The Green Party (well to be accurate The People Party..which became the
Ecology Party which then went on to become the Green Party) was formed
in the 1970′s in response to “Blueprint for Survival” and the Club of
Rome 1972 “Limits to Growth” report.  It was obvious to me then that
pursing eternal economic growth is impossible on a finite planet. What
should have reinforced this was the first photo of the Earth taken from
space and a collective awareness that it is madness to trash our home. A
new economics was necessary that recognised there are limits.

20 years later the mainstream political parties greened up and assured
us that they had got the message that the environment is not an
expensive luxury but vital to both our well-being and survival.

Now and In the midst of the deepest recession since the 1930′s we are
told that everybody thinks economic growth is the most important goal
for government. Left and right may disagree with small details of what
actually has to grow but they are in agreement that growth is what is
needed. It is hardly surprising when neo-liberalisms and Keynesianisms
criteria for success is growth. But now in there desperate attempt to
please “The Markets” the bottom line is that our social and
environmental life lines must be swept aside on this holy grail.

Unsurprisingly the Green Party disagree.

I would  like more members  to contribute thinking about the
growing economic crisis at this critical time and our response.

References I have been using…..

Green Party National Policy (Last updated 2010)
EC310 Conventional economic policy uses economic growth, inflation, balance
of payments and unemployment as ‘economic indicators’, the normal criteria
against which progress is measured. Although it is the most usually quoted
indicator, gross national product (GNP) is a poor indicator of true progress
and does not adequately measure people’s sense of well-being. It measures
only the activity in the formal sector, regardless of what that activity is.
In consequence, current economic theory fails adequately to reflect the real
effects of human activity within a finite ecosystem, and is used to
‘validate’ economic activities which are ecologically unsustainable and/or
socially unjust.
Policy EC311 The Green Party would therefore replace the conventional
indicators with those that measure progress towards sustainability, equity
and devolution.

1. http://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/rapport_anglais.pdf
This report commissioned by the French president in 2008 and its 12
recommendations carries a lot of credibility….note that Nicolas Stern was
a member of this commission. As usual like Cameron’s commitment to Wellbeing
it gets diluted to a meaningless sound bite. Always worth going back to the
original source.

2. http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications.php?id=914
Prosperity without Growth report. Clearly spells out that pursing growth in
gdp is inconsistent with cutting greenhouse emissions. If we fail to argue
for and adopt a low carbon economy wonderful though they are initiatives
like A Million low Carbon Jobs and Zero Carbon Britain will not see us
hitting CO2 reduction targets.

3.
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2010/10/20/prosperity-without-growth-a-contra
diction-in-terms/
This is an example of the sort of response we are used to from our critics.

4. http://www.compassonline.org.uk/news/item.asp?n=14217
A good short summary of Richard Murphy’s 2011 book “The Courageous State”.
This is surely what the Green Party economic ideas are about ……

5. http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/the_principles.html
These are the five principles of sustainable development which have recently
been given new life in the governments planning guidelines. An economic
strategy that ignores this just shows how bone-headed our political leaders
are.

6. http://mondediplo.com/2011/10/09germany
A frightening critique on the German Green Party “Neo-liberals on Bikes” and
which the UK Green Party must learn lessons. My concern is that keeping
quiet about our opposition to growth in GDP and failing to articulate a well
argued alternative will quickly see us being subsumed within “politics as
usual”.

Bernard Little

Greens come close second, beating former leader of the Council, Paul Scriven into third place.

Full results here

Election Agent Eamonn Ward comments :

“Greens offer voters a real alternative to the mainstream parties on May 3rd. Central will be close between us and Labour as it always is. But we are the only party doing consistent year round work across the whole of the ward. That work has pushed our vote up year after year since Jillian Creasy was elected as the first Green councillor in 2004.’

He continues : ‘Broomhill looks like a close 3 way contest with Labour and the Lib Dems. We lost our ward agent at a crucial time in early 2011 due to personal reasons. This year we have tripled our activity to back up year round work. Bernard Little has been firmly focused on ward issues and has pledged to push for the community-developed Broomhill Ward Action Plan if elected.” ENDS

For more information please contact Sheffield Green Party Press Officer Eamonn Ward at  eamonn.ward@btopenworld.com.

