GPEx Publications 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?

Danny Keeling

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

Campaigning is important to ensure we win in elections; this needs to happen in our local communities all year round to ensure when elections come around, we are able to fight for our causes and seats. I do not believe there should be focus on one and not the other but I do believe when we are in election time, we must focus resources to those constituencies/wards we do best in, even if that means mass movement of people to those areas to push for the Green vote.

2. An accountable Party?

We are an accountable party, we have so many levels of internal democracy that we end up we focussing more on internal politics than we do on the doorstep. Why don’t we allow liberation groups and affiliated groups such as Greens of Colour, LGBTIAQ+ and the Young Greens (to name only a few) and have them elected to GPEX to ensure a variety of views from elected individuals are heard and those groups views are represented.

Policy should be discussed in local parties and it should be the job of the Chair to facilitate this in their agendas however we should not bog down new members with internal politics, so it should be up to local members to propose this in meeting agendas.

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

We need to ensure we are reaching out to all community groups and push other policies than just our Eco ones to ensure people know we can be trusted to look after other departments other than just the Environment.

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts

I believe our local councillors, our MP and our Baronesses up and down the country have been fighting for local services and so has our leadership team in the media. Voters know we are against cuts and we are about investment and this should continue.

Local parties could however ensure they deliver Green News though people’s doors more often to bring these matters to their local communities and build a stronger Green following.

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

I think it is excellent the bills that are brought to floor with cross-party work in councils and in Parliament. Views on these are brought to our own Conference floor when policy is discussed and if these groups wish to cooperate then they should. I do not believe it is GPEX job to facilitate these talks or that would be too much involvement from the executive and these groups would lose their independence and opinions of the group's priorities.

6. Are you an eco-socialist?

Let’s not use this term on the doorstep, people want to hear policy in plain terms not what where we sit on a political compass - I’m sure Brenda from Bristol doesn’t understand what an Eco-Socialist is.

In the last General Election, I stood on the manifesto “If not now, when?” I believe in a social and economic change that ensures the protection and improvement of our environmental standards with the support and economic benefits to people’s livelihoods.

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

We need to be supporting international campaigns and ensure our members and voters know what we stand but this needs also to be brought back to a UK level for example the rights of those in immigration centres and opposing gay conversion therapy as what happens at home hits home further to our voters.

I do however believe we should be backing the international Black Lives Matter campaign, protection for the Uighurs in China being sent to camps, protection for LGBTQIA+ in Russia specifically the torture and imprisonment in Chechnya and fighting the 30 “declared LGBT zones” in Poland.

8.Minority rights

As stated in the previous answer I stand up for minorities in oppressed countries. No-one's life is worth more than anyone else's and I shall continue to protect the rights of those at home in the UK and internationally.

There is no place in The Green Party for misogynists, those who are against the rights of LGBTQIA+ including transphobes, racists, classists and anti-semites. We should be taking strict and fast disciplinary procedure with those who are, and suspension or removal from the party should be the end result if proven guilty of such abuse.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority?

The work done with such organisations such as Make Votes Matter and others is really important if we are to get more Green MP’s. The only way we are going to make any success with this is if we work cross party and most importantly getting the Labour Party on board. I think alone as a party this will never happen so it is important to work with current opposition parties as well as Conservative’s that are pro-proportional representation as the only way forward here as well as informing the public why we want this change.

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

I am against nuclear as a power source and always have been for many reasons but mainly because of the amount of nuclear waste that is dumped in areas of the UK and for the fact we have brilliant alternatives that we should be focussing on.

I would be happy to support such a motion as long as alternatives were put in the motion otherwise, we are just the party opposing things and not coming up with solutions. I would support community lead energy production, further expansion in our renewable energy storage, building wind power on the UK coastline and supporting the Tidal Lagoon in Swansea bay and I am open to other debates on energy too.

