Elect your Greens!

About this upcoming election and all the tactics and aims being touted as a way of ensuring one outcome or another - in my view, NO party is getting a majority in this election.

The people who will vote in #GE2019 are not as united as politics would like and certainly not along 'usual' party lines; we're fractured by so many issues from Brexit/Remain/Revoke to hatred/ambivelance/adoration of Boris/Corbyn and from what I see - a hung-parliament looks the most likely outcome.

In that scenario, MPs from smaller parties have more power because they can add or withdraw support that means the difference to which party leads and which policies get through. Personally - I believe a hung-parliament is a good start to breaking the predictable and ugly continuation of the 2-party system that leads to the usual rounds of promises that don't get acted on.

In THIS election - because it's now - during the most important time in the life of our species and any other on this planet, powered by nature... it truly matters that we MAKE OUR VOTES MATTER!

Of course getting the worst party for the planet (Conservatives - see graph) out of power is hugely important but so is getting decent MPs into Parliament and strengthening the Green Party of England and Wales because it actually gives a damn, has the answers and has a clean, clear focus on the environment - unlike ANY other party - it's what the Green Party was formed to do.

Can we afford Green policies they ask? What on earth do 'they' think matters more - breathing or spending? Besides - Green policies are quite exquisite in that they cost an awful lot but in return, gift plentiful jobs, cost savings for all of us, a cleaner, healthier environment that makes us feel better and eases demand on healthcare.. other parties think keeping a tidy balance sheet gets them the big tick of a 'well done' - Greens think no child should have 'pollution' on a certificate as the cause of death.

As Greens have shown - you drive parliament by pushing the policies that really matter. Even without true power - the Greens have forced environment onto the agenda and every elected Green has made an impact in Councils that went on to declare climate emergencies and with the sole Green MP being such an obvious influencer in Westminster.

Elect you Greens - they're good for you!

#ElectYourGreens

Hope evicted

This morning New Hope Resistance Camp was evicted from land no-one wanted or really cared about... by a gang of bailiffs, Pete Marquis demolitions, 50+ Lancashire Police and sundry others for various levels of police force UK.

The action was brutal, inhumane and ludicrousy executed.

The main Preston New Road A583 was closed at various times with little reason and only cops in the road causing any disruption - although one of the residents of New Hope did stand momentarily to face the forces and demand he be allowed to have his books returned.

The most pleasure that could be had today was had by Pete Marquis - the glint in his eye, quiver of his lips and clenching of his sweaty hands marking the height of his delight as the diggers chewed at the entry gates of New Hope. As the digger turned its attention to the beautiful trees behind the gate and tore them from the ground - he had a look of ecstasy about him.

Today, Miranda had arranged tree-planting in Kirkham and many of us had planned on going - Tracey's delicious tree-planting soup though and hot drinks came instead to the site of eviction and any other plans abandoned as we stood with our fellow residents to witness the remnants of their lives together at New Hope, piled on the pavement.

Like a fireman's thing where they pass a bucket... belongings were ferried to nearby Maple Farm community hub where they'd be out of the weather. Cat boxes started turning up and each of the beautiful but terrified felines was safely gathered up... except one. At one point there was a little tower of cats... before they too were sorted to temporary placements.

The residents of New Hope who have lived pretty much off-grid with renewables and lovely cats (plus Maple the dog - nearly forgot!) for nearly 3 years... they are not visitors or outsiders, they are residents of the Fylde community.

The local police have recently been imploring campaigners and protectors of Preston New Road to meet and chat about the future... the chasm between police and community has widened and I think they know there is irrepairable damage been done since 5th Jan 2017 when Preston New Road Rolling Roadside Protest started. They're right. Today as the local police were again used to facilitate a cruel act against campaigners, the lack of humanity was the death-knell. The lies too... claims the landowner wanted New Hope cleared (believe he was not that bothered as disused land - perhaps 'encuraged'?) - assurance a vet was onsite and Fylde Council representative (nope) and the fact that 50+ cops in 18+ vehicles made such a drama out of an absolute crisis of their own making.

The beautiful part?

The cat boxes, the soup, the community, the offer of beds, the planning for meals, the appearance of cat food and the easy solidarity of all who have been side by side throughout this long campaign that has taken such a toll on all our lives.

*Photo Drill Or Drop? article
**NONE of the trees you can see is alive anymore... all wrenched by their roots from the ground by jaws of Pete Marquis digger

Election priorities #GE2019

Election ahead and politicians waffling on how the budgets can work etc. feels quite mad under the circumstances. Whatever you choose - it's worth ensuring the priorities of the party are in the right order... breathing, growing food, accessing clean, safe water etc. top my list because without them - there's nothing else.

You don't budget for a future we won't have... if we do 'budget' for it!

Throw the lot at getting it right - ease the pressure, create the new industries and jobsthat a different direction takes us in and unleash a future we can believe in. Those tut-tutting the spending needed, should consider just what's at stake if we don't!

We bailed out the banks because they were 'too big to fail' - I think our entire living world is too big to fail!

If any of us was going to lose our life unless we took out a loan for the treatment needed to fix it... well would you be worrying about whether you can pay your bills in a future you won't have?? Fight for the best outcome.

It's literally 'only money' - the stuff we make, trade and set value on - we can do this like we do in wars and times of emergency - there IS an emergency right now!

#ClimateElection

Frack them not us?

