John,
What an incredible year it has been for the Green Party! But as 2024 draws to a close, there was no let up for our hard working MPs, peers and councillors. Scroll down to find out the difference Greens have been making in December 🔽
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Sian Berry MP has criticised the Government's decision not to compensate WASPI women, despite admitting wrongdoing, in the House of Commons, calling the response a "bitter dose of nothing". Women should have the same security in retirement as their male counterparts, she said.
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The UK must make climate adaptation a national priority, according to Ellie Chowns MP. She said the country is clearly not ready for the increasingly severe impacts of climate change, as demonstrated by the destruction caused by winter storms, so the Government must act urgently.
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Responding to the launch of the Government's six new milestones, former party leader Caroline Lucas told Newsnight that Labour must be braver and invest massively in the country to deliver its priorities, or it risks being a one term Government, with Farage and Reform waiting in the wings.
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Changes to planning policy will fail to deliver for both the housing and nature crises by giving developers a blank cheque to build more executive homes, at the expense of council houses and genuinely affordable homes, Green Party co-leader and MP Adrian Ramsay has warned.
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Carla Denyer representing Green MPs at a Palestine Solidarity Campaign demo outside Parliament.
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The Government has made changes to the Water Special Measures Bill in response to amendments put down by Jenny Jones, backed by water campaigners, in the House of Lords. Ofwat will now have a duty to protect the environment under the Bill intended to address poor performance of the water industry, and water companies will be expected to use nature based solutions to deal with sewage and flooding. However, both Tory and Labour peers rejected her attempt to bring the issue of water ownership into the Bill.
Elie Chowns said water needs to be brought into public ownership when the House of Commons debated the Bill, earlier this week. In a passionate speech, she said it is not possible to use water as a vehicle for maximising profit whilst providing safe, affordable drinking water, and a clean environment. Highlighting that 30 per cent of water bills now go towards servicing debt and dividends rather than improving infrastructure and services, she said the Government needs to face reality, rather than tinkering around the edges of a failed model.
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Jenny Jones with water campaigners Feargal Sharkey and Professor Becky Malby.
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Carla Denyer has put down an amendment to the Renters Rights Bill aimed at making rents more affordable. The amendment would set up an independent body responsible for setting rules for calculating rent levels, based on property type, size, condition, as well as local incomes. Sky high rents are a huge issue in Carla's constituency, Bristol Central, where half of households live in private rented accommodation and rents are the highest in the country, outside of London. The amendment, which is backed by the Renters Reform Coalition, is due to be voted on in the New Year. Write to your MP to strengthen the bill here.
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Reacting to the Government's White Paper on the reorganisation of local government, which will see district and county councils merged, the Green leader of Lewis District Council, Zoe Nicholson, told the BBC that the plans are a 'power grab' and 'the death knell for local democracy'.
Meanwhile in Green led Bristol, council leader Tony Dyer, said the toughest challenge facing councils is the continued underfunding of local services by central Government. Labour must "provide funds for local authorities to build social housing at scale in areas that we know need it the most.”
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The cross party campaign to get the Climate and Nature Bill passed is gathering momentum, in the run up to its second reading in the House of Commons on 24 January. The legislation enshrines interlinked climate and nature goals into law. Ask your MP to back the CAN Bill using Zero Hour campaign's fab toolkit.
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A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Nature Action Now campaign. We reached our target of £25,000 which will be used to support our MPs crucial work prioritising nature action in parliament. But we are not finished yet. Coming in the New Year, a new range of Nature Action Now merch!
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Want to help shape a Green future? We are looking for for a permanent, part-time Membership Assistant, applications close 1.00pm on Monday 6 January 2025, and a Press Manager (job share), applications close 10am on Wednesday 15 January 2025. Find out more and apply here ✅
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Whilst much recent attention has focused on our four new MPs, our two established exceptionally, hard working peers have continued to have a big impact in the House of Lords, scrutinising bills and speaking with authority and conviction on domestic and international issues. A Sunday Times survey found that other than Ministers, Natalie Bennett spoke more in the Upper Chamber over the course of the year than any other peer - a survey picked up by Iain Dale on LBC earlier this month when Natalie was a guest. "Jenny Jones and myself try to cover as much ground as we can," Natalie explained. "As Greens we always have something different, independent and green to bring to the debate." Bravo!
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Best wishes,
The Green Party 💚
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Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ
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