Whats On Offer This Election (not from the big three parties)

English Democrats
Bnp say British jobs for British people, heard that before somewhere. Their PEB has Griffin in front of a picture of Churchill, dare say he is turning in his grave.
Both claim to be the fastest growing political party, they can't both be right; I wouldn't trust either.

Both have a lot in common with Ukip, blame the immigrants.
They want to scrap inheritance tax, so appealing to the rich. Take the poorest out of paying tax, appeal to the poorest. Bit of a mixed message.

Christian Party say 'a hostile non-Christian liberal elite now dominates all the main political parties and want to destroy what is left of our Christian culture and legacy', and 'stop immigrants jumping the housing queue'; sounds a bit unchristian to me. How strange to find the Christian Party joining the lot above.

In Reading we have the Common Sense Party, another Ukip like party. 'The Common Sense Party was formed with the idea of using public opinion to formulate the polices, therefore truly representing the people of the UK.'
'At a population of 60 million the UK should be considered ‘FULL’. This is mentioned by a few of the above right wing parties.
And 'Since 2008 England is the most densely populated country in Europe.' Actually we are the third most densely populated country in Europe (the EU 15) after the Netherlands and Belgium, but why let facts get in the way of spin, oh yes, they claim to be 'politics without the bull'. 'The current open door immigration policy of the current government'; we don't have an open door immigration policy. So far just spin.

The 'leader' appears to be driving a vehicle around Reading West, causing a one person traffic jam, adding to climate emissions (he is a climate denier). A week before the General Election the website says they have no policy on Pensions, Social Services, Working and Maternity Leave, Housing, World Trade, Culture and Sport, Environment, Banking Services & Local Government.


Union veteran Bob Crow has formed a new Party Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) this election, he did much the same at the Euro Election, No2EU party.


In Reading East we have
Michael Turberville standing as an Independent in Reading East, 'I fully support and would ensure that the Reading Mainline Station Redevelopment Project and the electrification of the Great Western Railway are fully funded and Not cancelled or postponed under any circumstances. Additionally see that Cross Rail does not terminate at Maidenhead and continues to it's proper western destination of Reading.' 'Chairman of a Non-Governmental Organisation for over 10 years that Lobbied Parliament to recognise that British Women should have a legal right equal to men to pass on their Nationality to their children.'

my mother was english she was born in Lincolnshire in 1927, she met my father during the war (ww2) they got married and had 2 children in england and my oldest brother and sister have always had british nationality.
But when they went to live in the USA, my parent had 4 more children, like most war brides!
If this election was 10 year ago, I would not be eligable to stand as I was not British in the eyes of parliament.
up to 1983, nationalilty only pass through the father not the mother (if the child was born abroad)
once upon a time anyone born in britian was british, but that ended in 1983.
my parents had 4 more children when they were stateside
my mother was told that her childern could not have british nationality for her entire life!
I managed to get an amendment to a bill in parliament to end the sex discrimination.
children of british fathers are british automatically no matter where they were born in the world
but children of british mother ... were not

I guess you could think of winston churchill as his mother was american and his father was british and he was automatically british.
but if it was the other way around like me were my mother was british and my father american, I only was 'allowed' into the uk as a tourist!

in 2002 I was able to get parliament to pass a bill so that all those born between 1961 and 1983 to be recognised as british!
in 2009 I had the 1961 cut off date remove so that all British women are NOW able to pass on their nationality.

Also Jan Lloyd, who stood last time stood in Reading East in 2005 advocating a ban on abortion and got 135 votes.

There are said to be over 300 Parties here, I can't cover them all, so this was just a few, mostly of local interest.

I have written about the Green Party on most blog entries, so won't do it again here. We have some new viral videos out, see here.

A Two Horse Race? Reading East Leaflets

Thanks to the wonderful website, a straight choice, you can compare some different party leaflets.

Here Labour say its a two horse race, 'only they can beat the Tories' with a helpful picture of a horse.

Here the LD say its a twohorse race, but this time, its the LD and the Tories!


Here Labour say the LD are like the Tories (pot kettle moment)


Here the LD promise everyone a free £10,000! What happened to them telling us about savage cuts?


Clearly we are all being lied to, they cant both be right. I suspect neither of them is right, both are running negative campaigns, telling people what they want to here.

Not that I like them, but at least the Conservative leaflet doesn't tell porkies about others.


Last but not least, here is the Green Party leaflet. It speaks for itself.


So far there are no leaflets in Reading West!



Other news (bigotgate) has drowned out the Institute for Fiscal Studies condemning all 3 main parties for their failure to tell voters the truth about spending plans (details here).

The IFS is independent of political influence and the mean headline of there report rated unspecified cuts in spending amount to £52.5bn for the Conservatives, £44.1bn for Labour and £34.4bn for the Liberal Democrats.


Some 87 per cent of Labour cuts are not spelled out, said the IFS, while 82 per cent of Mr Cameron's plans are also vague. Despite Vincent Cable's boast to be superior to his rivals, the IFS estimates that 74 per cent of Liberal Democrat cuts remain in the realms of supposition.

Argyle Road Hustings, West Reading

Learner Naz Sarkar (Lab)

Alok Sharma (Cons)

Daisy Benson (LD) Red Eye

Adrian Windisch (Green)

So the last Hustings for Reading West, last night from Battle Ward. Its near the huge Tesco which was my first campaign (not supported by any other party). Unfortunately because the other parties disagreed with me Tesco won and built their huge superstore. Since then many small shops have closed, now we are near the 11th Tesco in Reading, finally some other parties have started to agree with me.

Many of the questions were the same as previous hustings, GREN, Denefield School, FSB. And the hustings where I was excluded on BBC politics show, BBC Radio Berkshire and the faith hustings in Tilehurst. So I'm going to report on what was new.

Q1 Whats the first thing you would do as MP?
Daisy spoke of housing,
Naz education,
Alok crime.
I talked about transport; traffic gets worse every year, bus prises rise, perhaps the two are linked. I would make the bus fare £1, build cycle paths, starting with one down Oxford Road.

Q2 was on first past the post or proportional representation, which we have heard before.

Q3 was on strategic planning, we all opposed Pincents Hill and Bath Road developments.
Naz praised Martin Salter.
Alok spoke up for local decisions.
Daisy would scrap national planning as local more democratic.
I spoke against this, regional planning was needed as we have some geographical problems with bits of West Berkshire and Wokingham in Reading. The problem with over development was down to Gordon Brown and the Barker review, instead they should look at regional planning. Some regions have declining populations, others overcrowding.

Q4 What values inspired you to enter politics, was it belief in God.
Daisy entered politics by accident, inspired by inequality. Athiest.
I was inspired by the poor response from Martin Salter, then Labour MP, to my letter on collecting waste oil. My local Cllrs didn't respond. One was at the meeting, which was a mite embarrassing. I then went to a Green Party meeting and got involved, met Caroline Lucas MEP at a march to Aldermaston nuclear bomb factory. Not religious, but respect those who are. (I defended Catholics when Martin Salter recently attacked them)
Naz got involved to make a difference. Secular.
Alok used to shout at the TV, his wife told him to get involved, he became PPC. Respects Christian values.

Q5 Erosion of freedom of speech, anti Christian values, Catholic adoption agencies, persecution of Christians.
G Labour were right to introduce laws against homophobia, though in the cases you mentioned could have been more sensitively handled. Yes freedom of speech has been eroded, but for those protesting against wars (arrested on anti terrorist laws) not against Christians.
Naz My father was discriminated against in 1966, proud of Labour on equality.
Alok; Tolerance s key, Adrian was right to say you can express your views, the Catholic adoption agency should have been given 3 years to find a way round the problems.
Daisy; Tolerance, Lab have done well, need to work on age discrimination.
Comment from the floor; Christians arrested for freedom of speech, Nurse lost job after praying for a patient, Christians discriminated against. And some other examples, including banned from wearing a cross.
Alok; people offer to pray for me, or other PPCs, thats fine. In some cases health and safety reasons for not wearing jewellery, otherwise should be able to wear cross.
I spoke about Muslims who will feel persecuted, Islamophobia rose (under Blair) but not so bad now, more than Christians. Muslims arrested then released quietly (on anti terrorism laws). (No time to mention de Menezes or this case or this.)
Naz wanted details of the cases, refuted my description of Labour Islamophobia.
Daisy spoke of anti terror legislation (which helped me as I hadn't explained that in detail)

Q6 Crime drugs and prostitution high near the Oxford Road, car broken into 3 times in 5 years, needles left.
Naz; spoke of more police visibility.
Alok; more police out there, less paperwork
Daisy; what an awful situation, questioned person on reporting crime, 80% unreported.
From the floor; drugs policy isn't working
I said yes, and legalise prostitution, keep it off the streets, away from residents like this one who is in a terrible position. Other countries do it.
Daisy; leagalise more drugs
Naz; ASBOs work, ringfence police budget.
Alok; prostitutions need help, RSHP working well. Get them off hard drugs. Keep hard drugs illegal.