Wow - looking further into activities of Fylde Member of Parliament - Mark Menzies and it just gets more ugly, ludicrous and obviously self-serving. Today we read that:

[UK is planning to invest in Argentina’s controversial oil shale industry (fracking) using a £1bn export finance deal intended to support green energy, according to government documents]

Mark Menzies is the Trade Minister for Argentina and he recently (finally) said NO to fracking on Fylde (only waited 8 years for a definitive statement from him on this!)... and now it's clear he ONLY meant "no fracking on FYLDE"! He is actually fine with it ...just not where he could lose votes by being seen to support it! I hate that about his politics - that it's not about facts and experience - but about what suits Party line and someone's profits.

Contrast here between words on his website that make Fylde voters feel warm and cared for vs eagerness to frack Argentina in Business press:

MARK's WEBSITE:
[Throughout my time as the Member of Parliament for Fylde I have called for stringent and robust regulation of the shale gas industry to ensure the safety of local residents.

I have been unrivalled in raising the issue of shale gas in parliament. This has included calling for and speaking in countless debates, regularly meeting with and questioning regulatory authorities and Government departments, and even being named as the MP who has raised the issue most often.
I wrote to the Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, Kwasi Kwarteng MP, as well as the Chief Executive of the OGA to reiterate the concerns of my constituents and call for an end to the shale gas industry on the Fylde coast.

Whatever the outcome of this assessment, I remain clear in my position that hydraulic fracturing is not suitable for the Fylde coast and I will continue in my efforts to bring about its’ end.]
...

MEANWHILE ...Mark's words in Business Press for Argentina:
[Brexit is creating an enormous opportunity for resetting the trade relationship. Argentina has one of the biggest reserves of shale oil and shale gas in the world and also considerable offshore reserves. The UK is a world leader in offshore oil technology. In April I’ll be heading up a trade delegation visiting Argentina which will include some worldleading British companies in that sector.]

more here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/22/uk-to-use-1bn-meant-for-green-energy-to-support-fracking-in-argentina

ps... what on earth are we doing throwing much needed money at fracking another country anyway? We've sufferred years of austerity, seen services cut and told it was needed - yet money earmarked for green energy will now fund fracking in Argentina!

There's no fracking NOW..

The message that fracking is OVER in the UK has been loud and strong this week but still the company currently suspended from fracking in Lancashire ( Cuadrilla Resources) are claiming they will 'proceed with works' at the site ('works' being flow-testing, tanking out liquids from site, mopping up the flooding etc - but NOT fracking). As their license expires next month and no application has yet been made to extend, it is clear that NO FRACKING will be taking place at the Preston New Road Site this year or any time soon as they'd need to reapply and that takes time.

Can the industry survive yet more set-backs after 8 years of trying and FAILING to get a drop of gas to market? Cuadrilla's UK fracking operations have brought NO income... just huge costs and a share price in the toilet and then there's the communities that make up the anti-fracking movement - they will not give up until the industry does (8 years of camps, protests, petitions, legal challenges etc makes this clear)... my estimation is that they are either hanging in for a vicious and controlling government to get elected and trash any semblence of democracy (a bit like what we have but more power/mandate) - OR - they know they're done, they know the government White Paper (due soon) will NOT include fracked gas in the plans for future energy and on top of this... they know the damage they've already done will be revealed once the Oil & Gas Authority complete their investigation and a moratorium or ban is coming and they're simply trying to string investors along?

Whatever it is - it's not fracking now, it's not making money, it's not progress and it's not settled yet... staying vigilant has always been the essential thing in this movement... but a little 'yippee!' is definately called for.

This from the article in Country Life:
[The political landscape certainly appears to have changed. The focus on climate change has sharpened and so has demand for a switch from fossil fuels, within which shale-gas extraction squarely falls, to cleaner sources. As a result, the upcoming energy white paper looks set to favour renewables such as wind and solar power over fracking. CPRE The countryside charity says:
‘CPRE is delighted to see Cuadrilla packing up and moving out of their fracking site at Preston New Road,’ says deputy CEO, Tom Fyans.

‘Our countryside is a valuable asset for our own health and well-being, and to address the climate emergency. Ending fracking is absolutely essential as it is incompatible with the UK’s climate change commitments. The UK must speed up its transition to renewable energies, and bring in steadfast policies to ensure a sustainable transition to zero carbon agriculture, restore our peatlands and essential soils, and, improve the energy efficiency of both new and existing homes.’]

Other positive articles this week alone:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cuadrilla-packs-up-in-preston-and-uk-fracking-bites-dust-82gl7tt9k
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/business/fracking-hell-is-it-the-end-kmb3ntd08
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/13/dont-frack-with-us-the-vivtorious-nanas-of-lancashire-activism

AND... the one where Cuadrilla claim all is well :)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/14/cuadrilla-says-it-is-not-planning-to-abandon-fracking-in-lancashire

ps:
Just remembered another thing thanks to Joan Williams... Cuadrilla is also on the market and certainly needs to pretend everything's just fine! https://www.cityam.com/cuadrilla-owners-look-for-exit/

Day 1000 in the Cuadrilla House...

Tomorrow marks 1000 days of continuous protest at Preston New Road Rolling Roadside Protest - to everyone who's ever come, ever commented kindly, ever shared, ever gifted, every prayed, ever photographed, ever filmed, ever beeped, ever written, ever wished for this community to succeed... know that it was EVERY act that got us all through to the point where they're STILL not operating a production site here. There may be more ahead but we all know - we're up to the challenge.

Along the way... this road has been an amazing journey of joy, pain, discovery and dismay that has made for some of the most memorable and loved moments