Note :

Candidate profiles and election leaflets can be viewed at http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/area/

Promoted by Eamonn Ward, 73 Eskdale Rd, Sheffield, S6 1Sl on behalf of Sheffield Green Party

See the Broomhill page for more information or find your local candidate here.

He comments :

“I hope people will join me in supporting Record Shop Day on Saturday April 21st. In just 5 years it has become a massive worldwide event for independent record shops supported by hundreds of artists who issue limited edition releases for the day. Record Collector on Fulwood Road attracts people from far and wide and is a key part of what makes the Broomhill Shopping Centre worth visiting. There is nothing like the experience of buying real records in the few shops we have left in Sheffield. With the Sharrow Vale Market Day on Sunday April 22nd it will be a big weekend for people to support their local small independent shops. “

He continues :

“The closure of the Channel Islands VAT free mail order loophole on April Ist is long overdue and a real boost. Independent record shops simply could not compete with Amazon and many have closed as a result. Scandalously, Amazon had £7 billion UK sales in 2010 but paid no UK corporation tax. The government must close these tax loopholes or all record and bookshops will disappear from our high streets.”

Bernard Little outside Record Collector

Notes

1. The website for Record Shop Day is http://www.recordstoreday.co.uk/
2. The Guardian story on Amazon tax avoidance is at http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/apr/04/amazon-british-operation-corporation-tax?newsfeed=true.

Key targets are Central where Rob Murphy seeks re-election and Broomhill where former Central councillor Bernard Little is in a 3 way fight with Labour and the Lib Dems – Paul Scriven defends the seat.

Cllr Rob Murphy has represented Central ward since 2008.

Rob commented :

“I believe I am well known for being in touch with the needs of local residents’ and acting on their concerns and problems. I offer voters a clear alternative to Labour and the Lib Dems, who have left our city centre full of empty shops, been slow to protect residents from rising fuel bills and unfairly profited from Permit Parking Zones. Greens will continue to fight against the cuts – we want fair taxes and investment in job creation. “

Bernard Little commented :

“I’m pleased to be the Green candidate again in Broomhill ward to challenge Paul Scriven and the record of the coalition. Residents are concerned about the impact of cuts and privatisation on vital services like the Hallamshire hospital. Students and young people remain angry about Nick Clegg’s broken promises on tuition fees and their bleak job prospects. Greens have already addressed a number of significant issues in the area and I intend to work hard for Broomhill residents in the future.”

A full list of all the candidates can be downloaded from the Council website.

Sheffield Green Party have criticised the governments latest blow to local renewable energy companies after the Solar FiTS debacle.

Central Government has delayed setting a price for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) until next year at the earliest.

The RHI, which is the heating equivalent to the Feed in Tariff (FiTS), was initially due to be set in 2011, but on March 27th DECC (Dept of Energy and Climate Change) announced further delays.

Broomhill ward Green Candidate Bernard Little comments :

“Sheffield has one of the highest levels of solar energy generation in the country but last years premature FiTS cuts have seen new installations drastically cut. All the renewable energy sector wants from this government is some certainty to base investment decisions on. This decision shows real incompetence in dealing with a burgeoning industry. Jobs have been lost in Sheffield after the chaos caused by the government last year over FiTS. Now the industry is being held back again.’

He added

” This government promised more green investment and jobs in the private sector to make up for public sector cuts. This decision means yet more broken promises.”

“Greens have played a big part in the Sheffield Save our NHS campaign over the past year. Jillian Creasy and I persuaded the Council to oppose the government’s NHS Bill in September. We’ll continue to fight to maintain the original values of the NHS.”

Councillor Creasy’s speech in full

Why was the NHS so important?

