Press Releases for 2004
GREENS SELECT GEOFF MEADEN TO FIGHT GENERAL ELECTION
7th October 2004Dr Geoff Meaden has been selected to fight Canterbury in the next general election. He has an exemplary record as a local Green campaigner on issues such as the proposed Broad Oak reservoir, Thruxted Mill, transport and protection of greenfield sites.
He spent 18 years teaching Geography at the Simon Langton Girls' School, a brief period at Canterbury College, and is now Senior Lecturer in Geography at Canterbury Christchurch University College. Married with three children, he has participated in the local coalition PEOPLE AGAINST CANTERBURY EXPANSION since its launch in 1996. He played a role in getting Canterbury College to redevelop its own site rather than build a campus on our countryside. He is now campaigning to stop the proposed Barton business park, working with other local organisations. Geoff says:
"The next general election will probably be held in the spring of 2006. It is becoming clear what the major issues will be: 1. Energy and Climate Change: Oil prices are over $50 a barrel with predictions of higher prices soon. The Green Party believes that dependence upon fossil fuels for energy and transport must end. Energy conservation and renewable energy can create the energy we need, and the costly nuclear industry should be shut down(1); Europe: the Government supports the draft EU constitution. The Green Party believes this maintains some of the worst features of the EU: the Common Agricultural Policy; the Common Fisheries Policy; promotion of arms sales and high defence spending; an emphasis on markets instead of human needs. We can have a scaled-down EU without these features(2); Public Services: The Government spends four times as much on quangos as it does on local government, crippling local services including meeting local housing needs. Schools and hospitals vary across the country far too much. The Green Party believe public services should be predominantly under the control of elected regional and local government with more of our taxes being spent in our localities instead of at the centre(3)."
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Further information: Geoff Meaden, 01227 456806 or 01227 767700. Contact address as above. Notes: 1. The nuclear industry in Britain requires a subsidy of £2 million a week to keep it running. John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister, is recommending all new housing use solar energy technology. The Green Party supports cuts in UK greenhouse gas emissions of over 85% by 2050. See www.greenparty.org.uk under 'Policies' for policies on energy and climate change. 2. The Green Party supports a scaled-down version of the EU with less powers and a stronger role for the European Parliament, appointing and controlling the European Commission. See www.greenparty.org.uk under 'Policies' for full European policy. 3. The Green Party believes public services should be universally available in comparable quality throughout the country and that they should be free at the point of use. Like the Chair of the Local Government Association, Sandy Bruce Lockhart, the Green Party is opposed to costly Private Finance Initiative projects and to un-elected quangos having a major role in the delivery of services.
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