Press Releases for 2005
GREEN CANDIDATE FOR SOUTH THANET SEAT
31st March 2005Thanet Green Party(1) has selected Howard Green as Green Party Candidate for South Thanet. Howard Green is a local environmentalist and long standing Thanet resident. A former Thanet District Councillor, Howard is married with one child and works in technical sales. He previously represented the Thanet on Kent County Playing Fields Association and is a long standing member of the Woodland Trust. Howard says:
"The general election must address what the Government's chief scientist has described as a far worst threat than terrorism climate change. Energy efficiency, safe energy technologies, better public transport and organic agriculture all offer employment and will help combat climate change. The Government's recent decision to allow more out of town shopping developments will further damage Thanet's town centres(2). Years of intensive agriculture polluted the Island's water supply with nitrates and toxic chemicals. Our marine environment is also polluted and fish stocks are collapsing. Despite evidence of environmental damage caused by GM crops, the European Commission is imposing the growing of such crops on the whole European Union(3), which could include Thanet.
"On other issues: the Green Party supports a scaled-down European Union, without the Euro or a European Constitution(4). We want a redistribution of our tax revenues from the centre to local services. We support developing a Common Asylum Policy for the EU which guarantees that movement of people between countries is legal, fair and safe. Thanet Green party members are promoting a campaign which is distinctly different: a campaign based upon the core principle of sustainability: our environment is fundamental to life itself. This contrasts with the other parties, who are concerned primarily with short-term, sound-bite policies". Ends c282 words
FURTHER INFORMATION: Howard Green on 01843 601250 or 07771 954139. Contact address as above. PHOTO being sent in separate email.
Notes:
1. Thanet Green Party is a branch of KENT GREEN PARTY, see www.kentgreenparty.org.uk
2. Decision by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott with support from Keith Hill, Planning Minister. (Guardian, 22nd March 2005).
3. The Guardian, 22nd March 2005. The Four Tests undertaken show these results: Test 1: Spring-sown oilseed rape, October 2003: Nationwide tests found that biotech oilseed rape sown in the spring could be more harmful to many groups of wildlife than their conventional equivalent. There were fewer butterflies among modified crops, due to there being less weeds. Verdict: GM fails. Test 2: Sugar beet, October 2003: The GM crop was found to be potentially more harmful to its environment than crops that were unmodified. Bees and butterflies were recorded more frequently around conventional crops, due to greater numbers of weeds. Verdict: GM fails. Test 3: Maize, October 2003: The production of biotech maize was shown to be kinder to other plants and animals compared to conventional crops. More weeds grew around the biotech maize crops, attracting more butterflies, bees and weed seeds. Verdict: GM passes, but critics brand study as flawed. Test 4: Winter-sown oilseed rape, March 2005: Tests showed that fields sown with the biotech crop had fewer broad-leaved weeds growing in them. This impacted on the numbers of bees and butterflies, which feed on such weeds. Verdict: GM fails.
4. See Europe section: www.kentgreenparty.org.uk
| Site design and management by  |
providers of |
designed for |
using Computers |
and VALID |
Updated by Philip 31st March 2005 |