Julia Lagoutte 

 

1.A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

My mind isn’t made up on this. I think we should have some campaigns - on topics that others aren’t talking about, and we should the best support GP liberation group campaigns. But our priority is getting elected and changing the narrative which is what we do every time Greens are on that ballot paper, in that newspaper, on that political programme, in hustings, influential on social media. Open to other viewpoints. 

2. An accountable Party?

I think so. I don’t know enough about all the options and want to learn more but we certainly need to make policy-making more democratic and accessible so it’s not just a tiny proportion of members who decide our policies. Regional delegations and electronic voting are some ideas and I’d support change in that direction. Transparency and accountability are important and need to be balanced with efficiency and confidentiality. 

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

Our debates and focuses often seem (and sometimes are) out of touch with the average person and many people’s daily struggle for survival, especially after austerity, Brexit and covid-19. Our messaging needs to tap into people’s survival framework. We need more working-class people in, and leading, our movement. Our meetings/culture can be inaccessible and elitist. The solutions: awareness; proactive outreach/opportunities for working-class young people; tackling elitism.

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts

Of course! Privatisation is a drain on public resources, leads to more unaccountable, expensive, and unreliable services. Water, energy, transport, health services - these are rights, not opportunities for profit-making. We need to own services collectively so they are run for the public good, as commons. That means state-owned but also we need support for cooperatives and municipalism - like in much of Europe. 

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

A just transition is key to transitioning to a greener economy. My work for Molly Scott Cato MEP involved me organising a Green New Deal for the South West materials and speaking tour - trade unions were a key part. Workers often understand the need for a just transition more than politicians do - they need to be informed and involved in any transition, or it won’t work and will alienate people. 

6. Are you an eco-socialist?

Yes. The economic and political system which destroys nature and exploits people is patriarchal, neoliberal and colonial. These struggles are intimately linked : we need to understand this to build an effective counter-movement. We need more democracy and a redistribution of power and resources. I don’t want to get too attached to labels - but I am an ecosocialist, which for me must include a feminist, postcolonial and deep democracy perspective. 

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

I agree - Green politics is intrinsically internationalist. The fight of indigenous people anywhere - from Honduras to West Papua - is our fight. We must support them and oppose neoimperialism. The publications role under me would cover, interview, collaborate with our sister parties and movements around the world. As former editorial assistant at the Green European Journal and through the Big Green Politics Podcast, I have links to build on. 

8.Minority rights

We must resist the oppression of minorities within states, eg the Kashmiris and the Uighurs, and apply international pressure. I support efforts to Boycott, Disinvest and Sanction organisations that look to benefit from the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories. I share concerns that part of the IHRA definition could stifle criticism of Israel but we need a deeper debate about what antisemitism constitutes and I’m deeply concerned about its rise.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

Absolutely. I believe in collaborative politics, but PR becomes more distant a possibility when we stand down without reciprocal deals. Labour will support PR only when it has to - the sooner it does, the sooner we get a progressive coalition. Our role is to be bold, unapologetic in our right to be a political party and champion a different vision, and show Labour that it must take steps towards PR. 

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

Yes absolutely.  I am completely opposed to nuclear power. 



Jack Lenox 

 

1. A Campaigning Party vs Elections?

I'm a keen supporter of our Target To Win strategy for local elections. Last year saw our best ever result in local elections, more than doubling our number of councillors. We also more than doubled our representation in the European Parliament. I don't believe we're paying lip service to anyone. Our 2019 manifesto made it very clear that we have no time left to waste.

2. An accountable Party?

I think the holistic review was somewhat rushed and I wish we had taken more time to consider how the party ought to evolve. The global pandemic has forced us to embrace remote conferencing methods and I am very keen to see some of the barriers to attending Conference removed and for more members to be able to engage with our policymaking.

