GPEx International 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?

Frank Sheridan

1 A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

We are both – we are the party of positive change. Our dogged determination to stand in the face of adversity, knowing we have moral, social and scientific duty on our side to do the right thing. We stand in elections in the face of a flawed system. We stand up in our communities offering an outstretched hand and a home to all. We stand up for what’s right. We need to better connect our campaign and elections work, and I want to connect that to the global green movement.

2 An accountable Party?

Policy and action must come from the grassroots, and we must have systems that ensure every voice can be heard. Monthly local GP meetings can discuss topics, filter this up regionally, then filter nationally. Then, with my role, filter internationally. The GP is a global movement, expressed locally.

3 A party that understands working-class communities?

As someone from a working-class background, who has campaigned and stood for election in my community, when we speak about the issues, people generally agree with what we stand for and what we mean. Our main barrier is one of perception- what people immediately think of when they think of ‘green’, and what people think about when it comes to an election. We must capitalize on the current mood that flies in the face of business-as-usual, and prove we are the party that has been on the right side of history, and is on the right side of the future. We need to show working class communities champions who reflect who they are.

4 Austerity and reversing public service cuts

Public services are a public good. They belong to us. They are essential. We need a system that protects them, much like we need to protect planetary resources, in long term strategies, out of the clutch of short-term elitist whims. Austerity is (not ‘was’, it’s still with us) a double whammy of cruelty. Not only was it cruel for the people who were most in need to have vital services taken away, and all of us who depend and appreciate these assets, but to add insult to injury, it was plainly unnecessary, needless and meaningless.
Debt is a function of our system. If we don’t want debt, we must change our system.

5 The Movement for Green Jobs and a Green Socialist future

Having worked at the global level on climate issues, I know exactly what a Just Transition is. As move into sustainability, we must ensure no-one is left behind. Otherwise, by definition, we become unsustainable. As International Coordinator I want to connect the Green Jobs and Green Socialist work in this country, to our Green friends in other countries. We are uniquely positioned in being one of the only parties to have sibling parties in many other countries. We need to leverage this asset, share skills, successes and experiences and work together cross-nationally to ensure we maximize our capacity and pressure the change we need.

6 Are you an eco-socialist?

Climate change is a product of a flawed system. Social, economic and democratic inequality are products of a flawed system. They are part of a whole. We must engage with these issues, not as distinct but as indelibly interlinked, and solutions must be understood holistically. I’ve been following and reading Kate Raworth’s work for many years. I was excited when ‘Doughnut Economics’ finally came out. I’m even more excited to see how it is becoming widespread and appearing in very mainstream places. Now we have a model, we need to develop policy and action which delivers.

7 Support native and oppressed peoples

Internationalism is the bedrock of the Green movement. We must join up and campaign cross-nationally and invite indigenous peoples to help us steer our work. Along with my international counterparts, I will devise an educational series of media content to that highlights the plight and successes of indigenous groups around the world.

8 Minority rights

I stand against any oppression of any peoples, no matter how direct or how oblique. As someone who is neither Palestinian nor Jewish, I want to create arenas for these complications and nuances of debate to be discussed, mainly by the appropriate parties, and for consensus and understanding to come from that.

9 Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

YES. We are not living in a democracy. We must be a broken record about this. Let’s start a venture that every local party engages with its local media through campaigns and actions to draw attention to this issue. Just as we are synonymous with ‘eco’, we must become synonymous with democratic change.

10 Oppose Nuclear Power

Oppose, oppose, oppose. I understand the attraction from some quarters in NP being a ‘lesser of two evils’ and a transition energy when compared with carbon emissions reductions. However, we cannot substitute one waste, for another. We still have no way of making this waste safe. What legacy is that to bequeath our children?? Renewable energy is the only energy we need. Harnessing it will sustain us and nurture us into a safer, sustainable, brighter future. We need to go hell for leather into renewables.

Erwin Schaefer and Alex Horn (Joint Candidates)

1. Campaign Party vs Elections?

A party looking for parliamentary influence needs electoral success; you achieve that by getting voters excited about the campaigns platform you offer. The history of Green Parties in Europe indicates that they came out of progressive campaigns movements; we certainly should not have any fear of contact working with like-minded groups. To achieve acceptance is to be seen standing up for urgent complexities like climate change and social degradation. AH: I don’t believe we should be fighting the whole of capitalism. I believe in a mixed economy where both the public and private sector co-exist. Yes renationalise the railways and most of the utilities but not the entire economy. Parts of the private sector are part of the solution

