GPEx Elections Co-ordinator

Green Left's questions to candidates - Answers below

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?

Zoe Nicholson

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

As a green in power, I am a Leader of a District Council, I believe we have to do both, campaign and win elections. Greens in power not only change policy and actions but they influence others to do so. Our party needs a clear strategy to win more seats and at local, Senedd and Mayoral elections and at Westminster in order that we can influence power, by becoming leaders, to make the right policy decisions

2. An accountable Party?

Party democracy is really important, I have always been attracted to the core idea of the party that members make policy. I do worry about policy being only the interest of a few. I am open to the options being put forward by the Voting Reform group, although I do think the sovereignty of conference needs to be honoured.

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

By making sure that we understand what matters to residents and deliver on that locally. Nationally we need to be seen to address poverty, poor and unaffordable housing, and play our part in delivering a just transition as part of our green new deal work.

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts

Kind of, locally these issues are the things that our councillors and activists focus on as they are the issues that matter to local communities. These issues are the bread and butter of a councillor and a candidate. I think we have done a good job nationally during the covid19 crisis focussing on housing, the emergency response, food poverty and our no one left behind campaign.

5. The Movement for Green Jobs and a Green Socialist future

A just transition is needed and we need to do it faster, some current union thinking is often, frankly,  limiting and holding back our progress in this area, only yesterday I received an email from the GMB asking me to lobby for the re-opening of the aviation industry. Those other campaigns are worth collaborating with, though not at the expense of progress.

6. Are you an eco-socialist?

I am not keen on labels. I am a Green and subscribe to the philosophical basis of the party. I believe in social, economic justice and democratic change for all. Tying ourselves in knots of labels excludes others from sharing their support. Locally we have been effective in drawing conservative voters to us by being hardworking campaigners working in the interest of the whole community. I am not keen on labels. I am a Green and subscribe to the philosophical basis of the party. I believe in social, economic justice and democratic change for all. Tying ourselves in knots of labels excludes others from sharing their support. Locally we have been effective in drawing conservative voters to us by being hardworking campaigners working in the interest of the whole community. 

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

I don’t know the answer to this but would support those with more direct experience to articulate an approach.

8.Minority rights

Yes, all forms of oppression need fighting against. I too find the IHRA definitions/examples limiting, seemingly to hamper freedom to criticise all and any state injustice.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

No, I don’t see or believe Labour will ever support PR they have too much vested in the status quo, if I did would be a Labour party member and clearly I am not!

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

Yes. There is no place for nuclear power. Practically speaking, I’m not sure how we implement nuclear free imports of electricity and differentiate source of energy eg. Is French power all to be assumed to be nuclear when much isn’t? 

Louis Williams

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

The two are not in conflict with each other but, I believe, complement. Outside of election times delivering leaflets that have our “Greens can win” messages look very strange to our voters, but also during an election campaign to focus solely on campaigning would also look strange.

I believe that there are appropriate times for both and the two should complement each other. Campaigns can lead to election wins, and our election messages, while elections can lead to even bigger campaigns to transform society.

2. An accountable Party?

We need a GPEx that travels the regions, working with local parties and shares updates beyond just posting minutes on our internal websites. In keeping the membership updated and involved, we can achieve more together.

For delegate conferences, in one of my previous parties we trialled discussing several Conference motions to see how we would all vote before Conference. Personally I would like to see further expansion of Regional conferences with a process for these to take motions then to GPEW conference if it is voted in favour.

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

I doorknocked for a fantastic Councillor in Burnley not too long ago in Trinity ward in a ward where there were streets of abandoned houses due to property developers just waiting for them to fall down and build new luxury homes. We that Green Party councillor elected in that ward by highlighting the hard work that he would do for them. That is how we show we understand, by caring, listening and acting on the issues in working-class areas across the country.

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts

I agree that Tory austerity has harmed so many local government services when I lived in Somerset the council was running out of money due to the local grants being frozen. However, I think where the Green Party has got elected - we have focused very well on these issues. In Bath challenging closing public toilets, in Bristol where library closures are bitterly fought against a Labour council. In parts of London where we want a Renters’ Charter to protect people.

Perhaps then it is that we need to share these stories more widely and highlight to all our members that when Greens are elected, we get stuff done.

5. The Movement for Green Jobs and a Green Socialist future

It is important as we move towards a Green economy, that we work with Trade Unions and those who will see their jobs change to find suitable new work. We should not leave anyone behind as part of a Green New Deal and this will include working with the Trade Unions are part of the Just Transition.

6. Are you an eco-socialist?

I am, and a long time ago, I was a member of a far-left Party in my teenage years. For me, the Environment and Climate Change is such a big issue that the Greens with their transformative economic plan, that gives power back to the people most locally, instantly won my heart.

For us to save the planet we need to make a radical shift in every part of our lives, to become a fairer society which does not force people into poverty or mental health crises. For me, a Green Government that can transform society is what this means to me.