Q7 Legalise euthanasia,
Daisy; yes
I said yes if we can protect vulnerable, such as senile people
Naz; difficult balance, Adrian has pointed out how it can be abused

Q8 Protect local economy,
Adrian; Tesco takeover of town damaged local shops
Naz; difficult as Tesco provide cheap food that helps people,
Alok; use local shops to support them, I've been doing that in the campaign,
Daisy; Tories not honest, tax hikes, massive deficit,

Q9 MP expenses, second homes
Alok; no second homes anymore as the rules have changed,
Naz defended Martin Salter,
I pointed out Martin said one thing to us, then voted the other way in Parliament. Reputation of politicians very bad.

Q10 we were asked who else we would vote for if not ourselves,
Alok said unfair question,
the others hinted at Howard Thomas as an Independent, but I know him as having Ukip like policies, would prefer a genuine independent.

Green New Deal, How Green Are The Parties

The Green Party have been talking about a Green new deal for years. Now the other parties are also talking about it, but rather than be annoyed, I see this as a positive sign that they are getting the message. Unfortunately they don't go far enough, but they are all making a step forward.

Labour: In the budget Labour committed up to £1 billion for a new Green Infrastructure Bank and £60 million to develop land alongside ports to support wind turbine manufacturing facilities. This encouraged energy giants GE and Siemens to announce an investment of nearly £200m in new UK manufacturing centres to build components for offshore wind turbines. It follows similar announcements earlier in the year by Clipper and Mitsubishi to set up factories and research facilities for offshore wind turbines and represents, at last, some momentum towards meeting Britain's commitment to generate 15% of our energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Conservatives have pledged to roll existing low carbon budgets into a new Green Investment Bank, but they've not yet committed to any additional investment. David Cameron's comments last Friday to Jeremy Paxman that he wanted a smaller state, particularly in the North East, raise questions about what role he sees government in stimulating a low carbon economic recovery. Greg Clark has stressed it is "time to act, not time to talk". Creating an entitlement for every home to be fitted with up to £6,500 of energy efficiency improvements, with the cost being repaid through fuel bills. Greg stressed, “Adopting these measures now could begin a revolution in our energy sector that could create thousands of new green jobs starting immediately when they are desperately needed."
And he warned, “Labour’s procrastination is putting these vital green jobs in peril.”

Liberal Democrats: Last week, the Liberal Democrats announced plans to create a one-year green job plan. They would use £3.1 bn of cuts in government expenditure to bring 200,000 empty properties back into use, and invest in new green energy infrastructure and public transport. As with Labour, this is also in addition to existing clean energy budgets.

Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, said in his party's green manifesto that the Tories "talk the talk on green issues only to align themselves with climate deniers in the European parliament", and claims that voting for the Green party is a waste because they "cannot make a difference in Westminster". Clegg has been wrong before, spectacularly. Has he changed?

Greens: The Green Party last week also launched a job-creation plan showing pledging a £44 billion investment package in renewables, transport, insulation, housing and waste management to create a million new jobs in the UK. The Green Party’s manifesto offers to invest heavily in greening and modernising Britain’s economy, creating a million new jobs in the process, while delivering warmer homes, much better public transport, real sustainability and energy security. The other parties eco-policy is a pale shadow of this.

Ukip "We believe that whilst climate change is proven, the arguments over global warming, and
particularly anthropogenic global warming (AGW), are at this time unproven. We believe
that the security, happiness and prosperity of the nation are too important to be thrown
away in the pursuit of illusory aims." They want to expand nuclear power by 8 times (up to 50%) despite the costs/dangers and that its a non renewable energy source.

Clear differences between the parties are emerging over investments and industrial strategy. With polls showing such strong support for more clean energy investment from government, the big three parties would do well to raise their level of ambition before election day. This can be the Green election!

Politics Show Climate Change Debate, Green Included (For A Change)

Taking Part; Darren Johnson (Green), Simon Hughes(Lib Dem), Greg Clark(Cons), Ed Miliband (Labour). Andrew Neil and Justin Rowlatt moderating.

Andrew Neil said 'the political consensus on climate change has resulted in some tough targets; UK greenhouse gases 34% reduction by 2020 (on 1990 levels). Andrew is wrong; this is not tough enough. Can we afford to be green? Energy security is a crucial issue. Is nuclear power the only realistic option?

Introduction
G. Decades of dither and delay, huge challenge. Greens massive insulation and investment program, also tackles economic crisis. 90% by 2030.
AN Your against growth, you should be delighted with the recession.
G. We are not, GDP is not a good way of measuring the success of the economy, it can't grow forever. We plan on 1 million jobs.

LD. Most important election in my lifetime. LD are the only party that will take the action needed. (See his nose grow). 40% by 2020.
AN you use bio-diesel in your car, can you be more pious?
LD I walk/cycle/use public transport where I can.

C. Great wind resources but we are falling behind, 3rd worst renewable in Europe.
80% by 2050. Government emissions cut 10% a year.
AN Vote blue go Green, Tory MPs have not changed.
C. We have achieved more than the government, including the climate change act!

L. Green prosperous and fair vision of the future.
40% by 2020
AN Lecture the public but 1200 limos and 140 private planes UK to Cop15.
L. I didnt go by private plane. Free insulation for homes.

Q1 People don't care about the environment as much as they used to.
C. Energy cost increase, plan ahead.
LD. People do care, they use train not plane.
Justin Rowlatt; 1 in 4 poll deny man made climate change, the public aren't with you.
L. Public do know, responsible thing is follow the scientists. Economic future not just the environment.
G. In previous recessions environment issues nearly caused us to disappear, this time different. People concerned with local parks, Asthma...

JR. 250 top Tory candidates, cutting carbon lowest priority.
C We have put forward good policies.
L. Ken Clark says no onshore wind turbines.
LD. They are far more sceptical (wrong word Simon, best say deniers)
L. Cons sending out the wrong signal.

Q2. Multimillion cost, who should deniers vote for
L Labour, as more costs in the future, Green jobs.
AN 80% cut by 2050, 1830s levels of CO2.
LD Price Waterhouse coopers say we can. Efficiency
AN Its not going to happen. (He wont let the others answer)
L LD plans have a huge hole in them. He rejects Nuclear power.
JR 18 billion a year,
L big cost, some onto consumers, but energy security means we have to.
AN how much on consumers?
L All of it.
C 13 years on, things cost more, we've known it for years. Minimise cost.
JR energy cost rise.
G unapologetic the wealthiest will have to pay more to fund the public program. No nukes, tackle real threat.
LD would cost more.

Q3 why expand Heathrow.
L. massive benefits from flying. Limit emissions. People keep travelling.
C we don't want to expand other airports, but Heathrow has a specific problem.
LD not expand any airports in the SE (nose growing)
G LD Councils supported expansion elsewhere
LD subsidise train.
L Tory didn't rule out expansion
C we have no such proposals.
JR will you sign up to emissions limit.
G need to reduce air traffic, modal shift.

AN what's a modal shift? Change an extra 3.5 billion
LD don't discriminate against family holiday, tax plane not person.
G cheap flights ridiculous, cost of flying needs to rise.
L can expand within limits,
G cost of flying should reflect environment cost. Slash rail fares.
LD all leaders have used planes (nose again, LD only ever seem to count Lab and Cons)

AN Yes/No answers only.
Q4. Should people fly less.
G yes
LD yes
C yes with HSR (not one word)
L yes

Q5. Foreign holiday in the last 2 years?
L no
LD no
C cant remember, so say yes
G no, I use rail or ferry. Moderation for flying, not total ban. cost of flying should reflect environment cost.

Q 6 Renewable power is expensive.
L yes
C yes but....
AN What don't you understand about yes or no?
LD yes
G yes but fossil fuels would rise anyway

Q7 Should councils spy on your rubbish?
G y
LD n
L n
C n

Q8 Support councils reducing rubbish collections?
L up to hem,
C "
LD "
G "

Q9 Should petrol prices be higher lower or the same?
L I don't have a prejudged view.
C I think you need to moderate...
LD Come down ideally
G higher

Q10 Fuel Duty Escalator?
C No a stabiliser.
LD fairer, take away excise, tax per mile,
(didnt ask the others)

Q11 Road pricing
L no plans for road pricing,
C OK for new roads, e.g. M6 extension
(didnt ask the others)

Q12 Where was the vote to support light bulb ban?
L was public discussion, EU decision
LD public should have been involved.

