Saturday, 11 July 2020

Green Left's Questions to Candidates

These are the questions we asked all the candidates. The answers we have received can be found under the name of the contested posts in the right hand column.  In order to be fair we have not included any links to external websites. We initially set a word limit of 50 but had to extend that to 70. When reading the candidiates' answers please give due credit to those who stuck to the word limit. Candidates are invited to post on Green Left Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/GreenLeft

For membership of Green Left (Green Party members only) email ukgreenleft@gmail.com

Questions to GPEx Candidates

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections?
Within a flawed electoral system, are we focusing on winning elections, one by one seat, above being a Campaigning Party within the mass movement needed to fight capitalism and transform society before the climate change emergency becomes irreversible? Are we paying lip service to the warning from the brave climate change activists especially the youth who recognise time is running out?

2. An accountable Party?
How can the Green Party be an effective campaigning political party, with transparent internal democracy and accountability, supporting local party campaigns with devolved resources? Do we need delegate conferences to ensure policy is properly discussed at local level before conference decides?

3. A party that understands working-class communities?
Many people (with some progress) still see the green movement and subsequently the GPEW as being well meaning but not relevant to the everyday struggles of working people and working-class communities. How can we challenge that idea?

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts
After over 10 years of cruel Tory austerity which has trashed public services for millions, we must restore those essential services which we all rely on. Not only the NHS and social care but all the local government services like environmental health, trading standards, pollution control, libraries, public toilets, parks etc and the Green Party has not focused on this sufficiently for several years. Do you agree?

5. The Movement for Green Jobs and a Green Socialist future
What do you know of the Trade Union backed Campaign Against Climate Change, Lucas Plan, The Million Green Jobs campaign and the Greener Jobs Alliance of trade unions? How would you work with these campaigns and ensure all parts of the party are engaging with these groups? Do understand and support what Just Transition means?

6. Are you an eco-socialist?
What does eco-socialism mean to you? What links do you see between climate change and the need for social, economic and democratic change?

7. Support native and oppressed peoples
Greens need to expand our world solidarity by working to liberate millions of indigenous peoples in the Americas, Asia: Kurdistan, Middle East, Tibet, and many parts of Africa etc. Internationalism is still too weak in Green culture. How would you improve this in the GPEW?

8.Minority rights
Do you oppose the colonialist oppression of minorities such as Kashmiris, the Uighurs and Tibetans in China, and support the Palestinian-led global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)? Palestine solidarity groups world-wide have opposed the so-called 'IHRA definition of antisemitism' as an attack on Palestinian rights. Do you support or oppose this definition?

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority
It’s clear the electoral system is holding back Green Party advance at local and parliamentary elections. How can we campaign to convince members of the Labour Party, Trade Unions and Labour MPs to support this left democratic change to bring elections in line with other parts of the UK? Do you see this as a major priority for the Green Party in the next period?

10. Oppose Nuclear Power
Green Left is supporting a motion to the forthcoming GPEW Conference that calls on the Green Party to demand the government abandons the Hinkley Point nuclear project and plans for the follow-up Sizewell C nuclear project, including the regulated asset-based model and any further development of the hazardous and expensive nuclear power programme. The Green Party should also calls for all existing nuclear power plants to be shut down. No power sourced from nuclear should be imported - only renewable. Will you support this motion?

THE CANDIDATES

Leader

Shahrar Ali  (WebsiteVideo) 
Rosemary Sexton (Website, Video)
Jonathan Bartley & Sian Berry (Website, Video)

Deputy Leader

Amelia Womack (Website, Video)
Andrea Carey Fuller (Website, Video)
James Booth (candidacy withdrawn)
Tom Pashby (Website, Video)
Nick Humberstone (Website, Video)
Cleo Lake (Website)

Campaigns Co-ordinator

Daniel Laycock
Britta Goodman
Hannah Graham

Chair

Ewan Jones
Ashley Routh & Benjamin Smith
Adrian Spurrell
Liz Reason

Elections Co-Ordinator

Kai Taylor & Claire Stephenson
Louis Williams
Zoe Nicholson
Laurie Needham & Joe Levy

External Communications Co-ordinator

Peter Underwood
Molly Scott Cato

International Co-ordinator

Alice Hubbard & Sam Murray
Alex Horn & Erwin Schaefer
Frank Sheridan
Claudine Letsae

Management Co-ordinator

Richard Bearman
Matthew Browne & Florence Pollock

Policy Development Co-ordinator

Liam McClelland
Peter Sims & Sam Alston
Mick Gregg
Vix Lowthion

Publications Co-ordinator

Jack Lenox
Danny Keeling
Julia Lagoutte

Trade Union Liaison Officer

Kefentse Dennis
Matthew Hull & Paul Valentine
Theo Simon

 House of Lords 

Molly Scott Cato 

Andrew Cooper

Rupert Read

Amelia Womack 

 

What does GPEx do?

GPEx is made up of elected representatives and exists to ensure the decisions of Conference are carried out; to ensure the proper use of expenditure and raising of funds to support the work of the Party; to ensure that the Political Strategy is implemented; and to act as employer of staff and line manage the CEO through the Chair.

The role of elected members is to champion a particular area of business, working with Green Party staff, to deliver on agreed objectives and to account back to the Party membership on the outcomes.
Download a more detailed document explaining what GPEx does

Individual job descriptions: