Global Warming Video

Global Warming from ivan oviedo on Vimeo.

New Blogger

http://greenmpforvauxhall.blogspot.com/

Joseph Healy, Green Party List candidate for London MEP in the June elections and Parliamentary Candidate for Vauxhall has joined the blogosphere (finally!). Joseph is a tireless campaigner for social justice, peace and the environment, seeing all three as inextricably linked. He is a real example of a Green with a capital ‘G’: someone with a real agenda for change rather than being content with tinkering round the edges of a rotting system.

I look forward to reading more from the man who helped me find my feet in the Party and encouraged me to get involved when I was a newbie.

The Video the BBC doesn’t want you to see…

And when the BBC won’t let you, you force them to (this is utterly classic Tony Benn!)

Obama

Well, it is certainly historic and I certainly felt emotional during his speech. He could well be the best president in a generation.

I have to be honest and say I wish to reserve judgement for the most part. He will do good and bad, I am sure.

Let’s just be glad that we survived Bush and maintain a little bit of optimism that things might get a bit better however much our intellect might suggest otherwise. Sometimes it’s good to have a bit of cautious hope.

The left has to ask itself serious questions about how it wishes to act under an Obama administration. My two cents are that we should not forget that we want something more radical than he is ever going to offer but at the same time we cannot ignore the real improvements to peoples lives, however small, which will almost certainly come. Bush certainly wasn’t a hard act to follow.

At the very least, we can celebrate surviving 8 years of the Bush presidency.

Have a read of this from the socialist unity blog too: http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=3423

Re-Elect Jean Lambert

She has been actively speaking out against Israel’s actions in Gaza, has pushed for greater protection for workers and has campaigned against creeping liberalisation of the health service. In 1999, Jean Lambert was elected as London’s first Green Party MEP – and in 2004, she was re-elected with an increased share of the vote. On June 4th 2009, she faces re-election again – but due to EU enlargement, there are less European Parliament seats to go around in the UK, and more votes are needed every time to achieve re-election.

The work of the European Parliament can sometimes feel remote from people’s everyday experience – but nothing could be further from the truth. Much of the UK’s environmental, social and human rights legislation is now decided at an EU level, and the often unheralded work of our MEPs makes an enormous difference to the shape and impact of those laws. Jean has been tireless in working for social justice, environmental sustainability and peace – as recognised by the fact that she was named Justice and Human Rights MEP of the year in 2005.

Among other issues, Jean has focused on trade union rights, fairer treatment for asylum seekers, and the abolition of the UK opt-out to the Working Time Directive. She has been a prominent voice in proving that Green issues are not confined to the environment, but are concerned with building a more fair and just society. There is little doubt that she is one of the most progressive voices anywhere in UK politics today.

And now, she needs YOUR help! To continue her excellent work in Europe, Jean needs to get the message out to millions of Londoners – and she can only do that if progressive voters spread the word, volunteer, and donate
to her campaign. She isn’t funded by corporations, lobbyists or millionaires – instead, her re-election campaign is relying on the efforts of ordinary Londoners.

Could you spare £10/£20 to help re-elect one of the UK’s most effective and progressive politicians? Or perhaps you could spare an hour or two to volunteer with the campaign? If you’d like to donate online, please, visit http://tinyurl.com/8rh9qh – and if you’d like to volunteer in anyway, contact the campaign at reelectjean@hotmail.co.uk, and keep in touch with
developments through Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/6e8ceh. Jean can keep changing things for the better – but only with your help!

In addition, a vote for Jean Lambert helps keep the BNP out (arguably, given that she’ll probably be contending for the 8th London seat, against the BNP, it is probably the most effective ‘tactical vote’ to keep them out). If you haven’t done so already, register to vote (http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/)! EU Citizens resident in the London can also vote for Jean but need to contact their local Electoral Returning Officer (details can be found here: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/) to get a form. Do it today, that way you won’t forget!