Q13 Nuclear power?
LD cost more, take too long, emissions contribution small, waste.
L LD policy doesn't add up. Need nuclear, and clean coal.
C moratorium a few years ago so left it too late now.
LD Cameron opposed them.

JR Finland new nuclear power stations 3 years late and 3 billion cost overrun.
L we've learnt from that,
G take too long to be a solution.
L G cant do that.
G radical measures, insulation.
C no subsidy for nuclear. Nuclear not new so does't need it.
LD decommissioning expensive.

Q14 Expand wind farms, very expenses 100 billion.
LD subsidy should appear on bills,
L hole in LD plans, 15% by 2020
LD L failed to deliver

4000 off shore planned, how many a week? 2 a day now
L world leader in offshore wind,
C all made in other countries,
L they will come here. C will put this at risk.

JR where are the British companies
L people don't care if they are foreign, jobs more important.
LD Vince is clear that state can control banks.
AN that worked well in Soviet Union.

Closing statement.
L nuclear, renewable, clean coal. Flying. Prosperous fair green.
LD alternative, ready for government, policy to create jobs.
C 13 years of Labour, behind the rest of the world, power cuts ahead. No change with Labour.
G Small numbers of Greens have had a big impact, time we were in Westminster.

Elections Can Be fun

Yesterday I posted jokes from politicians, where Caroline Lucas emerged as the clear winner.

This election has come up some strange photos.

We will exterminate the opposition.

Labours secret weapon. For those with suspicious minds.

Milibands secret weapon

Lembit Opik

Bob Marshall Andrews


Caroline and friends dressed like a Pirate in Brighton.

Record Hits On This Blog

Generally I get around 70 hits a day on this, its gradually built up to this over nearly three and a half years, with 835 blogs. But on Thursday the 22nd I got 269 hits, heady days indeed.

On that day I had written leaders debate how to watch it for free, which may have had something to do with it.

Perhaps I should write a few more how to guides.



Just saw an interesting website.
Election Q&A: In the corridors of power
The Westminster pack answer the questions that matter

Hilary Benn
Tell us a joke. What do vegetarian cannibals eat? Swedes.

David Miliband
How often do you have sex? Oh please; I'm not Nick Clegg.
Tell us a joke. The Tory party has changed.

Chris Huhne
Tell us a joke. Margaret Thatcher applied to gates of St Peter, and was told to go downstairs. Two weeks later, the Devil turned up and asked God for political asylum.

Chris Grayling
Tell us a joke. What do you call a man with a log on his head? Edward. What do you call a man with three logs on his head? Edward Woodward. What do you call a man with a spade on his head? Doug.

Caroline Lucas
Tell us a joke. What did the inflatable teacher say to the inflatable student at the inflatable school when he caught him with a pin? "You've let me down, you've let the school down, but worst of all, you've let yourself down."

Andy Burnham
Tell us a joke. Have you heard about the two Spanish firemen? José and Hose B.

Alistair Darling
Tell us a joke. What do you call a Teletubby who's been burgled? A tubby.

Yvette Cooper
Tell us a joke. How do you kill a circus? Go for the juggler.

Peter Hain
Tell us a joke. Manchester United.

John Denham
Tell us a joke. I would tell you one of Frank Dobson's, but you wouldn't be able to print it.

Pledges; Amnesty, Stop The War, Arms Trade, Cycling & Ramblers

Amnesty
Respect for human rights should be at the centre of all government policies, so if elected or not, I pledge to support Amnesty in their campaigns:
- Women’s human rights are respected in the UK and overseas, including freedom from violence and active participation in decisions affecting their lives.
- Human rights are not undermined by a security agenda that denies opportunity for a fair trial or seeks to deport foreign nationals to countries where they face a serious risk of torture.
- The human rights framework in the UK is protected
- Leadership is shown in addressing the preventable deaths of women and children and to give your support to the ‘Manifesto for Motherhood’.
- The debate on asylum and immigration is a principled one that does not pander to the prejudices of those with extreme views on this issue.





Stop the War
I support the Stop the War Coalition and believe questions of war, peace and foreign policy are crucial to this election.

It is regrettable that so far they have received only limited coverage within the campaign. Here are my responses to their questions.
1.  Do you support the immediate withdrawal of British and NATO troops from Afghanistan?
YES we are making things worse by being there.
2.  Did you support the war in Iraq?   NO
3.  Will you oppose any military attack on Iran by the United States or Israel?
YES and any attack anywhere by anyone.
4.  Do you support the immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison? YES
5.  Are you opposed to the renewal of Trident nuclear weapons?                
YES and any other nuclear weapons
6.  Do you oppose the attacks on Muslims and the growing Islamophobia in British society? YES
7.  Do you agree that the use of anti-terrorist laws to restrict the right of protest is an attack on civil liberties? YES





Arms Trade
I support the closure of UKTI DSO and an end to its functions. Last year I read and wrote about a book by Mark Thomas, As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela. Where I learned that Britain is the worlds 2nd largest arms exporter. BAE systems seems to be much valued by the government, who protect its interest ahead of any others. The Government subsidises the arms trade £13,000 a job! How much better for some of that money to go to renewable energy or public transport. Mark Thomas supports the Green Party.



Cycling
I am a member of the Reading Cycle Campaign and Sustrans, I helped Sustrans build some cycle paths. In Reading I have plans for many new cycle routes, at the moment the existing ones don't join up.



Ramblers
I support the Ramblers General Election Manifesto for Walking. The Ramblers campaign in breaking down the barriers to walking, which include:
•Physical barriers - we want to see the next Government protect and improve Britain's unique path network and deliver the coastal route
•Financial Barriers: we want to see the next Government link agricultural subsidies to recreation and access provision and invest in walking schemes to benefit health, wellbeing, environment, the rural economy and climate change
•Cultural barriers: we want to see the next Government position the walker at the top of the transport hierarchy and take tough action against those who put walkers’ lives at risk through reckless driving
•Legal barriers: we want to see the next Government amend legislation to require an independent review when there is an objection to orders to gate alleyways which are used by people on foot; protect and promote public access and space, and make green space accessible, safe, and well-maintained, through use of the planning process in both town and country.

I am a keen rambler myself, having done many long walks including the Ridgeway, Thames Path, Hadrians Wall, South West Coast Path, Canal walks along the Kennet & Avon as well as the Grand Union.

End Nasty Politics, Time For Something Different

Locally the LibDems have been competing with Labour to be the nasty. Is it time for something more positive in politics?

The Labour Party have been attacking the other Lib Dem PPC Daisy Benson in Reading West, saying she is 'lazy'. I defended her, as she has a reputation as a hard worker, the attack is silly.

In the past Reading Labour have said the Greens were linked with terrorists or another year they said we had links with the bnp. Again these attacks were so ridiculous that they did more damage to Labour, calling into question everything they said.

A few months ago Gareth Epps LD PCC for Reading East wrote 'The fact is that anyone our LD members select to fight Reading West will have much firmer green credentials than Lab and the Tories could muster between them and the credibility lacked by the maverick Green candidate there.' Now I think being called a Maverick could be a compliment, suggesting I have no credibility isn't.

Now LD Cllr Glenn Goodall has claimed Green Party policies on taxation are ‘Lib Dem-Light'. Well with selective quoting you can turn a classic into a dogs breakfast, but why would you want to? If they are proud of their policies, fine, good for them.

Meanwhile Richard McKenzie shows he doesn't get the Greens on his blog, where he thinks the amount he cycles means he is green. No mention of how much he flies or drives. Previously he pretended that Labour were not considering building on the Thames Valley University playing field. Though it can be seen at the previous Site Allocations Document page 155 . Fortunately, following our campaign the development area has now been scaled down in the most recent version to just the footprint of the existing buildings.

Labour also make much of opposing the 'Tory Cross Town route', not mentioning that they have their own planned cross town route, conveniently renamed East Reading Mass Rapid Transit. Both would damage the valued Kennet Mouth. The Green Party is the only party to fully oppose the scheme. We want to see better public transport, walking and cycling facilities and better local services not more roads and car parks.

I already covered the dodgy bar Lib Dem Bar charts. If they are doing well in Reading East, they should say so honestly. Pretending the opposition doesn't count is just nasty.

The last week has seen the LD riding high in the polls, so shouldn't they be comparing themselves to Labour and the Tories? The LD just don't seem ready.

After the Leaders Debate 2 I can't see how the LD can claim to be better than the Lab Tories on Green issues. At least Cameron talked about insulation, Brown about Solar hot water; all Clegg could say was that he flew lots because they carried more luggage! He did manage to be against nuclear power, but only because it was too slow, nothing about the waste. Calling the Polish Government 'Nutters' will go down well if he ever becomes a minister, which is looking less likely by the day.

