Z6950/A/11/2167112 DOCUMENTS 1 Councils notification of Inquiry and list of those notified Documents 4 to 9 and 18a-c were submitted by the appellants www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate 11 |
Is anti-science dogma damaging the Green Party? (asks Andy Chyba)
| Alongside my involvement in the Green Party, I am also an active member of the British Humanist Association (BHA) http://www.humanism.org.uk/home and The Rationalist Association (RA) http://newhumanist.org.uk/ra/ .
Tha RA publishes a journal called NEW HUMANIST, to which I subscribe, and its most recent edition contains an comment piece by freelance writer, James Gray, that states that anti-science dogma is damaging the Greens. It is well worth a read. It appears to have been prompted by Green Party London AM, Jenny Jones, endorsing the recent anti-GM protests in Hertfordshire. He quotes criticism of this by Nick Cohen, in The Spectator, who labelled the protest organisers a “quasi-religious movement”, and adherents of the “green faith”, harbouring “an almost pagan delusion that nature is pure and must be saved”. I am not sure that he intended the patent irony of such over-the-top dogmatic language, but I understand what he is getting at, don’t you? Gray goes on to point us towards Mark Lynas’ The God Species, which opines that “There’s a sense that a substantial proportion of conventional eco-philosophy is not based on rational empirical evidence…… They claim to be comfortable with science on climate change, but show the reverse inclination when it comes to issues like GM and nuclear power.” Gray further makes the point by highlighting some of the distinctly mystical language used (albeit occasionally only) in the seminal A Blueprint for Survival (1972) and Schumacher’s Small is Beautiful (1973). It is up to all of us within the Green Party today to reflect on these perceptions of our movement. I have spent enough time in the party now, and grown to know a wide cross-section of members from across the country, to recognise that these perceptions are a perfectly valid description of some elements within the party. But it is also my feeling that these elements are very much in a minority, although some are quite influential. We need to challenge them and, if they prove dogmatically intransigent, drive them away – as they do nothing but undermine our credibility. Thankfully, Gray recognises that these elements within the Party are indeed being challenged by a new generation of resolutely pro-science activists. He quotes Bex Holmes, environmental scientist and Scottish Green Party activist: “If you’ve not been trained to use an evidence based approach to form your opinions then you will be likely swayed by emotional campaigns”. She urges rationalists within the party to get actively involved and insist on evidence-based policies. I could not agree more. The key issue here is recognising and acknowledging good science and being able to discern bad science. Bex Holmes rightly stresses that this takes training – training that all-too-many would be politicians (in all parties) simply do not have. If we are to win the arguments and, even more importantly, present workable solutions in our policies, we have to guard against dogmatic knee-jerk reactions and build our manifesto on good science and rational thinking – even when it is not part of our utopian visions. We must not fall into the trap that always mires the other main parties, and pretend we know all the answers. Healthy scepticism while the jury is out is fine. The ‘precautionary approach’ is what we often call it these days. But we must not close our minds to sound evidence before us, or else those ‘quasi-religious’ jibes will have substance. |
Withdraw Barclays’ Banking Licence – HM Govt e-petition
| Within a capitalist economy banks perform a vital function in facilitating the production and exchange of goods and services. In return for fulfilling this role responsibly they are allowed to hold a banking licences, which brings them great benefits in terms of the ability to create money through making loans. The systematic manipulation of the LIBOR value to serve its business interests makes clear that Barclays is not a fit company to hold a banking licence. We call upon the government to withdraw Barclays banking licence.
This e-petition has been created by a Green Economist that I hold in great esteem – Molly Scott Cato. More than this though, it aims to bring down an institution that I have personally loathed for more than 30 years (see: http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Barclays#Controversies ) . Do the whole world a favour and sign it – please! (Andy) |
Leadership Election candidates update – Bridgend Chair pins his colours to the mast and invites debate
| The full list of candidates for the Party Leadership ballot has just been confirmed as follows.
Leader: Deputy Leader: All members will be balloted in due course. Bridgend Chair, Andy Chyba’s view The joint ticket of Romayne and Will represents a Green Left dream ticket as far as I am concerned and gets my full support. It is my firm conviction that the Green Party has to position itself unashamedly to the left and pronounce itself as the radical, progressive, ecosocialist and anti-capitalist party. Romayne has proven credentials in promoting these values. Romayne is perhaps currently best known for her work as the Chair of the Coalition of Resistance. COR is a broad movement of active resistance to the Con-Dem government’s budget intentions. Affiliates include MPs, trade unionists, economists and many others. Romayne was recently part of a delegation that visited Greece, meeting, amongst others, with Alexis Tsipras, leader of the Syriza Party that that came a close second in elections there recently. During her time as a Councillor in Lewisham, Romayne was one of the group of six Green Councillors that succeeded in securing the London Living Wage for Lewisham employees. We also have to be avowedly internationalist and outward looking as the challenges humanity faces are global challenges. This message is especially important to us here in Wales as we have to contend with, and differentiate ourselves from, the inwardly focussed environmentally aware left wingers in Plaid Cymru. Nationalism is the inevitable fatal flaw in the Plaid Cymru manifesto. As no lesser mind than Albert Einstein said: “Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.” Romayne and Will understand the need for collaboration, support and coordination with groups who support our aims across the world. With Derek Wall elected to the GPEx post of International Co-ordinator alongside them, with your help, we will have the strongest possible team to manage this crucial area of policy and practice. I therefore urge all members, first and foremost, to do their own due diligence, as I have done, and come to their own conclusions. If any Bridgend member would like to share their views and promote any candidate on this blog, again as I have done right here, then I will happily publish this here for you. Just forward it via email as usual. Anyone, of course (member or not), can also use the Comments facility to continue the debate. But for those interested in my advice, that advice is clear enough: VOTE FOR ROMAYNE & WILL FOR THE GREEN PARTY LEADERSHIP. |
POSITIVE MONEY Public Meeting
Tuesday, July 3, 2012, 7:30pm
|
Bridgend Green Party Meeting 28th June
| Apologies for the late issuing of the agenda and the absence of minutes from the last meeting.
Hopefully, normal service will be resumed this month! In light of mixed feedback about the 7pm start time last month, we are going to try the compromise of 7.30pm to see if this suits more people. Bridgend Green Party Meeting ALL WELCOME AGENDA:
NOTE – Venue is 2 minutes walk from both the Bus and Train stations in Bridgend. |