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

I have served on the International Committee several times and it has been a struggle to get wider buy-in from the Party to share our fantastic work across the Globe. Most recently we have produced a newsletter which will be getting shared out and I hope that will be the start of improving it in GPEW.

We need to expand our solidarity out to other indigenous people and at the last conference, we had a fantastic session where someone came to speak to us about it. I would like to see that happen again as it is due to a lack of awareness that we do not know about these hardships.

8. Minority rights

Personally I completely oppose the oppression of minorities across the world and we should not see any ethnic group in the world undergoing anything like the Uighurs are in China. It is upsetting to see people being oppressed for just being who they are, and their culture, and would like to see the Green Party offer more solidarity to these groups. Raising awareness of it through sessions at Conferences at the very least.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

If we introduce PR, it is a game-changer to us across the Country. I genuinely believe when it comes to that time we get our second Green MP, it will be several at the same time as that fantastic night after the European Parliament elections. However, votes are not fair in this country. We need to work with organisations like Make Votes Matter apply pressure externally to the Labour Party and Trade Unions who do not support giving fair votes to workers across England and Wales. Especially as our Labour Party is the only one in Europe that does not support PR.

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

Always have done, it is expensive and a white elephant solution. The cost of Hinkley Point has blown up over-and-over - it needs to be stopped and instead that money put into the much better job creation of renewable energy. Molly Scott Cato in the South West has done fantastic work on energy independence here which I would like to see us roll out further. When we highlight how the regions of England and the nation of Wales could generate their own power locally - we can change this.

Laurie Needham and Joe Levy (Joint)

 

1.A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

Campaigning and elections should go hand in hand. Election victories give credibility to campaign effectively and hold the political establishment to account. Effective campaigning encourages people to vote for us. 

The 2019 local elections and subsequent European elections, where we achieved record breaking results, demonstrate the value of effective campaigning, both on local and larger systemic issues, combined with evidence-based election strategy that puts more Green voices in power.

2. An accountable Party?

Our party is accountable to its members as well as the electorate. Having our policy made by members is a strength and why we show true vision and don’t fall into the short-termism so prevalent in Conservative and Labour parties. Conferences could and should be more accessible and we hope to see more use of online voting in the future.

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

Our Target to Win elections strategy has proven success in challenging this idea locally. Ordinary people see Green campaigners and councillors actively improving their communities, listening to people's concerns and getting things done for them. This is especially true in working class areas that are often neglected, ignored or taken for granted by major parties. We need to do more to showcase the work of Green campaigners in working class communities.

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts

We agree that public services have been run down and that they should be restored. We don’t agree that the Green Party has not focused on this sufficiently. In Parliament, Caroline Lucas is relentless in her defence of the NHS, public services and environmental protections, as are our representatives in the House of Lords. In local government, our elected Green councillors fight tirelessly on these issues every day.

5. The Movement for Green Jobs and a Green Socialist future

Our role as elections coordinator is about getting Greens elected. When other parties see their seats being taken by Greens, this pressures them to focus more on green policies, improving our chance of achieving a Just Transition. We can work with other roles such as the Campaigns Coordinator to ensure our election messaging appropriately conveys our ambition for Green jobs and a society that properly supports its workers.

6. Are you an eco-socialist?

Both of us are eco-socialists, and proud of the party’s policies which would provide for everyone, whilst protecting our environment. 

Environmental and social injustice are inextricably linked, and they are created by the same power structures. So if we only focus on one, we will never succeed in creating a better society. For instance, the poorest will be worst affected by climate change, so climate change is a socio-economic issue.

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

We support native and oppressed peoples, but in the context of Elections Coordinator, this isn’t within our remit. However we believe that the best way to improve the rights of oppressed people, is for them to be in positions of power. We’d like to see greater diversity in election candidate selection, working with local parties and liberation groups to ensure a stronger voice for those who are most often silenced.

8.Minority rights

Colonialist oppression of minorities is deplorable and the Green Party must be at the forefront of condemning this. We need to distinguish between anti-semitism and genuine criticism of the state of Israel. The Green Party needs a clear definition of anti-semitism to ensure Jewish members are protected from discrimination, but we also need to ensure that this is separate from our necessary condemnation of the Israeli government and its actions.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

We absolutely support PR and believe that it would dramatically improve our democracy. However, Labour promised to implement PR when in government and did not. They consistently refuse to work with us, showing they aren’t serious about electoral reform.

We don’t believe Labour will change position on this, so it is up to Greens to develop long term strategy to win more parliamentary seats within the current system.

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

I think it’s really important for us to acknowledge our remit. As Elections Coordinator, and members of GPEX, we couldn’t instruct the party on policy. It would be disingenuous for us to state otherwise. We’d need to see the text of any conference motion with regards to this issue, and ultimately it would lie with the membership to determine whether this becomes policy.