Thankfully many others know the Greens offer a better choice than those 3, who are on much of the same agenda. See the Argus poll below.

Leaders Debate 2, and so it continues

It started with a short speech from each person. Still not any change, just the very limited choice of these three with their similar agenda. So the media and public are given a smaller view of whats on offer than previous elections. LibDems are given a huge boost by being seen as equals. Well I'm many ways they are equals, they are the same in many ways. The differences here are exaggerated, but all of them want to be at war with Afghanistan, all have fine words on climate change but lack any action. All have an agenda of savage cuts, while accusing each other of savage cuts. All see a growing economy as the answer, ignoring our limited resources.

So expect us smaller parties to be squeezed, but we will continue to fight on despite this.

And so to the debate.
Opening statements:
Brown started looking smooth.
Cameron continued looking cross.
Clegg looked very young, talking about his Mum.

Q1 Advantage to being in europe.
Clegg worked for Thatcher.(that explains a lot)
Brown 3 million reasons to be in EU, thats 3 million jobs. But not in building. (Cheers Gordon). Cam understand frustrations of people cheated of referendum (but reneged on promise like the others)
Clegg said google Paedophiles, blamed Tory MEPs.
Brown social chapter gave us paid holidays. (we've had paid holidays long before the EU)
Clegg size does matter
Brown people want us to get on with things.(business as usual) right wing extremists tory sit with eu.
Clegg Tory sit with nutters etc.
B. Remind of my children at bathtime (what a horrible pictue, cheers Gordon) Cam is anti eu Clegg anti american.
Cam Clegg wants us to give up seat on security council
B. That will never happen
Clegg I unlike them have been in the EU negotiations.



Q2. Afghanistan.
Clegg. I support it to keep us safe afg. Though wrong strategy.
B. Alkyada in Somalia chain of terror.
Cam. National interest. Never again without porper equipment. Support afg war.
Clegg 'everyon'e agrees right resources defence review. No eurofighter. No trident renewal.
B. Thoughts with troops def rev in next parl (why the dealy) Somalia and Yemen.
C. Agree with Brown on troops.
Cl. Agree too.
B. Change tactics with troops. Contact with locals.
Cam trident wrong to trade off. Were safer with lots if nukes! (strange definition of safe)
Cl. Terrorists with dirty bombs.
B. Get real Nick. Iran, Nth Korea.
Cam. I agree with Gordon.




Q 3. Climate change what have you done yourself. (The question we have all been waiting for)
B I use trains lots, can only recall using 1 plane. High speed rail. My house in Scotland has solar hot water. 1st clinate ch bill. (he couldn't recall how often he flies, does use solar hot water, but has then run out of things to say. So launches into his policies. Very poor answer)
Cam. Blue green party. I was asked to stop breathing, so need to explain message. Proper insulation in house. Agsinst 3rd runway heathrow, invest in trains. (Much like Brown, said one good thing on insulation, then stopped answering the question. Against heathrow 3rd runway, what about all the other runways?)
Cl. Almost always use train unless thers lots of clobber with the kids. (Also pathetic, most people find planes very restrictive on luggage, not to mention damaging the environment. The worst answer of the 3, yet Clegg often says he is strong on the environment)
B. Dependence on oil, nuclear power is great.
Cam. Green deal (sounds familiar) going green save money (good)
B we're doing this already
Cl nuke power expensive slow to build too late fraction of money can develop mass insulaton. (good)
B. Can't have balanced energy policy without nuclear(!) I met some young guys snd girls. Yes have carbon free hones and offshore wind. (always with Brown its offshore, but onshore is cheaper and greener)
Cam. Power cuts 2017. Gas storage in the UK is low. Get more renewables. 13 years so many strategies so little action (good)
Cl. Brown sidelined at Copenhagen.
B Nick your right. Persuade China and America, need to work with all the Continents.
N I'm not anti American, special relationship not one way street.
B I'm persuading America on climate change. (that will go down well with America)
C. Polish allies great statesman.


Well so much for the great leaders debate on climate change. They couldn't even speak for a minute on what they had done in their own lives, as the question asked. Pathetic.

Another Dodgy Lib Dem bar chart

This is the average vote in Park ward over the last few years.

Why, I hear you ask, would anyone bother to do such a silly thing? The best measure of the local vote was the last local election. But, the LibDems have put out one of their famous dodgy bar charts, you know the type, it concludes 'they cant win here'. In the chart, the Greens don't seem to exist. In the fine print it says 'local election results in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Each time the Lib Dems beat Labour'.

This leaflet was given out in Park Ward, with pics and information on the Park candidate. You can see where they have distorted the Lab vote and ignored the Greens entirely.

In Park Ward the LD have come last in the last two elections, so voters will wonder how they managed to beat Labour? The answer is you have to add up local election results from every ward in Reading East, though this is not helpful in Park, where the Lib Dem vote has sunk. As you can see from the lines in the chart below.


So here is the numbers that the LD want you to consider, look at how it compares to their one.
They have roughly represented Cons and LD votes (with just a bit of stretching), but where it says 'Lab and others', its actually just Lab (though rather shrunken).

But the main fib is pretending that the average of three years will tell you anything interesting. It ignores any trends in that time. Its a bit like predicting the General Election with polls from the last 4 years, which would ignore the rise of Clegg in the last week. I cant see them doing that for some reason.

So for comparison I looked at the last local election results for Reading East wards, 2008.
Not much difference for the 3 big parties, but look at how the Green vote increases. So is that why they went for the average of three and not the most recent?

Of course local election results are just an indication, people vote differently in different elections. When you knock on doors people its not unusual for someone to say they will vote one way in the General, and another in the local.

The LD say they don't like any comparison with last years Euro Election result, when the Greens did exceptionally well, as you can see below. (Please note, the date is from the 9 Reading Council wards, and doesn't include the 3 wards in Wokingham Council).


Many more examples exist of dodgy Lib Dem bar charts, a few links for you.

Leader Debate, FoE response, Time to dig deeper

Finally.

Climate change got at least 20 minutes in the spotlight at last night's leaders' debate, thanks to an audience member asking the candidates what they do personally to be environmentally responsible.

First the positives: the leaders' answers were far wider than the question. After hearing about Gordon's solar panels and Dave's insulation, we did hear about actual policies without prompting.

But there was a downside too. While Gordon, Dave, and Nick all checked off the key policies needed to tackle climate change - renewables, energy efficiency and transport - they fell short of making the concrete promises that will deliver sufficient change on the ground.

It's high time they did - and next week's BBC debate will be their last chance to do it before we go to the polls.

Let's put the parties on the spot again next week. Submit your question for the candidates on the BBC site now:

FoE Election

To get you started, here are a few examples of questions you could put to the leaders:

How will you ensure that local councils deliver the climate change policies we need on the ground?

How will you stop the climate change emissions and deforestation caused by our over-reliance on factory farming and the need for huge amounts of imported animal feed?

How many jobs will your policies see created by implementing the solutions to climate change?
So they've started talking about the climate - late is better than never.

But we still need to hear more from them next week. Send your questions to the BBC to make sure it stays on the agenda:

http://election.foe.co.uk/AskYourQuestion

Thank you,

Martyn Williams
Friends of the Earth



Green Party Response,
Jim Jepps
Rupert Read
Richard Lawson
Vowles

Leaders Debate: how to watch it for free

How annoying that tonights Leaders Debate is being hosted by the pay TV titan but you don’t need to pay any money to watch tonight’s political shenanigans. Though Sky subscribers will get the dubious pleasure of seeing the three leaders in HD, the debate is actually being screened in lots of other places.

Here’s five free ways to watch the Leaders Debate and see Cameron, Clegg and Brown battle it for round 2:

1 Freeview
The live feed will be carried on several channels. If you’ve got Freeview, you’ll be able to choose between Sky News, the BBC News Channel and BBC Parliament. Those channels are also included in the standard Virgin Media and Talk Talk TV packages.

2 iPhone app
The free Sky News iPhone app gives you free live streaming via WiFi or 3G, so if you’re away from your living room you can still peer at the politicians. iPhone TV Catchup will do the same thing for both Sky News and the BBC News Channel. If you can’t watch the debate, you could also grab the LBC 97.3 app which will give you the live debate audio, again over WiFi or 3G.

3 Online/radio 4
Sky News also streams for free online. If you prefer the BBC, you can watch the BBC News Channel live through iPlayer. Both channels are also available for free through TV Catchup. The Daily Telegraph website will also be streaming the Leaders Debate. If you don’t fancy actually looking at their faces, you can also listen to the debate live on Radio 4 via iPlayer or via the LBC website.

