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How Greens could win the balance of power in London Sian Berry, London Mayoral Candidate

At London Green Party we are planning our most ambitious mayoral campaign yet. Last time Jenny Jones came third with 4.5 percent. We hope that next May, with our hugely increased activist base, we can achieve a record vote and win more London Assembly members to hold the balance of power again.

London needs the Greens more than ever. Over a million people in working households are living in poverty because of spiralling rent. Social housing is being sold off so speculators can build apartments for the wealthy. Two-thirds of these are sold to investors, and ordinary Londoners lose out as the city becomes a playground for the rich.

With thousands of Green activists pulling together, I’m confident I can build on Jenny’s vote. I hope Caroline Russell and I can retain the two seats on the London Assembly that Jenny and Darren Johnson (who are both stepping down) have held since 2000, and that we can elect even more Greens. With three or even four of us, Greens could hold the balance of power, able to block the Mayor’s budget and negotiate real change.

But we’re fighting well-funded opponents – among them a billionaire and a Labour candidate backed by big property developers. Please give whatever you can spare to our Crowdfunder – with our new target of £15,000 – to help level the playing field. Get in contact with the campaign team at london@greenparty.org.uk

CONTENTS

2 Elections - Sian Berry

3 News - Calais jungle

4 News - Caroline Lucas

4 News - Jenny Jones

5 News - Natalie Bennett

7 Introducing... the Green Party Executive

9 News - Molly Scott Cato MEP

9 News - Keith Taylor MEP

10 News - Conference

10 White Crane Draw

11 Liberation - LGBTIQ Greens

11 Liberation - Young Green elections

12 Liberation - Young Greens national conventional

13 Campaigns - Human Rights Act

14 Campaigns - Love Leith Hill

14 News from Eastern Region

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 2

Send your comments, contributions, ideas and enquiries to: internalcommunications@greenparty.org.uk

Editor Clifford Fleming

Original Design Roana Mahmud

National Website www.greenparty.org.uk

Members Website https://my.greenparty.org.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Twitter YouTube

Lives can – and must – be saved at the JungleJenny Jones and Natalie Bennett

At the end of this summer, there were 3,000 desperate people at the Jungle refugee camp, on the edge of Calais. Today, there are 6,000. This does not mean that the humanitarian crisis on the edge of the English Channel is twice as bad as it was in August. It is even worse than that. Because winter is coming, which will add freezing temperatures to the disease, injuries, rodent infestation and water, food and medicine shortages, and which will threaten thousands of lives. It means that thousands of people, living in flimsy one- and

two-person tents may die, despite the camp being between the fifth- and sixth-richest states on Earth.

We visited the Jungle on Friday 30th October. In the morning, we were joined by leading members of the French Green Party, including the party’s National Secretary Emmanuelle Cosse, MEP Karima Delli, and its Calais candidate Sandrine Rousseau. We spent the rest of the day visiting and speaking to people at the camp, finding out more about their lives and experiences, and the challenges facing them at Calais.

It was shocking. We met men, women and children from all over the world effectively held in a ‘holding pattern’, unable to even apply to enter the UK, let alone gain permission to enter legally. Despite the best efforts of volunteers, who work extremely

hard almost without support, there are shortages of food, no proper hygiene facilities, and no shelter capable of withstanding a European winter. It is a disaster waiting to happen.

Francois-Marie Guennoc, whose organisation L’Auberge Des Migrants has been working in Calais for seven years, told us: ‘People here need the chance to live somewhere secure. They want to work, to provide for their families. They need the chance to do so.’ The human effort we saw at the Jungle was inspiring. But the humanitarian crisis there shames us all.

The 6,000 people at the Jungle need and deserve the British and French governments to finally work to save and improve lives here in Calais. We must not stop until they do.

NEWS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 3

CAROLINE LUCAS MPMy work in Parliament

It’s been an extremely busy few months in Parliament – with the Government attempting to push through a number of pieces of law. Here’s a small selection of the work my team and I have been doing.

The Trade Union Bill

Unsurprisingly I’ve been focussing on opposing the Government’s legislative agenda. The Trade Union Bill – which is coming back in the House of Commons next week – is pernicious piece of legislation that would harm workers’ rights, criminalise strike action and harm our economy. I spoke against the Bill in Parliament, met constituents who are campaigning against it

and I have promised to do all I can (including peaceful direct action) to challenge this dreadful piece of legislation.