2. Accountable party?

An additional level of talking-shop structure like delegate conferences is unlikely to increase local involvement beyond those members already engaged. Local campaigns and national campaigns on a local level should have the appropriate logistical support from their regions if not already in place, with consistent assistance, feedback and encouragement. One question to ask: Why are many members disinclined to get involved on local levels? Is it a perception of relevance? AH: I believe total devolution is not the answer. An organisation needs leaders and a head. The Green Party need to be bold and grab votes from the left, middle and right. People should be attracted to our politics because of the power of our argument. Delegated conferences is a good idea

3. Working class communities?

As most Green Parties have evolved out of articulately-led movements it has inevitably been claimed they don't represent all people struggling in their everyday lives. Plus, there has been a regrettable shift by some communities towards the easy ideas of populist parties.
We need to find a way to highlight the damage being done by changing environments and policies designed to benefit the rich. I don't have a quick one-line solution but a solution we must find. AH: Everyone should be onboard when it comes to fighting climate change and for social justice. We need to focus on attracting more working-class votes however I believe we can also grab votes from the centre and centre right. The Green Party should be inclusive and a broad church.

4. Austerity and public service cuts

I agree that the Green Party needs to find a way to refocus on these issues and highlight the dire consequences more consistently. Opposing service cuts and austerity should be seen as a vote winner, if that is of any importance in an electoral context, not just being empathetically obvious. AH: Not entirely, though I believe we need to be better organised, focused and professional. We have a lot to learn from our sister parties abroad for example in Sweden, Ireland, Germany and France.

5. Movement for Green Jobs

I look forward to learning more and cooperating with the mentioned groups in the context of Just Transition and the move to create green jobs. I feel we need to forcefully re-claim the Green New Deal as it envisages a part of our vision. AH: I am open to cooperation and hear to listen, learn and act. Definitely a huge number of jobs could be created if a national insulation programme was adopted. Yes, I support a Just Transition.

6. Eco-socialist?

I have a profoundly deep connection to the Earth as a self-regulating living entity. It is my fundamental view that every human being is entitled to a dignified level of income for self-realisation, including the concept of a Universal Income; I believe that public utilities and infrastructure should be under the control of public rather than private companies. Climate change is forcing us, as human community, to find ways to stop the prevailing economic mechanisms from inflicting any more suffering and an environmental party must be able to work out solutions; I am up for playing my part. AH:  No, I am not. I believe in a mixed economy. Definitely re-nationalise the railways, NHS and most of the utilities but not the entire economy. I believe the private sector also have a part to play in the solutions of today and tomorrow. Cooperation and understanding is needed all round.

7. Native people

Internationalism is too fragmented in the green movement; I favour a strong, consistent and supportive global format, or platform, to ensure oppressed people have not only a voice but can receive support from Green Parties in 'privileged countries' such as, in this context, the UK. Listen attentively, learn with empathy, support with focus. AH:   Yes definitely, together with Erwin Schaefer, we speak 4 languages – this will allow us to engage more deeply with our sister parties abroad and allow for a healthy exchange of ideas. Internationalism is at the core of what I am and what I am about. I am a Treasure of Greens of Colour and if elected would seek to set up a European Greens of Colour.

8. Minority rights

I am totally opposed to the oppression of minorities, this is just a clear empathetic view. I am also opposed to anti-semitism. But where a state becomes an oppressor, that needs to be highlighted. I don't feel there are easy answers readily available for the contemporary Middle East context but also feel sensitised through my German background. AH: Yes, however I have not read the ‘IHRA definition of anti-Semitism’ so cannot comment.

9. Campaigning for PR

Absolutely, I am totally in support, this must be one of the priorities for the Green Party. If we wish to convince other parties along the progressive spectrum, we may need to be willing to be pragmatic in approach and policy adjustments. The move for change may have to start at local election level before national implementation. Another highly complex scenario. AH: Yes PR is a major priority however we have to work with the current system now. We need to seek ways of using the fact that we are a small party to our advantage by thinking outside the box. We need to broaden our appeal if we want to get elected. This does not necessarily involve policy change, but rather the way in which we present ourselves. We need to move beyond preaching to the converted.

10. Opposition to Nuclear Power

I've been on my first 'Nuclear, No Thanks' march in the early 1970s and have seen no reason to change my views since. A mindset that consciously tolerates the potential risks despite several high-profile incidents and is willing to leave a legacy of lethal toxicity far into the future is, for me, unfathomable. AH: Long-term we should be using 100% renewables to generate electricity. How we transition to 100% renewables is another thing. This means long term all nuclear power plants should be shut down. Germany have shut down all its nuclear facilities. As a consequence of this Germany is now burning much more coal. So we need to be careful with how we transition away from nuclear power. 