4 Watch on your Xbox 360
If you’re an Xbox Live Gold account holder you can access Sky News for free from your Xbox 360 without needing to stump up any cash for Sky Player. You’ll just need to tear yourself away from the games for the duration of the Sky Leaders Debate.

5 Catch up later
If you’re busy when the Leaders Debate is on, you can catch up with it later. The BBC will be broadcasting the entire debate as live after Newsnight. If you don’t want to have to stay up into the wee hours (BBC 2’s replay will start at 11.20pm), you’ll be able to catch-up with the Leaders Debate via iPlayer and the Sky News website.

The Leaders Debate starts at 8.00pm tonight.





Of course there is not much choice on offer between the leaders, as Caroline Lucas is being excluded from participating. I think she would have a big impact if allowed to join.

She has said:

There they were, three men in dark suits, and the most obvious difference between them being the colour of their ties!

Wish I'd been able to be in the debates as well. People are being shortchanged if they're led to believe that there aren't real alternatives out there.

I was saddened to notice that not one of the other leaders mentioned the environment once - nor alternative approaches to the economic crisis.

Greens are standing on a manifesto of not only safeguarding the environment, but also fighting for fairness.

The choice between safeguarding the environment and the economy is a false one - a massive investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs as well as reducung emissions,

Our policies will ensure a move towards a sustainable society, whilst leaving 87 per cent of the population significantly better off.

I would be an independent and fresh voice to speak out for residents wishes - not whipped by my party, but able to fight for what people truly want - jobs, housing, better transport, lower taxes for those on lower wages, regulation of bankers bonuses and a serious commitment to tackling climate change.

Caroline is debating with the other parties in Reading on Tuesday the 27th, tickets from south.today@bbc.co.uk or call 03700 100 870

FSB Hustings 20th April 2010 at Little Heath School 7pm

FSB Hustings 20th April 2010 at Little Heath School 7pm
Chaired by Hilary Scott, Deputy Editor of Get Reading
Panel: Daisy Benson (Lib Dem), Naz Sarkar (Labour), Alok Sharma (Conservative), Adrian Windisch (Green)

About 50 people attended in the large main hall of Little Heath School.
Bruce Hay from Ukip didn't show up.

There was a short presentation from the FSB.
Small businesses are at the heart of our communities and employ 13.5 million people yet:
•Independent shops are disappearing from our community
•Pubs face closure due to soaring costs
•Parking charges are at the detriment of business
•Over regulation is stunting the growth of small firms
•Business rates falls disproportionately on small firms

Below are some notes taken during the hustings, apologies for them being terse, if anyone wants to amend them please comment or contact me. (Comments in brackets)

Opening 1 minute speech from each candidate.

Q1. How do small businesses get onto the procurement list of Reading Council.
L The devil is in the detail.
LD More power should be devolved from regional to local authority, who are elected.
C. Framework contracts. Anything over £10,000 online.
G. More open and transparency in the way we do this, and in lobbying. The FSB should be able to help put small business in touch with relevant contracts.

Q2. Impact of lack of parking near the Oxford Road, and elsewhere.
LD. Oxford Rd is the worst in Reading for fines, more accountability needed.
G When they built the Tesco we were told that people would park there to use the local shops. (The Greens were the only politicians to campaign against this Tesco, unfortunately our predictions that it will hurt local shops have proved correct). (I wanted to get into methods of reducing car use but we were limited to 1 minute answers. eg cheaper buses, cycle facilities, school bus etc)
C. Rogue clamping a problem.
L. Lets look at other areas to see what innovations they have.
Q to L. Has RBC got it wrong?
L. We need to look at it.
LD. Has anyone heard of car club? Audience shook their heads.

Q3. What if the candidate disagreed with their Party.
C. Stick with manifesto promises.
L. Martin Salter was very good on this, top down and bottom up.
G. I started to explain that we had no whip. (everyone laughed!) Greens support policies because they are decided openly at conference (not by a small secret group)
LD Recall MP.
C. Anything else is disingenuous.
LD. Link between safe seats and MP not listening.
Q Elizabeth Filkin resigning should have been a warning.
C. Instant recall put MP on firing lines.
Q from audience, comment that if MP was in the firing line in Iraq they would be less likely to go to war.
C None of us were MP, probably all against these expenses and Iraq war.
G I think the questioner is onto a good thing, if we can apply it to other issues, such as putting the MP in the middle of a road with problems, it would lead to instant recall (this got a laugh)

Q4. What to do about school leavers facing unemployment.
G. Apprenticeships, expand the numbers.
LD. Scandal that there aren't more apprentices and intern-ships.
L. Invest in training, £3.5 million academy at Denefield, as a teacher I have seen it working, mentors, job centres are demotivating.
C. Apprentice, help companies, no NI increase, bursary ; I was helped by a scholarship to do physics. Problem with apprentice is finding a matching college.
L. Labour guarantee a job or training to anyone 6 month unemployed,
Q to L, how can you guarantee a job when we are letting people go? Small businesses hammered by the banks.
Q to L, no jobs in the NHS, where will you find them?
L. Devil is in the detail.
LD, not 6 months, we would have 3 months.
L. 700 out of work in Reading West,
Q from audience, Brighton and Hove have innovative scheme on apprentices . Thought through long term trends.
LD. So Reading is not recession proof, we would manufacture jobs, almost like a Green New Deal. Shipbuilding can be converted. (This got a laugh, no shipbuilding in Reading.
Q Our hands are tied, there is too much red tape.
C There have been 14 new regulations every day, for every new one we would remove an old one. Reduce the number by 5%. We have the largest tax code book in the world.
LD I agree with Alok.

Q 5. Banks are not helping, despite the public subsidising them.
C Banks are not behaving, they are schizophrenic.
LD End casino style investment banks.
L. Question was humbling, we don't have all the answers, contact me later.
G. I'm with Vince. (This got a laugh, as I had hoped)
We are in the worst of all positions (this got applause) Why not just nationalise the banks.
LD Were all with Vince (no laugh)
N The big picture is this was global
Q from audience, no it wasn't.


Q6. What of the proposed raise in NI next year.
L. We have been vary clear. [Heckle: clear as mud]
LD Vince has a costed manifesto;
Comments from FSB Nikki; loans and overdrafts, national post bank, run the nation as a small business.

Q7 How to get young people heard by MP.
G. Surgeries, email, social networking. Unfortunately young people are less engaged than older ones, we need to change this, get them involved.
LD Vote at 16, social media, I've got a young electorate (Redlands?), tell your friends to vote.
L Visit schools and talk to people, social media is not the only thing.
C Talking to 6th forms, send a birthday card to all 18 year olds in Reading West, designed by an 18 year old. Only had 1 reply. Youth Parliament helpful.
L You should have had an internet or text response to the survey.
C. We did.

Q8 Immigration
L Skills shortage means benefits of immigration.
LD. Endorses Naz, points system exit checks.
G. How great to hear a positive discussion on immigration, it so often gets nasty. In construction industry we needed people, lots came from EU to work, there were so few young people trained. But there are limits. (resources strained in the SE region)
C. We may see an MP from an Asian background.

Q 9 Bankrupt companies restarting but leaving debts affecting other companies
C Its a problem,
G we need more regulations (got a laugh)
LD I'm with Alok.
L Devil is in the detail (actually I cant recall what he said, but it was something like this)(my notes from here became very brief)
Q 10 Moral thread running through today's questions, are the lunatics running the asylum
L Devil is in the detail (I cant recall what he said, but it was something like this)
LD sustainable growth
G. Good question. Michael Moore film 'Capitalism' addresses some of these issues, but this may not be the bast audience for it.
C. Transparency needed.

FSB - The UK's leading business organisation 215,000 members nationally, 7600 Thames Valley
www.fsb.org.uk
www.twitter.com/fsbthamesvalley


This was reported here, they have a video of Q2 and Q4. They picked up on the audience heckling Naz, but not that he floundered on more than one occasion. One funny thing, the audience thought Labours policy on guaranteeing a job for unemployed youths after 6 months was rubbish (no jobs are secure now), so how would they respond to Daisy saying she would make it 3 months? Daisy got a bit of an easy ride here, they ignored the hilarious moment when she talked about converting the shipyards to a green new deal. No shipyards in Reading.

Caroline Lucas Comes To Reading; Question Time Hexagon

As the election campaign gets into top gear, Sally Taylor hosts a Question Time-style debate from Reading's Hexagon theatre. The audience gets to put their questions directly to the politicians. The panel includes Labour's John Denham, Michael Gove for the Conservatives, Chris Huhne for the Lib Dems, the Green's Caroline Lucas and UKIP's Nigel Farage.