Energy and the Environment

From the spiralling costs and risks at Hinkley, to the short-sighted slashing of solar subsidies, this Government’s record on energy and the environment is truly awful. I’ve been exposing the colossal handouts given to dirty energy projects, campaigning against decisions which put our renewables industries at risk and putting pressure on ministers to re-think their outrageous plans to frack under our national parks. I’ve also been continuing my campaign to divest the MPs pension fund from fossil fuels.

NEWS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 4

Tax credits cut and the potential for the Lords

Jenny Jones, Green Peer in House of Lords

On Monday (26th October) the House of Lords voted

on the government’s unthinking, uncaring, economically illiterate cuts to tax credits. As a constant critic of the Lords, for its archaic, arcane and often plain incomprehensible ways, I was, for almost the first time, proud of the House of Lords.

Both Houses of Parliament exist to serve the people of the UK. But on this occasion, it was unelected peers, rather than MPs, who stood up for people whose work helps the country operate and succeed.

The UK’s leading independent economic analysis service, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, tells us that the tax credit cuts would have left 3.3m families £1,300 per year worse off. So this policy would not have made work pay. For millions, it would have made work pay less. People would have lost out because of this policy. People who are in work, who the government claims it supports, while chanting ‘making work pay’.

And stopping the cuts was perfectly legal. These cuts were not in the Tories’ General Election manifesto, and David Cameron and Michael Gove specifically stated before

the Election that they would not happen. Far from being ‘undemocratic’, the Lords’ decision to delay the policy for three years and demand consultation – which I voted for – has prevented the imposition of a policy no-one voted for, no-one wanted, and which would have forced millions of people closer to poverty.

The Lords’ job is to protect people in this country from government recklessness. It has many faults. But this time, it safeguarded the people of the UK from bad policy.

This was a reminder of the job it could do more often, if fairly and democratically elected through proportional representation.

NATALIE BENNETTIn recent months I’ve visited many local parties and Young Green groups. It’s exciting to say how the “green surge” advances are being consolidated and developed around the country, with new campaigns, new target wards, and a hugely strengthened presence in many universities.

And I spoke at exciting anti-austerity events in Manchester around the Tory Party conference, both the rally at the end of giant march, and the CWU’s People’s Post event at Manchester Cathedral, with more than 1,000 people packed into the historic structure, and 7,000 outside. Other big public events included a huge anti-TTIP rally in Conway Hall, London, and a rally against the Trade Union Bill on Parliament Square – an issue

that’s going to be big in the coming days.

Travels have taken me from Aberystwyth to Stroud, Tameside to Cheltenham. (And I’ve quite often got more passionate about bringing the railways back into public hands.)

Speaking at the Young Greens annual convention, with excellent coverage in the Independent, was the culmination of lots of local group visits. I was particularly impressed by the Newcastle Young Greens – working effectively across the city’s two universities, and had a great turnout in freshers’ week (when competition for attention is tough) at the University of Birmingham.

Also great to see was a huge turnout at Hereford Sixth Form college – 350 students crammed into a hall meant for about 200, and I’m told almost the same number were turned away due to lack of space.

In the more “miscellaneous” category, I was delighted to attend the Women of the Year award lunch, hearing some great campaign stories, and went to the German embassy for an event celebrating the anniversary of German reunification, a reminder that even apparently intractable global problems can be solved.

NEWS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 5

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...THE GREEN PARTY EXECUTIVE

Natalie Bennett, Leader

My chief roles are to represent the Party, particularly through the media and public

events, and to support local parties. I spend a lot of time on trains! If you’d like a visit - perhaps for a climate change or electoral reform meeting, and to support candidates, or help get a new party going - email leader@greenparty.org.uk

Shahrar Ali, Deputy Leader

I help to raise the profile of our party and political message during and outside of election

campaigns by speaking regularly on public platforms and in the media. I engage regularly with the membership, at party meetings and AGMs. I serve on GPEx, and contribute to strategic and political decision-making alongside my colleagues.

Amelia Womack, Deputy Leader

I’m the youngest leader of any political party. As well as working to become one of

the first Welsh Assembly members, I will be continuing my work in supporting local parties, Young Green groups and campaigning organisations. I set up the Green campaign to stay in Europe and will be building our presence towards the referendum.

Pippa Bartolotti, Wales Green Party Leader

As leader of Wales Green party since 2011, I automatically receive a position on GPEx, and

I am the sole voice representing the country of Wales. My management and directorial background allows me experienced insight into financial, and strategic matters, which provides executive input into the running of the England and Wales Green Party.