Alice Hubbard and Sam Murray

 

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

Campaigning is integral to who we are. The Green Party cannot be effective or relevant without being embedded in, and working alongside, social movements, campaigners and civil society working for change. We must honor the leadership role that young activists and campaigners have taken up and stand alongside them, and we must defend those who have no voice. Part of a transformational agenda is transforming our Party and the way it works. As a political party we must also have electoral strategies - despite being scuppered by FPTP at a national level and we must remember Wales! - see Q9. 

2. An accountable Party?

There is a need for democratic, transparent (and improved) governance to enable effective campaigning (and the settlements we reach out of the constitutional flux are important to this). Devolution of resources is essential to empower and support local party campaigns, we see this with Greens in countries like Germany and Sweden done to great effect. Overall, we support policy discussions at the local level and bottom up participation over delegate conferences, but we also need to make conferences more accessible. As candidates, we have specific pledges that seek to open up and democratise international work to work better for members. 

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

We must stand with working class communities and ensure that activism at a local level is inclusive, listens to people, and allows them to speak up and lead. There are hundreds of examples of greens standing alongside, and working with, local communities - not least through the Green Left. We must collaborate with other socialists (including internationally) on common concerns and with trade unions. We must consistently show how climate justice, social justice and poverty are intertwined - we can learn from other countries on this e.g. NZ Greens and their Poverty Action Plan. 

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts? 

Yes, we agree.

There has not been enough focus on austerity and we need a better realisation (at local, national and global levels) that the big issues of climate justice are integrally linked to these questions. 

One of the particular contributions of green activists is that basic (universal) services for people’s wellbeing can also be delivered in different and creative ways - not always via top-down, ‘one size fits all’ solutions - that do not necessarily work best for diverse communities (and for climate and social justice). Again we can draw upon international examples here e.g. citizen platforms running Barcelona, and these are sources of inspiration and learning. 

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

Internationally we have connected with Just Transition movements in different international groups and worked with (for example) the FYEG just transition group and through European Green Party councils working with other delegates on policy to push for measures such as a Green New Deal in Europe. Sam is currently on the TUC young workers forum representing the Musicians Union, a forum through which he raises sustainability and just transition on a regular basis. We need to support workers in their push for their employers to make socially and environmentally useful products. We have seen many positive examples of this throughout the COVID-19 crisis. 

6. Are you an eco-socialist? 

We are proud ecosocialists (in the tradition of politicians such as Chloe Swarbrick, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Terry Reintke and activists such as Berta Cáceres and Benny Wenda - who we have worked with directly). Ecosocialism for us recognises that system change is necessary to fight climate change. We also support Elinor Ostrom’s principles for managing commons, and believe access to commons vital to a just society. Alice has first hand experience working with indigenous communities on exactly these issues e.g. multinational mining corporations and land rights, poverty and environmental degradation. Sam has worked with FYEG delivering training on social, digital and environmental commons and campaigned for the rights of gig workers through his work in the musicians union. 

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

We have decided to run for the role of international coordinator to do something radically different. We want to make the case for why international work is important to everything we do as a party. 

We are committed to highlighting and supporting the work of indigenous groups confronting political oppression. In our international work and during our campaign, we have supported the Kurds, indigenous peoples of West Papua, Roma people, Hong Kongers among others. Alice has also worked with indigenous activists in central America, and more recently, Roma organisations in Eastern Europe. 

We want to open up and democratise international work and we have specific pledges on connecting members and local groups with the international work we do - this can support campaigning. It is really important that in the International Coordinator role we also influence at a strategic level to generate more solidarity for indigenous and oppressed groups and with international campaigns for liberation. 

8.Minority rights

Yes, we oppose the colonialist oppression of all minorities, specifically, the oppression of Kashmiris, Uighurs, Tibetans, Palestinians, and support measures and actions to stand alongside their struggle and fight subjugation. We must do all we can to challenge colonial oppression and to decolonise our institutions and curriculum supporting campaigns calling for such change. As International Coordinators, it would be our job to represent Party policy and we need to ensure a careful and considered debate as a Party regarding whether or not we adopt the IHRA definition. It is vital that all groups facing oppression are able to articulate their experience of it. 

In our work, we are inspired by young GPEW activist Arran Rangi to look into the colonial impact of climate change and we are following up on this work as part of our International Committee agenda - watch this space. 

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

Yes, democracy and fair electoral systems are a priority - democracy is under attack.

Internationally we are hugely respected across Europe and should do as much as we can to benefit from the ‘Green Wave’ in Europe. In 2021 we will participate in a PR election in Wales; the Senedd is the only parliament in the UK we are yet to have a seat on so it is crucial we invest resources/energy here. We also have a good chance to get four more AMs in the London Assembly. We should remember there are countries e.g. Canada who have had some recent success under FPTP, and we can and should learn from them. 

