Andrew Cooper, this year’s lead Euro candidate, writes,
“The New Year is a time for resolutions and wishes but what might the top Green Party wishes look like for 2014?”
1. An End to Foodbanks!
These ‘monstrous carbuncles’ have sprung up in all our leading cities – reminding us of our inability to make policy to end severe poverty, with malnutrition and hunger increasing around the country. Huge thanks to those who staff them – but austerity is unnecessary, poverty is unnecessary, and our REAL job is to make THEM unnecessary too – once again!
2. Scrap HS2!
This boondoggle of a high tech project has gone from estimated costs of £32 billions to £80 billions in this year alone – before it’s even begun – and may cost hundreds of billions before it’s ever finished! Why? So people can get to London a bit faster! That £100 billions can be spent on ANYTHING else – local transport, subsidising ticket prices or alleviating poverty.
3. Where is Chilcot?
Release the Chilcot Report on Iraq. What precisely happened? How did we send hundreds of troops to their deaths while killing hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Iraqis. And for what? No Iraq War report means no trust. The bloodiest deception of modern times requires answers; publish and be damned!
4. Properly fund the NHS.
This Government is to blame for the A&E crisis.
5. Renationalise the railways!
The East Coast line made £208 million profit and it’s state-owned! So keep it public. Now prices have recently been raised again on top of every other burden ordinary people are having to carry.
6. Prosecute some bankers.
We all know why this austerity is being sold to us: because successive governments are determined to protect the banking industry at all costs. Their one job was to make money! Banking is not a money pit for taxpayers. They failed, sometimes scandalously, like fixing LIBOR rates. Those responsible must pay an honourable price.
7. Tax properly. Spend properly.
There are £120 billions minimum to recoup for the UK in avoided and evaded taxes. Government’s job is to protect the people not surrender everything to banks and corporations.
8. Release Shaker Aamer.
An American president promised the closure of Guantanamo prison in 2009. Among the innocent captives remains one final British resident, jailed 12 years ago on February 14th, the day his youngest son was born. ‘They know what they are doing to me is wrong and that’s why they are scared.’ It costs America nothing to release him now.
11. Global effort: Solve Fukushima Now!
After 3 nuclear meltdowns and any number of other difficulties, to leave Japan, let alone Tepco, let alone the ordinary people, to suffer all the consequences is unconscionable. The most serious accident in global nuclear history is being tackled on the cheap. The world must rally round and act now.
12. An end to fuel poverty in the UK.
We need a proper plan to insulate millions of homes across the UK to permanently protect people from energy company price rises.
13. Oh, and SACK ATOS!
14. Insert yours here: ———————————————————-
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