Hannah Clare and Sophie van der Ham, Young Greens Co-Chairs

We’re Hannah and Sophie and we’re your new Young Greens Co-Chairs, representing the Young Greens on GPEx. Young Greens are a third of the Green Party membership and we ensure that their voices are heard at the top

level of Party decision-making.

Richard Mallender, GPEx Chair

I am entering my sixth year as Chair of GPEx. I have been an elected councillor

for twelve years, serving on Brighton & Hove City Council from 2003 to 2007 and Rushcliffe Borough Council since 2007. I work in local government as a transport planner specialising in rail and sustainable transport for business.

Thom French, Local Party Support Coordinator

I’m currently looking into the support we offer our local parties,

both regionally and nationally. We’ve got some great plans in terms of training and canvassing coming soon and I’m excited at the potential of local parties as we build towards 2020.

Judy Maciejowska, Elections Coordinator

I work with regional and local parties to devise and implement elections strategies. I

convene the Elections Committee, which is a committee of regional Elections Coordinators and elections staff, including the National Elections Agent and regional development staff. I am also responsible for key general elections tools, like the manifesto and the national freepost leaflet.

INTRODUCING...

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 7

Manishta Sunnia and Charlene Concepcion, Equality and Diversity Coordinator

We want to ensure that equality and diversity is

embedded in everything that the Party does. Throughout the next two years we will:

• develop and implement an E&D strategy

• support self-organised groups e.g. Disability Group & Green Party Women

• ensure local and regional support diversify our national and international voice

Sam Riches and Samantha Pancheri, Policy Development Coordinator

We are currently leading work to reform our policy process, including increasing the role of Policy Working Groups and putting greater emphasis on appropriate consultation, so that

we can improve the quality of policy motions which come to conference and ultimately form part of Policies for a Sustainable Society.

Derek Wall, International Coordinator

I am the Green Party of England and Wales’ International

Coordinator, priorities including working with the Global Greens and European Green Party,

linking with green social movements around the global and solidarity across the planet with an emphasis on Palestine and the Kurds at present.

Matt Hawkins, Clare Phipps and Penny Kemp, External Communications Coordinator

External Communications are responsible for overseeing the Party’s press and communications strategy. That involves working with our press team on our messaging strategy, supporting campaigns with their media work, helping to brief spokespeople, liaising with news outlets, and advising on

the Party’s approach to media issues.

Clifford Fleming, Internal Communications Coordinator

My role as Internal Communications

Coordinator is to ensure that our messaging to you as members is the best it can be. I’m going to be reviewing the members’ website and looking at more effective internal emails, as well as re-focusing Green Activist on updates and actions.

Dee Searle, Publications Coordinator

I am co-chair of Camden Greens and was the 2015 Green Party General Election

candidate in Tottenham. I am a former journalist with the Guardian, Observer, Channel 4 Television and BBC World Service, among others. I launched Red Pepper magazine and I’ve held senior roles in Unicef, Amnesty International, Oxfam and University of the Arts London. I’m currently a freelance writer and charity organiser.

Romayne Phoenix, Trade Union Liaison

Along with the Green Party Trade Union group I am continuing to build links with trade

unions. Local parties are electing trade union liaison officers so that we can strengthen our campaigns by working together in our communities. Greens are helping to campaign against the Trade Union Reform Bill so that we protect our rights and oppose social and ecological devastation together in strength.

Howard Thorpe, Campaigns Coordinator

No submission.

Philip Igoe, Finance Coordinator

No submission.

INTRODUCING...

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 8

NEWS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 9

The legacy of Luxleaks must be full transparency

Molly Scott Cato, MEP

In the recent Strasbourg plenary session, I was delighted to have my first legislative report not only voted on in

the European Parliament, but overwhelmingly endorsed by MEPs. Less exciting perhaps, was the report itself, which sought to inform the Commission’s Tax Transparency Package

and ensure that loopholes that would result in loss of tax revenue were closed. However, by presenting a report to the Parliament, I also had the opportunity to make a five minute speech on the broader issues around tax and the scourge of corporate tax avoidance.

I told the Parliament that we are in a tax crisis. We see governments, not just of remote tropical islands, but within our very own Union agreeing bargain deals with multinational corporations. Our citizens pay the price for this, seeing their public services slashed and our SMEs losing out because they simply can’t compete with the tax arrangements that multinationals receive.”

