Press Releases for 2004

OUR MP CORRECT TO CONDEMN TORY SHIFT TO THE RIGHT

12th September 2004

Damian Green, MP for Ashford, left the Shadow Cabinet last week and has condemned it's shift to the Right under Michael Howard's leadership (1). The Green Party condemns the willingness of the Conservatives to work with the UK Independence Party who are engaged in an effort to make racism respectable (2). Steve Dawe comments:

"The Conservative Party plans to cooperate with the UK Independence Party in the forthcoming referendum on the EU Constitution (3). We share the concern shown by Damian Green MP about this action. As a former employee of the No Campaign against the Euro, I worked alongside Conservatives and others who ensured that UKIP was kept out of that campaign (4). UKIP has representatives whose overt racism and hostility to asylum seekers is well-documented and quite revolting. The Green Party notes that the fragmentation of the right wing vote in the European Elections Conservative, UKIP, and British National Party is driving some Conservatives to seek more extreme positions to increase Conservative voting for future elections. But if the practical effect is cosying up to racist parties then the public should desert the Conservatives for other parties in condemnation of this xenophobia. Scapegoating asylum seekers when you have no other major policy differences with Labour is bad enough: consorting with racist parties offers too much respectability to groups who have no place in decent politics." ENDs c238 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe on 01233 645167 and 07747 036192. Contact address as above. Website: www.eastkent-greenparty.org.uk

Notes: 1. Damian Green As Blair's support falters, we Tories must not shift to the Right (The Observer, 12th September 2004). 2. Don't vote for racist parties EAST KENT GREEN PARTY press release 27.5.04 (with references) under PRESS RELEASES, www.eastkent-greenparty.org.uk 3. See EU Observer website 4. Steve Dawe was Green Party Co-ordinator at the No Campaign, against the Euro, May-October 2003.

Site design and
management by

providers of

designed for

using

Computers

and VALID

Updated by
Philip
27th March 2005