FPTP is the main reason we are behind in terms of electoral success. PR at the national level would be transformational. However we should also consider stepping up campaigning to adopt PR at local level in England as a stepping stone (and that would also be transformational). This would build on the work of many locally based and community campaigns. We also need to see our PR campaigning as part of a commitment to full democratic renewal and justice so that we will fully benefit from PR when it comes. 

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

Yes, we support the abandonment of nuclear projects at Hinkley Point and Sizewell C.

We are both against the use of nuclear power/plants. It is vital we learn the lessons from what happened at Fukushima and take actions similar to that of Germany in closing down nuclear plants in the UK and ensuring we invest heavily in viable renewable options. We need to be investing in structures like the proposed Swansea tidal lagoon. We can learn from our sister parties across the world how they have managed to achieve such action, looking at legislation they have passed in government and also campaigns to remove nuclear power. 

Claudine Letsae 

 

Questions to GPEx Candidates 

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections? 

I think we can focus on both. It is important, as a smaller party, to use campaigns to change the general trajectory of political discourse when not holding public office. However, we also have to have a strategy to win elections by focussing away from our current ‘Target to Win’ mantra, which ignores the majority of BAME and working class in wards. 

2. An accountable Party?  

I think a delegate conference would move to ensure our policies are evidence based and have the support of the majority of the party membership. Women and those with caring needs and responsibilities, lower income groups, and those with disabilities, have no access to conferences. Hence, they are shut out from the decision making process as a live conference is currently the only mechanism to ratify policy decisions. We need democratised conference solutions that would include digital solutions. 

3. A party that understands working-class communities? 

We can actively champion the social justice credentials of the party and demonstrate we are not just for the urban middle classes by being more diverse in our party structures. Sadly, that is currently not the case, and we have a lot of work to do to make other groups feel we represent their interests. 

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts 

I have been an activist in my local area and across London. I feel strongly that we need to keep the Tories’ ‘feet to the fire’ by ensuring we provide proper scrutiny of all the policies of austerity. We must boldly champion our solutions and protection of the NHS, and Social Care in particular, given the current threats with the Covid Act, the impact is enormous on minorities and those services that have been badly impacted by austerity. We have a bigger task now as labour has abandoned its opposition role. 

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

As I have been on GPEX as Equality & Diversity coordinator , I have often been the part of the small voices that championed the XR and other Climate campaigns. All parts of the party are not functioning coherently, thus we have too many missed opportunities to push for the right campaigns that would have greater impacts on people’s livelihood. I am an active member of my union . These campaigns are well and good but we are not championing as a party , which is a shame. We need to build on grassroots campaigns from the local level and provide support from the party machine, include a focus on workers , which these campaigns seek to do. I fully support a ‘just transition ‘. 

6. Are you an eco-socialist? 

I am a human rights campaigner. I see the economic, social and cultural rights (ECHR) that need to be adopted by countries as a priority to bring about equality and end human suffering. I am for ecological restoration and protection from human degradation and want the full enforcement of the United Nations Business Human Rights Principles and the adoption of Ecocide at an international level. You cannot have ecological protection without considering social justice, these go hand in hand. 

7. Support native and oppressed peoples 

As I am standing for the International Coordinator role, it is my wish to see us focus more on the work that is more based on the international outlook of the party instead of just focusing on the EU. There seemed to have been too much navel-gazing and ignoring our function as an Internationalist party. There is more opportunity to recognise the diaspora from Africa, Asia, and America with the UK, and use the opportunity to broaden our appeal. We actively need to do more outreach work with Greens in those countries outside Europe, and influence policies that impact developing countries and protect the indigenous across the globe. 

8.Minority rights 

I have been involved in Human Rights for the best part of my working life and belong to groups that protect the rights of minorities. I actively support the cause of Palestinians, from a legal perspective and as someone that was born under apartheid​. I do not support the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism as it is a flawed definition, from a human rights perspective. I support emancipation and rights of the Palestinian people to determine how they seek their freedom as was the case from the SA perspective.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority 

I think it is flawed to campaign as a party to change another Party's perspective on electoral reform. We need to actively campaign for PR and start winning seats in Labour, Tory and LB areas/seats (at local level) and PR would be an option that will be brought to the table as they see us as a force they need to be fearing. There is currently no incentive from the other two parties to support PR as it does not benefit them. 

10. Oppose Nuclear Power 

I oppose nuclear power and see it as a danger to the ecosystem. However, I wish we could focus on how we move swiftly from nuclear to renewables, as current evidence is that it is not possible to maintain current demand without using other non renewable sources. We need to reduce our consumption across the board and have local grids so that we could move swiftly to shutting down nuclear and other extractive methods of producing energy. Therefore, I oppose all new nuclear power stations and would like to see that money spent on creating local grids and renewable energy sources that are more localised and more effort on free energy sources researches.