Last November, people across Europe were horrified to find out that the Commission President had been the architect of a secret

system of sweetheart tax deals for some of the world’s most powerful corporations. The brave whistle-blower Antoine Deltour exposed the LuxLeaks scandal, which revealed that senior politicians, tax accountants and corporate bosses knew exactly what was going on in the cosy world they call tax rulings.

But as a parliamentarian I knew nothing, and those I represent knew nothing. It is for this reason that the Greens will settle for nothing less than full publication of tax information, not only for the Commission and other Member States, but for European citizens too. It is only when politicians know that their deals with corporations may become known to their electors that they will act in the interest of those electors.

Taking Back the Power: Community Energy in the South EastKeith Taylor MEP

This November, I’m launching a report which shows the potential out there for a revolution in renewables - and even better, one powered by communities - if only the Conservative Government would stop their dogged pursuit of dirty fossil fuels and start supporting clean energy. ‘Taking Back the Power: Community Energy in the South East’ showcases the way in which community energy projects across the region are supporting the transition to renewables, whilst providing a model of citizen participation in our energy system.

In the meantime, our Government is carrying out a systematic and ideological attack on renewables, whilst continuing to prop up fracking and nuclear energy through subsidies and tax breaks. Under EU law, our Government is committed to generating 15% of its total energy from renewables by 2020. In 2013, we’d managed just 5.1% - well behind most of our European neighbours, many of which are already exceeding their targets.

If the Government is serious about tackling climate change, it should be investing in renewable technologies, not cutting back.

With the upcoming U.N. climate talks in Paris, we have an enormous opportunity to put climate action at the top of the political agenda. That starts by standing up to our Government and showing them we are serious about the transition to 100%

renewables. Let’s make our voices heard!

I am working with Green Parties across the South East to spread the word about the crucial work of community energy groups and how to get involved. If you want to join the me in standing up for renewables and community energy, join the #ClimateSense campaign and get active! In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy reading about the amazing work being carried out by communities across the South East to facilitate our transition to renewables - get inspired!

Bournemouth Conference ‘We did love to be beside the seaside’Ricky Knight, Conferences Committee Convener

How fantastic to have had a marquee on the beach and how extraordinarily lucky we were to have fantastic weather, every day.

There was an amazing selection five-star panels, none better than the ‘Climate Countdown to Paris’, and 49 riveting fringes including the National Union of Teachers ‘Are the kids alright?’, the Electoral Reform Society’s ‘One million votes, one MP - what next?’ and ‘Male, pale and stale: electing more diverse MPs’ with the Women’s Equality Party’s Sandi Toksvig. Then, quite by chance, there was the traditional plethora of plenary motions to get on top of, none more so than the marathon ‘Governance Review’.

This was possibly the most we have ever done to provide ‘extra-curricular’ options

to members at Conference – and certainly performers Grace Petrie and Chris T-T were top notch on Saturday. Conferences Committee spent an inordinate amount of time trying to ensure that everything went as smoothly as possible. Thank you to those who took part in the post-conference survey feedback, we have found lots to improve on too.

Huge thanks are due to South East Dorset Green Party for investing so mightily in the beach entertainment, catering and, for once, affordable real ale! Watch this space for dates and venue for next Spring.

NEWS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 10

Place Winning number Name Prize

1st 118 A Patterson £100

2nd 068 J Clark £40

3rd 260 M Whitfield £18

4th 038 D Stedman £18

Donation to Green Party from proceeds £176

White Crane DrawOctober 2015 – final monthly draw

LGBTIQ Greens: A Green Queer FutureAimee Challenor, Chair

At Autumn conference, LGBTIQ Greens held their Annual General Meeting; a busy and warm meeting. The meeting focused on electing this year’s committee members, which led to discussions around this year’s campaigns, collaboration with other groups, and work to be done on queering the green movement.

This year’s Committee are Aimee Challenor

(Chair), Chris Atkins (Secretary), Amber Osner (Treasurer), Anna Jordan (Social Media), Adam Smith (Wales), Lee-Anne Lawrance and Ronald Stewart and Abi Brown (Internal Comms). Aimee’s election as Chair marks her becoming the first openly transgender Chair of the group.

The committee expressed their eagerness to challenge the traditional envelope of LGBT groups, maintaining a radical queer perspective in the light of recent concessions from the conservative establishment. They particularly wanted to reach out to the Trans, Asexual and Aromantic, and Intersex communities.