3. A party that understands working-class communities?

I think some of these accusations are baseless and emanate from certain hypocritical factions within the Labour Party. I've had personal experience of this with Momentum activists. We have a proven track record of attracting support from working people where we have elected councillors and we campaign on issues that matter. I believe the most effective way for us to attract more diverse support is to get more Green councillors elected, and to bring Green solutions to the problems that everyday people face in their lives.

4. Austerity and reversing public service cuts

No. From my first-hand observations, I believe that where they exist, Green councillors are the most effective elected representatives in this country when it comes to tackling all of the issues you have outlined. Our Green MEPs were the most effective politicians the UK sent to the European Parliament. Caroline Lucas is by far and away the most effective MP in the House of Commons. A Green in the room has a disproportionately positive impact on proceedings.

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

I'm familiar with all of these initiatives and campaigns. As a PPC in a region that is heavily dependent on the nuclear industry, I have used the One Million Climate Jobs and the New Lucas Plan in my campaigning locally. I think ensuring that all parts of the Green Party engage with these groups is primarily a matter of awareness. These groups and projects provide answers to questions that the Green Party isn't always able to answer on its own. And yes, I understand and support a Just Transition. I was very pleased to see an emphasis on this in the Green New Deal for the North West report that Gina Dowding commissioned during her time as MEP for the region.

6. Are you an eco-socialist?

I don't believe in adherence to a single ideology and I agree with Kate Raworth's assertion that the traditional labels carry a lot of unhelpful baggage. I also have first-hand experience of labels like ecosocialist being largely meaningless on the doorstep and would therefore be opposed to styling myself as such. I like the motion that was passed by the Green Party in the US in 2016 in favour of rejecting both capitalism and state socialism, and instead supporting an "alternative economic system based on ecology and decentralisation of power". Having said that, I consider myself a student of ecosocialism and recently enjoyed Alan Thornett's Facing the Apocalypse: Arguments for Ecosocialism. I have few areas of disagreement with ecosocialists, but I don't believe the ideology alone solves all our problems.

7. Support native and oppressed peoples

The first Green Party Conference I attended was the one held alongside the Global Greens Conference in Liverpool in 2017. I was actually quite moved to realise how internationalist Green culture was. This isn't to say there isn't room for improvement and I think we could do a better job of promoting delegate opportunities with both the European Greens and the Global Greens, and providing opportunities for delegates to report back to the membership, for example through Green World. I personally take a keen interest in the work of Green parties around the globe and am very proud of the work that has been done by our international coordinators in recent years.

8.Minority rights

Of course I oppose oppression of all minorities and I stand in solidarity with anyone who faces discrimination. I don't believe that boycotts are an effective form of foreign policy. In light of the recent human rights violations in China, Poland, the USA, Hungary and Russia to name a few, to focus only on the BDS movement is to hold Israel to a higher standard than other nations. I do not believe it is fair to lay blame for the actions of the Israeli state at the doors of ordinary Israelis and Israeli businesses, though I do see merit in the boycotting of goods from illegal settlements. I don't believe it's the place of non-Jewish Greens to tell Jewish Greens what is and is not antisemitic. I'm pleased that adoption of the IHRA definition is now with Jewish Greens and am looking forward to seeing what comes to Conference.

9. Making campaigning for PR a Green Party priority

Labour's inability to support electoral reform has been one of the most maddening and recurrent issues in my life in politics so far. We know that more than three quarters of Labour members already support electoral reform. I think we need to provide as much support as we possibly can to the Make Votes Matter campaign which has been working cross-party to build support for electoral reform since 2015. I feel that electoral reform has been, and should continue to be, a top priority for the Green Party.

10. Oppose Nuclear Power

As someone who has twice stood as a PPC in one of the constituencies where a new nuclear power station has been due to be built, I'm very familiar with the arguments against nuclear power, and I will support this motion. Due to underinvestment in renewables over the past ten years, I don't believe we are currently in a position to close all our existing nuclear power stations. I believe that a move to close our existing power stations would need to be accompanied with a strategy to replace the energy they produce with clea

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