BBC South Today is broadcasting the election debate from The Hexagon on 27th April at 22:50

Tickets from south.today@bbc.co.uk or call 03700 100 870

Shocked and Angered at Labour Dirty Tricks Advert In Stroud

GREEN Party members were ‘shocked and angered’ at an advertisement which asked them to vote for Labour candidate David Drew at the general election.

The advert, which appeared in the Stroud News & Journal, was misleading as it calls Mr Drew a 'Green MP' and does not mention Labour.

Labour members argue the publicity was not supposed to be party-political and point out it was produced and paid for by someone else.

John Marjoram, co-ordinator of the Stroud District Green Party, said: "This advertisement has shocked and angered Greens throughout the district. We would like to assure them that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the Green Party.

"We have an excellent parliamentary candidate in Martin Whiteside who is doing everything he can to win on the fair and just policies the Greens stand for."

The full-page advert was promoted by Ron Bailey, a former national campaigns officer for the Green Party who defected to the Lib Dems and is now director of the campaigns group Unlock Democracy. The green-bordered advert asks ‘Green and other voters’ to back ‘GREEN MP’ David Drew and lists his credentials in green text – but does not mention Labour.

Mr Whiteside said: "Leafletting on the streets in both Dursley and Stroud at the weekend, we encountered numerous people who had assumed that the advert had been placed by the Green Party - and were furious with the Greens for telling them to vote labour.

"On being put right on who placed the advert, they were amazed and considered it misleading and some considered it a 'dirty trick'."

A spokesman for Mr Drew said he approved the words but had no control over the overall advert because it was produced and paid for by someone else. "We did not think it was misleading because it was nothing to do with him being a Labour Party MP, it was to do with him being a good MP".

Mr Drew added: "What the Greens have got to understand is they haven’t got a monopoly on Green policies. "The bottom line is the Greens aren’t going to win this seat but I accept they could stop me winning."

The Green Party wishes to make it clear it does not support the advertisement. Parliamentary candidate Martin Whiteside said ‘I hope the election can be fought on party policies and record in Government - not on trick tactics like this. It is a shame the campaign has started like this'.

John added, "It is a sad day indeed when, after 13 years in government, a political advertisement for a Labour MP dare not even mention the word ‘Labour'".

We Are The Only Party...

How often do politicians use these words, but every time I hear one of the big 3 parties say 'we are the only party that...' I prepare for them to be wrong. It seems as if to them, only the big 3 count.

I commented these words on a LibDem blog recently, and what a shocking response I got. What happened to the LD being for 'fairness', for 'letting the electorate decide'?

Oranjepan said...

Adrian,
currently there are over 300 registered parties in the UK standing candidates and campaigning at this election. The Green party are just one of hundreds which have zero seats in parliament. Similarly UKIP. Similarly BNP. Similarly English Democrats. Similarly the Christian Party. Similarly the Monster Raving Loony Party.

The Green Party is simply on the fringes of political debate with all these other groups - you even have no prospect of forming a group on Reading council this year, let alone forming a minority administration or joining a coalition as a junior partner.

So forgive me if I point out to you the fundamental difference between standing for election and contesting an election. Welcome though you are to participate in democracy, I fear you have an overinflated sense of entitlement based on shaky foundations.

Let's not forget Greens say "we are the only party on the environment", which as well as contradicting your own argument is patently absurd.

You can't have your cake and eat it too!

Cllr Warren Swaine 'Was' said...

And if I grew weary of Greens claiming to be the only party that stands for long standing Lib Dem policies I'd be knackered.

My response...
So much for democracy; two Lib Dems tell us that votes for small parties don't count. What happened to letting the voters decide?

Who says that the Greens won't win council seats or MPs? Wait and see. And when you are shown to be wrong, admit it. We have a strong record in the Euro Elections, in council elections round the country, with hundreds of Green Councillors, 2 MEPS and 2 London assembly members.

OP, there are indeed lots of parties, but not that many standing in these elections.

LD Cllr Glenn said...

All you ever do is attack Lib Dems Adrian.

I'm not sure we do say not to vote for small parties like yours. The council point is true though, should Rob be able to ride the increased voter turn out and get on the council, he wouldn't be a group and wouldn't be able to do very much. That's just the system, not an attack.

But if people want to have their voice heard in a more substantial way, it makes sense to vote for a party that already has a track record (I await your Lib Dem attack here), Locally or Nationally.

Facts are, this is one of the few times we as a party are riding high in the opinion polls, and other parties, big or small, just want to attack that.

Where have I attacked the LibDems? I will point out their policies, and discuss what there candidates say, as do most political bloggers.

I just searched for "we are the only party on the environment" and near the top of the list was 'Only we are green', says Clegg. What a surprise.

Mr Clegg said: "Climate change is the greatest challenge facing this generation. The old establishment parties offer warm words but weak, compromised solutions. The Liberal Democrats are the only party putting the battle against climate change front and centre."

They date their traditions back to the Liberal Party from the 1870s, but when its convenient, they are 'new.'

Nick Clegg said at spring conference, 'we’re the only political party left in this country. The other two are just slick marketing machines.' Pot calling kettle? And who did he miss out, again?

I welcome Clegg talking about the environment, but he is just plain wrong; both about being the 'only party' as well as on the LD actions. Unfortunately the record of the LD, along with the others, is not so good. Tory, Labour and LibDem record on giving permission for wind farms is poor.

LibDem Parliamentary Spokesman for Maidstone and the Weald Peter Carroll slammed the Romney Marsh Wind Farm proposal saying; "this wind farm is truly enormous. It is too big. Installations like this should be off shore"! This is not exceptional, but one of many cases.

Plane Stupid say "While they're often painted as the greenest of the major political parties, up and down the country the Liberal Democrats have been supporting climate-wrecking projects and opposing climate-friendly ones.

Friends of the Earth said the extension of the M74 motorway in Scotland "probably the worst environmental decision ever taken by the Scottish Executive." The Lib Dems' leader in Scotland, Nicol Stephen, who ignored an independent public enquiry and threw his weight behind this. Lib Dem councillors from Cumbria to Lancashire to Essex have been supporting a host of other road-building projects. It looks as though, despite all the spin, little has changed since the days when the Lib Dems were championing the Newbury bypass.

I did find this. 'The Green Party is the only party with policies that approach a 10% annual reduction.' I don't think I need to defend the Green record on being Green, its on every one of our speeches, websites, documents; its our name.

Locally the LD have been claiming they are under attack, their Reading West PPC features in a few Labour leaflets for being 'lazy'. I have already said this works against Labour, she has a reputation as a hard worker. Its also nothing compared to the Labour attacks on us, a few years ago they tried to claim we were linked to terrorists, and another year linked to the Bnp! THe claims are so silly that it makes Labour look bad.

Gareth Epps LD PC for Reading East wrote 'The fact is that anyone our LD members select to fight Reading West will have much firmer green credentials than Lab and the Tories could muster between them and the credibility lacked by the maverick Green candidate there.' Now I think being called a Maverick could be a compliment, suggesting I have no credibility isn't. I have so far not responded in kind to this personal attack.

When the Green campaign for fairness it works both ways, I will defend LD or any other candiate. However for the big three parties the same may not be true, for them perhaps fairness is more selective. I have been excluded from 3 local hustings now, and nationally we are also excluded. So lets stop the bickering about predictions, and saying 'we are the only party that...' when it isn't true. The voters have a long wait between elections to tell us what they think, let them decide who wins.

Fairness is worth fighting for.

How The Greens Would Use Tax For Fairness

"Fairer taxation is a cornerstone priority for the Green Party. We back measures that will lead to a fairer society and should I be elected will campaign in Parliament to changes to our system of taxation that goes in the directions you are campaigning toward." says Tony Juniper, Cambridge Green Party PPC.

We agree with a special tax on bankers’ bonuses. And our changes to the pension system will radically reduce the huge advantages the present pension system gives to the most wealthy and take all pensioners out of poverty. But this is only a beginning. We would also:

· introduce the new higher rate of income tax at 50% for incomes above £100,000, raising £2.3bn pa
· abolish the upper limit for National Insurance contributions raising £9.1bn
· help lower earners by raising the lower National Insurance limit to the personal allowance rate, that is £6475 or £124.52 a week, costing £3.9bn
· help lower earners by re-introducing the 10% tax band and the 22p basic rate, costing £14.9bn
· increase the main rate of Corporation Tax from 28% back to 30% - and reduce the small firms rate to 20%, altogether raising £1.4bn
· raise the Capital Gains Tax rate from 18 to 22% to the recipient’s highest income tax rate, raising £1bn
· reform inheritance tax, so that the level of taxation depends on the wealth of the recipient rather than that of the deceased, raising £3bn by 2013. This will encourage people to distribute their property widely.
· crack down on tax havens and other methods of tax evasion and avoidance raising £10bn in 2010 rising to £13bn by 2013. In particular press for a transparent international accounting standard that requires companies to report on a country by country basis so that therir profits can be located and taxed.
· reform Council Tax by making people in more expensive houses pay more and those in smaller ones less, adding an additional band at the top for the biggest houses, raising £1.7bn. In the long run we favour moving to a system of Land Value Tax, where the level of taxation depends on the rental value of the land concerned.