Recently LGBTIQ Greens have celebrated Asexual Awareness Week with a series of informative posts made by our Asexual Members being published on our website, we also will be marking Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20th.

We are currently in the process of raising much needed funds through a Crowdfunder, we’re really happy to receive donations big or small, and you can help us here.

You can get involved by contacting lgbtiq@greenparty.org.uk, or by visiting our website; this is also where you can find our latest news, a list of our campaigns, and links to our social media.

LIBERATION

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 11

Young Greens Committee ElectionsLouise Young, Young Greens NEC

This weekend, the Young Greens elected its new National Executive Committee and Senate co-chairs at the Young Greens Convention in Nottingham. After three weeks of voting, the results were announced on Sunday 1st November.

Your new National Executive Committee includes:

• Co-Chairs: Hannah Ellen Clare and Sophie van der Ham

• Non-portfolio Officers: Tom Pashby, Georgia Elander, Anna Jordan, Louise Young, Libby Brown, and Lauren Davies

• Treasurer: Tom Bolitho

• Senate Co-Chairs: Ernestas Jegorovas and Rhiannon Ennis

A little bit about us

Co-Chairs

Hannah and Sophie both have extensive experience in the Young Greens. Hannah has previously held roles with Young Greens North as Co-Convenor to representing us in the Youth Leaders Debate on television. Sophie was the Young Greens NEC equality & diversity officer for the past year and, co-chair for the women’s group and Welfare Officer at Sussex University.

They both want to work on strengthening the support structures within the Young Greens to ensure wide engagement and support with the party at all levels, improve the standard of events with broader accessibility and locations, provide wider training opportunities for Young Greens with webinars and more local sessions, and overhaul the website to make it more accessible and useful.

Non-portfolio Officers

The six new officers are all very much

looking forward to moving the Young Greens forward over the next year. Tom, Georgia, Anna, Louise, Libby and Lauren are a diverse group whose ages range from 15-25. Together they want to focus on the under 18s faction of the Young Greens, improve training provision, support students in need in the fight against education cuts, poor living standards and education fees, strengthen our communication feeds, promoting and celebrating Young Green leaders and liberation groups, supporting liberation groups, improving our funding stream.

Treasurer

Tom has plenty of experience at Young Greens treasurer having already served a term in this role. He wants to broaden the financial horizons of the Young Greens, look to further our success with trust applications, utilising both UK and European/International foundations for this purpose, and proactively pursue donors.

Young Greens National ConventionHannah Clare and Sophie van der Ham, Young Greens Co-Chairs

This weekend, Young Greens gathered in Nottingham for the Young Greens’ annual Convention. Activists were addressed by Natalie Bennett, who spoke about the

damage being done to young people by the Conservative government and the need for radical change.

At the AGM, motions were passed for the Young Greens to campaign for an ‘in’ vote in the EU referendum; to reflect intersectional feminism in the Young Greens Constitution; and to make a number of important changes to the structure of the Young Greens including giving the co-chairs of the Regional Senate a

seat on the National Executive Committee.

More than twenty workshops were held over the weekend, including the Green Students Campaign launch, media training, and a hands-on introduction to Artivism in preparation for the Young Greens mobilisation for the Paris climate talks.

Over 100 Young Greens attended the event, making it the group’s biggest ever National Convention.

LIBERATION

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 12

Human Rights ActCharley Pattison, Justice Spokesperson

The law might not always be popular, but in most circumstances it is designed to protect people. The Human Rights Act is the ultimate legal protection. It affords protection to all of us, including those who are most vulnerable to attacks on their freedoms and limits being imposed on their civil liberties. These could be people suffering with mental health problems, the elderly, or trafficked people. It could be me - it could even be you. The Human Rights Act protects all of us, all of the time. It is there to ensure our government, our employers, and our courts can’t infringe the rights we have.

As a barrister I’ve seen the Human Rights Act relied upon in housing cases, criminal matters and employment law. The right to a fair trial, for example, is fundamental and, if infringed, could see innocent people being convicted of crimes they did not commit and potentially serving a custodial prison sentence. The government may not be too concerned about this, but I am.

If the Human Rights Act were to be replaced with a British Bill of Rights, as Michael Gove is planning, the vital protection it offers would be, at best, watered down, and, at worst, removed completely. The erosion of fairness and equality must stop.

I ask you as Green Party members to join me in this campaign and help to stop this contemptible corrosion of our rights. People power can protect the HRA if all of us apply pressure on MPs and government ministers. As Green Party members you must organise around this in your communities, lobby your representatives and together we will win this campaign.