The secret is in the name:

NATIONALISED – publicly funded & publicly provided

HEALTH – designed to improve health as well as treat sickness

It has given us:

The cheapest system per head in the western world

Universal coverage allows prevention and crisis management – e.g. polio vaccination,cancer screening (smear tests), rapid response to swine flu, silicone breast implants removed, terrorist attack victims and war wounded treated and rehabilitated.

Research base – so valuable they plan to sell the data!

Training – doctors, nurses, technicians – here and worldwide

UK is third most unequal country in the world (cf USA) – not just the poverty but the inequality itself leads to ill health – but NHS mitigates effects

SERVICE

Most importantly, it is about service, not profit, not a market place, but public service.
Health and Social Care represent the idea that:

· civilised society is about caring for each other

· politics is about planning for the greater good

· people are motivated not by greed but by altruism

· we are stronger together than divided

So when we shout, “save our NHS” we are upholding all these good things – nationalisation, health not sickness, service not profit.

SAVE OUR NHS!

Why does the government want to kill the NHS?

Tories – and some elite Labour politicians – will make personal profit from investments in “health-care” businesses, but their hatred of the NHS is ideological, the NHS:

· represent planning & management of precious resources not the free market

· shows that public service is a GOOD thing

· stands for people not profit

Why was the Save our NHS campaign so important?

We stood alongside:

Those who built it – came out of the horrors of the depression in the 1930s and WWll and imagined a better world – great leaders, but great people too

Those who fought the top down targets and the internal market under Thatcher – we marched, we held huge rallies in the City Hall

Those who fought full commercialisation under Labour (despite their 1997 manifesto to abolish the internal market).

Labour increased funding to the NHS but money haemorrhaged into private companies, PFI schemes, Independent Sector Treatment Centres.

Above all, Labour embedded the mantra that privatisation (of health, education, energy, transport) is more efficient than public service.

The Tories and Lib Dems also said the NHS was safe, this bill was not in their manifestos or the coalition agreement. But they have opened the market even further – hospitals will be allowed to use half their beds for private patients.

How did we fight this bill?

We marched, we petitioned – on paper and on line, we adopted a peer, we lobbied our MPs, we invaded banks dressed in bloody bandages.

The Green Party did its bit – our banner at every march and rally, our members working with SSONHS, the Green councillors putting motions to council, talking to the press

And we all continued to work in the increasingly cash-strapped and chaotic NHS, continuing to care for it and for each other.

How shall we go on fighting?

Even as this battle is lost, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin to organise

We must monitor the contracts with providers – identify excess profit

We must fight to keep terms and conditions of employment

We must participate in the emasculated patient organisations

But above all, we must not lose sight of the idea that

· public service is a good thing

· people are more important than profit

· we are stronger together than divided.

So, for old times sake, let us say it once more:

SAVE OUR NHS!

The Star has revealed the shocking condition of some private rented properties. The Council has a duty to enforce decent standards and rightly prosecuted the guilty landlord. That is why the Green councillors proposed putting more resources into the Private Housing Standards team in their budget.

Sadly, their suggestion was rejected by Labour and the Lib Dems and cases like this may not be dealt with as quickly in future.

Yours Sincerely

Bernard Little.

Sheffield and Rotherham Green Party.

Rob Murphy commented “I hope I am re-elected so that I can continue to represent local people. I believe I am well known for addressing residents’ concerns and problems. I also want to give voters a real alternative to Labour and the Lib Dems, who simply aren’t tackling concerns about jobs, cuts and many other issues. More than 18,000 people voted Green in Sheffield last year, showing that many local residents realise that we are the best option.”

The Greens also announced that former Central ward councillor Bernard Little and recently graduated Sheffield University ex-student Amy Mack will be their candidates for the Broomhill and Crookes wards respectively.

Bernard Little commented :

“I’m really pleased to be the Green candidate again in Broomhill ward. It will be another close 3 party contest with Labour and the Lib Dems. I intend to work hard for Broomhill residents, building on the consistent work Greens have done in the area for more than a decade. “

Amy Mack commented :

“I am committed to working with Rob and Bernard in wards with a high student population to ensure their voice is heard and to help interaction with longer term residents. Students and young people are under represented on Sheffield council.”