A Peashooter Going Up Against A Bazooka

Labour and the Conservatives are looking to attack the LibDems for being pro Europe and against Trident. The LD say they are ready!

Does this remind anyone of the 'go back to your constituencies and prepare for government." moment.

Jim Jepps has blogged about his favourite LibDems, talk about love bombs.

Clegg said: "Since I took over the party, I have been praying to get into an argument about ideology. We didn't stand a chance if our argument about change was confined to billboards and posters - that's like a peashooter going up against a bazooka. We can't compete." "Of course they'll attack and of course they'll come up with all sorts of misleading claims. Of course the old parties will start lashing out now," he said.

An Electoral Commission spokesman said that the leaders debate last week had triggered a "massive boost" in registration. In every previous election registration has closed with the announcement of polling day but for this one there was a new 11-day window for people to sign up after it was called. So something good came out of the debate, along with a weeks worth of headlines.

Gordon Brown has said Lib Dem policies must be "exposed" after polls suggested a jump in support for the party. The prime minister said the Lib Dem economic proposals were "mistaken," while proposed Conservative spending cuts posed a risk to the recovery. "I think the Liberals have got to be exposed. They are going to cut child tax credits, they are going to cut the child trust fund, they have got a very strange proposal for the winter fuel allowance for pensioners that they want to introduce immediately," he said.

After polls taken after the first TV debate put the Lib Dems up by as much as eight points, their leader Nick Clegg said a "little door had opened."

Meanwhile, the Tories have said the Lib Dems cannot be trusted on Europe. And they are attacking on Trident. Dr Fox hit out at Liberal Democrat plans to cancel the Trident replacement nuclear deterrent, saying it put the future of Plymouth dock at risk because there won't be enough work, and said the decision would mean "the end" of BAE Systems' shipyard at Barrow in Furness. A few months ago the Tories were all for delaying Trident, but the LibDems seem to have pushed them to flip.

The Greens are not only against trident, unlike the LibDems we are against all nuclear weapons.

Craig Murray, now a LibDem, puts it like this "I want to see an immediate start to withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan and I do not want to see a replacement for the vastly expensive Trident nuclear missile system. On each one of those major policy points, I am in agreement with at least 40% of the UK population, but on none of those points is my view represented by any of the three major political parties. And remember, only those three major political parties will be represented in the televised leaders' debates that will play such a key part in the election."

Negative Campaigning Posters

It often happens in elections that things go negative; I thought I would compare this nasty poster with some older ones. Somehow if they are funnier I think they work better, this lacks humour, in my opinion Brown has done a poor job as PM but this will not damage him.


The much criticised Labour attack poster; Tory pigs fly. It was seen as having racist connotations due to Michael Howards religion, though this may have been unintended.


Another famous Labour poster, Tory 'Mr Boom and Mister Bust', I think the Tories should be reminding voters of Browns part in this.


Ok its a bit rough, but hows this for an idea? Lab Boom And Bust.


This famous Tory attack poster 'New Labour New Danger' has Blairs demonic eyes


Another famous Tory attack, 'Labours Tax Bomb'


And another tax bomb


I don't recall this at all, forgettable.


This is just nasty, even one of their own candidates was offended.


I thought this was funny



Just to show Greens can go negative, here is one called 'Old News' used in Brighton

Lessons From A Volcano

Just as hurricane Katrina made us aware that we are all vulnerable to nature, we have much to learn from Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano in Iceland that had grounded so many flights.

I think this could be a wake up call, we are more dependent than we realise on a vulnerable supply chain. Thanks to peak oil and climate change in the long term flying on this scale is not sustainable. We must think about how we will feed our country in the future. This eruption may do what hurricane Katrina did, make us aware that we are not more powerful than nature.

The volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier erupted continuously for about six months in 1823, University of Melbourne earth sciences Associate Professor David Phillips said.

Iceland’s Laki volcano erupted in 1783, freeing gases that turned into smog. The smog floated across the Jet Stream, changing weather patterns. Many died from gas poisoning in the British Isles. Crop production fell in western Europe. Famine spread.

One of the toughest things for people to do is to anticipate sudden change. Typically we project the future by extrapolating from trends in the past.

For most of us, the idea that civilization itself could disintegrate probably seems preposterous. Who would not find it hard to think seriously about such a complete departure from what we expect of ordinary life? What evidence could make us heed a warning so dire—and how would we go about responding to it? Sure, our civilization might devolve into chaos—and Earth might collide with an asteroid, too!

Europe has not seen such travel disruption for decades. Air space across from Britain to Ukraine was closed and set to stay that way until Sunday or Monday in some countries. Millions of passengers have had plans foiled or delayed. Airlines are losing millions every day.

Christopher Snelling, the FTA's head of global supply chain policy, said: "The longer that UK airspace is closed for business, the greater the damage, not just to businesses here, but also for farmers in the developing countries who rely on exporting their produce to Europe."

Alan Braithwaite, chairman of LCP Consulting, a supply chain specialist, said: "The disruption to UK and EU aviation from the Icelandic dust cloud will lead to shortages of product quite quickly for categories like fresh fruit and flowers and then into the pharmaceuticals and high-tech areas based on limited stock in the chain." I am less worried about flower shortages though.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "Less than 1pc of what we sell comes into the UK via air. At the moment there is no impact and we have enough stock. We are keeping a very close eye in it at the moment."

An Asda spokesman said: "We don't have much of a problem. Where we do import fruit by air it tends to be exotic fruit. We have a good stock at the moment."


Around the world, anxious passengers have told stories of missed weddings, business deals and holidays because of the ominous plume. Stranded passengers reported the delays were causing financial hardships. Some had to check out of hotels and sleep in airports.

"It's like a refugee camp," said Rhiannon Thomas, of Birmingham, describing the scene at New York's Kennedy Airport. Her family spent the night at the airport Friday, and may be there for days before they can get a flight home. "At least we got beds," said Thomas' mother, Pat, referring to the hundreds of narrow blue cots brought in to JFK's Terminal 4. "Some people slept on cardboard."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was heading homeward in an armored car along an Italian highway Saturday — continuing a long and circuitous return from the United States.

Reading West Hustings BBC Radio Berkshire, Mostly Missing Presumed Having A Good Time

Yet another hustings where I wasn't invited, and again its one that many people will have heard. Funny that I am invited to the ones where only a couple of hundred people attend. The other one I was excluded from was on TV.


Unfortunately only the big three parties were asked to attend, but they did a phone interview with me the day before. The Ukip chap also did a phone interview. That was a bit strange, they cut my bits into the broadcast, but as I hadn't been responding to what has just been said, some times I repeated what they said. But still I think it kind of worked, I got some of my points across.

Click on the link and go forward 2 hours to listen again.

Just as the one on TV last month, when I am not there the others start to bicker. Daisy's voice didn't sound great on radio, perhaps she was a bit overexcited, trying to live up to the Clegg hype. Naz as usual tried to score points and interrupt. Alok kept his cool, but occasionally got into bickering with Naz.



Q1 was about the leaders debate, Daisy was sure Clegg has won it. Naz thought Brown was the solid and robust, Alok thought Cameron was Prime-ministerial and Brown sniping, and that Clegg did well. Daisy said there was lots of 'love bombing', which got a laugh.

Q2 about new housing affecting traffic, was also reported here.
Labour's Naz Sarkar said there are 6,000 people on the housing register in the town and the party has house- building targets that have to be met.

The Conservative's Alok Sharma said his party would scrap targets and allow residents to choose where they want their houses to be built.
Liberal Democrat Daisy Benson raised concerns about an "over reliance on developer-led developments and creaking infrastructure".

I was answering a question on housing, not on traffic, when I said "We have a policy on empty homes - getting them back into use. But that isn't enough for the problem. I suggest the empty office blocks, there are some that have been empty for five or six years. There are people with second homes when other people do not have a place to live." (at 2 hours 18 mins)
They reported Bruce Hay, the UKIP candidate, as unavailable for comment. He answered other questions though

Q3. Cost of buses. Daisy want more power for councils to look at bus fares and cycle routes. Alok said Daisy was right, buses should be affordable, oyster card better so change not needed. Alok claimed to be the only one using the bus every day, he was pounced on by the others and admitted getting a taxi today, Daisy mentioned a meeting at the hospital and also said she commuted and bus. Increased use in cold weather. I would have enjoyed answering this, Greens have campaigned for years for reduced public transport fares, which will reduce traffic.

