Caroline Lucas tabled the following amednement to the Queen's Speech resolution this morning:
Amendment (a)
Caroline Lucas
At end add ‘but believe that the measures in the Gracious Speech fail to deliver the urgent transformative action required by the environment and climate emergency; call on your Government to enact a Green New Deal to restructure and decarbonise the economy and restore nature, including alternative measures of economic success to GDP, public investment of 5 per cent of GDP on well-paid jobs and new industries country-wide, energy efficiency programmes that end fuel poverty, community- owned renewables, publicly-owned and affordable public transport, cycling and walking, climate-friendly food and farming and mass building of zero-carbon council homes; urge your Government to establish a Committee on Sustainability to advise on restoring and protecting ecosystems; further urge your Government to prioritise climate justice, the reversal of social and economic inequality and the revitalisation of democracy, with legislation to end public spending on fossil fuel projects overseas, contribute a fair share to international climate finance for mitigation and adaptation alongside loss and damage, and to deliver a real living wage, a maximum pay ratio of 10:1, a universal basic income, proportional voting, votes at 16, citizens assemblies, an end to privatising public services like the NHS and a reversal of cuts inflicted on local government since 2010.'
It's not an easy read, but that's parliamentary language for you.
And it is broad in its ambition.
It's also not got a hope of being passed, I know.
And yet this is important: the Tories ignored the environment in the Queen's Speech. It is vital that the issue be acknowledged and addressed. Caroline is doing that. Good for her, I say.
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Can a minimally regulated free market economy locked into a trade deal with Trump’s USA deliver a sustainable environmental policy. The answer to that question must surely be no.
There is no such thing as society only the summation of numerous individuals making economic decisions based upon the maximisation of their own self interest.This is the predominant belief of this government and a significant proportion of the English population.
But it’s also not true……
As you say, not a cat in hell’s chance of a Conservative government doing ANY of this.
But it all needs to be done or put in train towards delivery in short order. 🙁
I expect Tory back benchers were rolling in the aisles, slapping their thighs and hooting like the monkeys they so often resemble. 🙁
Hear hear!
I found it very easy reading, Caroline packed so much into a very succinct paragraph, well done her! It would be superb if it did pass. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the UKs political system, the whole thing will fail, we could do with many MPs putting in a hundred little amendments, repeatedly and constantly until they are all accidentally passed. Sneaky is the only way to do it.
Or they/you/we could change the political system?
Off topic, but this is an interesting view of the history of taxation and how it has affected our destinies
https://moneyweek.com/516603/how-tax-has-shaped-the-course-of-human-history/
Off topic, this is right wing garbage
And off topic you seem to have had a gender change overnight
You trolls really need to try harder
Will Johnson says:
“Off topic, …..” ? Taxation is never ‘off topic’ here.
“…but this is an interesting view of the history of taxation and how it has affected our destinies
https://moneyweek.com/516603/how-tax-has-shaped-the-course-of-human-history/”
Interesting view ? No. I suggest it has little to do with a modern understanding of taxation policy and everything to do with monarchs and oppressive governments implementing rentier exploitation and pillage. If you believe this is the proper operation of taxation policy you will readily see how the tax function of government has been outsourced to the private sector by neoliberal ideology.
Dominic Frisby doesn’t do economics he does finance. On finance and investment (speculation and trading) he can be interesting and worth reading.
I long for the abolition of the Queen’s speech and for a commoner to lay out OUR Government’s agenda that we voted for – never mind what the supposed pinnacle of the Establishment has to say about it.
What a stupid system. “My Government” – really? – my arse more likely!!