THE CAMPAIGNZak Bond, National Campaigns Officer

The Human Rights Act (HRA) is under threat from the Conservative government, and we must fight to keep it - we cannot let the Tories degrade our human rights.

• The Conservative government has committed to repealing the Human Rights Act and replacing it with a British Bill of Rights (BBR).

• Long awaited, the BBR was not – in the end – introduced in the May 2015 Queen’s Speech. This was down to the huge public pressure put on MPs and government ministers in support of the HRA - a great win for people power.

• But the commitment to removing the HRA remains and the government has stated it will “bring forward proposals for a British Bill of Rights”. We need to keep up the pressure to stop this from happening.

This campaign aims to build support for human rights in communities across the UK, and to put pressure on MPs and ministers, the people who will make the decision on whether the UK will the abolish the Human Rights Act and introduce a weaker BBR.

We need Green parties across the country to be talking about and standing up for this important Act. We need you to pressure your council into passing a motion to support the HRA, so MPs know their local area supports it, and when you’ve done that to make sure everyone knows you’ve succeeded in it.

Green parties across the country must lobby their representatives to tell them to fight for our Human Rights Act. MPs and Ministers read Twitter, they feel the pressure of their post bag and public opinion, let’s pile it on to them.

The message that the Human Rights Act is for all of us – for people and communities – and

is there as means of ensuring our rights are protected from abuse, must be heard and repeated; enhanced and endorsed. MPs and Ministers need to hear our voices and be in no doubt that we do not want them to touch the Human Rights Act.

We have created a full campaign pack to guide you through his campaign in your local area, including among other things, a variety of images to share, model press releases and letters to editors to send to your local papers, a motion to move in your council and postcards to print off locally.

Find all of the resourses in the campaigns hub here.

What can I do right now?Add a twibbon to your twitter account with this tool: http://twibbon.com/support/saveourhra/

Download the Campaign Pack and start a campaign with your local party.

Lobby your MP with www.writetothem.com - tell them that our human rights must not be tampered with (download the campaign pack for more information.)

#Save OuRHRA

CAMPAIGNS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 13

Love Leith Hill not Oil Drilling: a climate sense actionChris Crook, Jacquetta Fewster and Lucy Barford (Mole Valley Green Party)

Exploratory oil drilling is planned to begin next year on Leith Hill in Surrey, a local beauty spot within both the Green Belt and Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A 35 metre drilling tower with aircraft warning lights and gas flares will be installed on the site and hundreds of HGV movements will going from Dorking to Leith Hill through the narrow, historic and beautiful Coldharbour Lane.

A long legal battle took place from 2009 with the application from Europa being refused by Surrey County Council in 2011, a decision upheld by the planning inspector in 2012. However, despite an ongoing campaign by the Leith Hill Action Group, this decision was overturned on appeal in 2013 and upheld in

2015.

Mole Valley Green Party believes this is a massive blow to the conservation of our beautiful countryside. We held a Love Leith Hill action day in October, which attracted families for face painting and picnics in the woods, art activists, and direct activists now considering their next steps in at least slowing down this disastrous plan.

If the developer finds the oil and gas they

are looking for, this could lead to a major commercial operation, causing untold damage to the environment, at a time when we should be urgently cutting back on fossil fuels and replacing them with clean, renewable energies. Mole Valley Green Party will continue to oppose this decision and keep raising the issue of the importance of keeping fossil fuels in the ground. It just isn’t Climate Sense.

CAMPAIGNS

GREEN ACTIVIST | NOVEMBER 2015 14

News from Eastern RegionJill Mills, Eastern Region Coordinator

Eastern Region held their AGM in Cambridge at the end of October. The meeting voted in a new constitution to reflect changes in the National Party organisation such as the Disciplinary Committee as well as the way views of gender have changed since our last constitution was written. A ballot was held for all regional officer posts for the first time and our new committee is raring to go!

Our first task is to plan a regional campaign strategy – we set the ball rolling with a discussion of campaign priorities at our AGM. We collated the results which can be seen on our page of the Members Website. Top of the list of our campaign priorities were transport, climate change and affordable housing.

We carried out a survey of local parties which revealed a list of training needs- top of the list was canvassing. We have already started rolling out bespoke training sessions for local parties and hope to have county training conferences next year covering all the topics raised by our members.

Oscar Gillespie, new Cambridge Councillor has campaigned for City of Sanctuary Status.

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