Q4. What have you already done. Alok; taken up hundreds of issues, post offices, pincents hill, Gurkhas. Naz; has helped Martin Salter, has been a teacher. Daisy; is the only one who was an RBC councillor. Google her and find what she has done, don't have to list them. I would have talked about campaign against Tesco and for post offices and sustainable transport.


Q5. Expenses & legal aid. Naz; Martin Salter was very good on this, everyone here would be good, no second homes. Daisy; abolish safe seats. No LD flipped mortgages (not quite the whole storey). Alok; Cameron acted quickly. Transparency, cut the cost of politics. Bruce Hay Ukip; its too late, no excuse legal aid, 'Morley, Chator and the other one'! I will donate 10% to Gurkha aid (thats a cheap trick, vote for him and he may give money to a good cause) and publish my expenses. Adrian; polititians have broken trust, need a recall for MPs, end FPTP, they should provide receipts same as everyone else.

Q6. Student housing. Alok; more private landlords, West Berkshire offer loan guarantee. Naz; Universities should ensure low rents, private landlords high quality. Daisy; I represent thousands of students, Lab have under regulated, lots of dodgy landlords, lab now supporting me. Uni must be more involved.

Q7. Government need to do more for business. Naz; right on the economy, need grants, ensure it grows. Daisy; coffee in Waitrose with FSB, cut red tape, councils more powers, bring them in, ot leave them out in the cold. Naz talked about city status, Daisy kept interrupting him. Alok, have campaigned with FSB, over taxed and regulated, bring tax rates down. NI rise, will halt this. It will cost 57,000 jobs. Naz and Alok got into bickering. Listener feedback Naz was listening, but worst policies.

Q8. How many public sector jobs lost. Alok; cost savings and Naz interrupted, was stopped. Alok; no jobs cuts, we all have to make savings. Questioner Pat was worried about services, Alok assured her no health cuts. Naz its about money, Tories will cut. Daisy; works public sector, manifesto fully costed savings.



The candidates standing for election so far in Reading West are:
Naz Sarkar - Labour,
Alok Sharma - Conservatives,
Daisy Benson - Liberal Democrats,
Adrian Windisch - Green
and Bruce Hay - UKIP.

I think there was a bit of a theme that developed. Daisy kept name dropping her meetings, but there was no scrutiny on this as no one else here has been on Reading Council. She claims to be the expert on housing, but what has she done? Where are the LibDem inspired cycle paths? Still waiting, they often mention that at elections, but do nothing. Shame.

Naz kept name dropping Martin Salter, presumably to get the Labour vote out. Perhaps he doesn't realise how polarising he was, but thats his gamble. He is always interrupting Alok, I hate that, again it his choice.

Alok tries to keep out of the bickering, but gets drawn in. I am impressed with him, all of us are theoretically against pincents hill and the bath road reservoir, but its Alok that

As for Bruce Hay, 'Morley, Chaytor and the other one' may be the best quote of the election so far. Fyi its Elliot Morley, David Chaytor, Jim Devine; three former Labour MPs accused of fiddling their parliamentary expenses have won taxpayer money to help pay their legal bills.

Leaders Debate, Verdict Underwhelming

Leaders debate finishes. Media gets very excited. Interviews representatives from 3 major parties.

Q So Mr Tory, how did you chap do? A. Mine was best

Q So Mr Labour, how did your chap do? A. No mine was best

Q OK, Mr LibDem, how did your guy do? A. Actually mine was best.

And so it went, on blogs, newspapers, radio. Lib Dems claim victory, deja vu from the chancellors debate, the public liked Cleggs style, we will see how they vote. The media liked him being the fresh new thing, as they liked Cameron a few years ago. That wont last. They had a big boost from being seen as an equal with the big parties. If any other party had been their, Plaid, SNP, even Ukip, they would have had that boost. As of course would the Greens, even better; our leader is no middle aged white man.



I thought it was a bit dull, there wasn't enough on the differences between them. If it wasn't for reading twitter comments, I would not have lasted the 90 mins. They kept me amused for a while.

Highlights were Cameron talking about China as a target for nuclear war, thats diplomacy. Not.

I have read Caroline Lucas comments, Wish I'd been able to be in the debates as well. People are being shortchanged if they're led to believe that there aren't real alternatives out there. I was saddened to notice that not one

of the other leaders mentioned the environment once - nor alternative approaches to the economic crisis.

Greens are standing on a manifesto of not only safeguarding the environment, but also fighting for fairness. The choice between safeguarding the environment and the economy is a false one - a massive investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs as well as reducing emissions.

Our policies will ensure a move towards a sustainable society, whilst leaving 87 per cent of the population significantly better off.

I would be an independent and fresh voice to speak out for residents wishes - not whipped by my party, but able to fight for what people truly want - jobs, housing, better transport, lower taxes for those on lower wages, regulation of bankers bonuses and a serious commitment to tackling climate change.

Friends of the Earth have commented similarly.

Most people I've spoken to seem to put Nick Clegg ahead, but he was the one who most disappointed me. Why?

Well, the Lib Dem manifesto made a huge play of a green recovery - but he didn't mention it once. That worried me - when he was unscripted and off the cuff he seemed to forget it all.

On a lighter note, Slapometer had a different view that may cheer Cameron:
The final results for debate 1 were:
Overall: 2,966,005
Clegg: (12%)
Cameron: (50%)
Brown: (38%)

Update:
I'm watching it again, they all had some good moments. One difference with Clegg is he looked into the camera, the others looked at their opponents and the audience. Some thought that worked well.

Brown told some porkies that the others ignored, but they got caught by channel 4

The questions were not good. Q1 on Immigration, Q2 on Crime, Q3 in MPs expenses; too similar.
Brown seemed oddly keen to sidle up to Clegg, perhaps to isolate Cam. Brown had some proposals that were reforming, but why didn't he do it in the last 13 years? Who believes he would actually do it if given the chance? How does Clegg dare claim his MPS were clean? That wasted the first 30 mins.

Q4 Education; Brown usual waffle, every school a good school, then went on to talk about privatised academies. Not challenged, because the others agree. Cameron went on about excluding pupils, may be thats the way forward, exclude all of them and save money? Talked about spending money on the dept of education. Clegg on class sizes, did ok.

Q5 Economy, Cam on job tax, Clegg cuts and savings (including Trident), Brown support people. Cam on waste, Clegg those 2 are the same on cuts waste, but we are going to cut waste. (Isn't that just the same as the other two? Cleggtastic. And then repeated. Ad nauseum.

Another 30 mins of my life has gone by, just 30 to go.

Q6 Troops dying under equipped and under paid. Clegg goes for cuts, 2 admirals for every warship. Brown mentioned the war! Cam humbled by troops bravery, incredible athletes? Clegg on rollers that save lives. Brown, why are we in Afghanistan, chain of terror there and Pakistan. Cam wants nukes to defend us from Iran & China. Brown goes for Iran and North Korea. Clegg says the world has moved on, so why does he still want nukes? Just doesn't want trident. Cam goes for lack of helicopters. Again. Brown 'We are the best equipped in our history' makes no sense on many levels.

Q7 Health, ageing population. Brown; revolution that people live longer. Personal guarate on time till op. Have heard that one before. Cam; talks of his son. Sigh. Expand NHS, cancer drugs. Clegg priorities are all wrong, money went on managers & computers not A&E and maternity. Brown; more nurses, Doctors, no longer 2 years wait for ops. Cam; managers numbers going up 5x faster than nurses, sell home to get cancer drugs. Clegg; phony debate, Cam cannot provide tax breaks, cut strategic health authorities. Cam; NHS is excemped from our cuts, death rate worse than Bulgaria. Brown; screening. Clegg; honesty in this debate, cant give tax breaks. Cam; Clegg is promising tax breaks. Clegg; stop loopholes.

Q8 Care for elderly (havent we had almost the same Q already? Boring) Cam; residential care, reward those who have done the right thing. Clegg; lets work together, respite for carers. Brown; need a better system, care at home, take away anxiety. Cam; system unfair. Clegg agrees with Cam. Respite for carers (didn't he just say that already?) Repeat ad nauseum. Again.

Closing comments. Clegg; we are different to the two old parties, lets have something new and different. yada yada blah blah hope for the future. Give change a chance. Brown; I was struck (I may have dreamed that) by a question. Different recession to last time, fair to NHS, Police and Schools, Look forward to the next debate. Cam; repeated attempts to frighten you about the Conservatives. Values, work hard, raise a family, become old and I will be there for you. (Yawn)

So the large number of times they agree with each other doesnt show that they are all right, but that they are on the same agenda. So a limited choice. And some very poor Questions, and poor moderation.