My Question for Written Answer: To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to work with international partners to establish a UN investigation into the mass poisoning of school children in Iran. Continue reading “The mass poisoning of school children in Iran”
The Public Order Bill has returned again to the Commons with Lords amendments after 2 rounds of Ping Pong. The Lords are digging in on suspicion-less stop and search having won on the protection of journalists. Details of the government defeats can be viewed here Continue reading “Public Order Bill Ping Pong”
To ask His Majesty’s Government, given the increased use of food banks, what assessment they have made of ways of reducing dependence on the charitable sector for the provision of food Continue reading “My Question on Food Banks”
The issue of shark-fins encapsulates the human problem that we have in our relationship to our planet. There is an attitude among a vast majority of people—particularly in this House—that the planet is there for us: it is there for us to rape and pillage, to use as and when we need. As a Green, I can see that simply is not true. The majority of people think that this whole world is at our disposal—animal, vegetable, mineral—and I argue that it is our lifeline. It is our home, and we ought to be looking after it better. Humans have been around, more or less in the form that we are at the moment, for about 100,000 years. In evolutionary terms, that is like being tiny little toddlers, and our behaviour is often like toddlers; we are greedy, we grab and we do not follow common sense. We certainly do not seem to understand that earth is our support system. Continue reading “Shark Fin Fishing”
In this budget the Chancellor has taken absolutely no steps on the path to a green economy. Green growth is an oxymoron. The minute you grow anything, you have to degrow in a different area. Green growth is possible but not if you do not cut somewhere else. Every time we grow the economy, we take a bite out of the planet’s resources. In the words of Professor Jason Hickel, author of ‘Less is More’ –
“Decarbonization with growth is like trying to run down an escalator that is accelerating upwards” Continue reading “Not even baby steps”
On Spring Budget Day, amid the cost of living crisis and climate emergency, I did a tour of nearby picket lines staffed by teachers, civil servants and journalists and was interviewed by ITV about local BBC radio station cuts. I didn’t get to the picket lines staffed by junior doctors, university or tube staff but I support them too and condemn the Government’s Strikes Bill as a Slavery Bill Continue reading “Picket lines”
“Brian Haw (1949-2011) was one of the most visible, influential, determined and adhesive peace campaigners of our times. In June 2001, he began a peace protest at Parliament Square in Westminster, where he remained for nearly ten years.” Actor and campaigner Mark Rylance writes about him for the Big Issue.
A Crowdfunder has been set up to fund the installation of a small statue of Brian, facing the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, creating a permanent symbol of protest for peace – you can support the Crowdfunder here
On Friday Jenny went with Caroline Lucas MP and Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah to 10 Downing Street to deliver a letter to the PM – urging him to take up #EllasLaw and to make clean air a human right for all. The longer it takes him & his Govt to clean up our dirty, toxic air, the more lives will be put at risk – they *must* support this Bill.
The 2nd reading of Ella’s Law (Clean Air Bill) in the Commons is scheduled for 24th March.
Caroline has an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of the right to breathe clean air, has your MP signed in support of the EDM yet? Please email your MP and ask them to sign Caroline’s Clean Air EDM
Statement from Jenny in recognition of the approach of the end of the ‘United Nations International Decade for people of African descent 2015 to 2024’ which the British Government continues to refuse to recognise. Continue reading “Reparatory Justice for Afrikan Enslavement”
I signed this open letter today:
Rt Hon Mark Harper MP and Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP
Dear Secretaries of State,
An urgent call to address new evidence of ecological assessment errors by HS2 Ltd
We write collectively to bring a new report to your attention which shows that the environmental cost of HS2 is far higher, and more serious, than HS2 Ltd has claimed. Continue reading “Open Letter from the Wildlife Trusts on HS2”
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb 