Gus Hoyt: Bristol shows how being green is the only sensible thing to do – Bristol24-7

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, continually argues, Manchester City Council cannot do anything without the other councils within Greater Manchester doing so as well.  I attended the Triodos Bank AGM (Annual General Meeting) in Bristol the other month and heard some inspirational stories from people including those from Bristol.  The Mayor of Bristol was one of those who spoke about what had been achieved and what they are still trying to achieve.  There was an atmosphere of being part of the solution and of success.  This feeling of success, came on top of my feeling, things are getting done in Bristol, after my visit for the Triodos Renewables Fund AGM.  I had posted earlier about my visit to the AGM: Bristol-and-Wessex-Water.  Not the constant complaints why it cannot be done or that it is somebody’s fault, they constantly emanates from Richard Leese.  How he can be considered a leader, is beyond me, he is unfit to be in charge of an empty shopping trolley, in an empty car park.  The article reinforces the fact, that Bristol is moving forward on being green and sustainable:

Gus Hoyt: Bristol shows how being green is the only sensible thing to do – Bristol24-7.

An inspector calls: Can YOU help her assess the damage caused by the bedroom tax?

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

It would appear the United Nations is investigating this Government inhumane policies.

An inspector calls: Can YOU help her assess the damage caused by the bedroom tax?.

Friends of the Earth: Fracking fallacies, love from Dave: Green Blog

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

A blog from Friends of the Earth about the fallacies behind ‘fracking’ and the ‘Green Deal’.  The Government should be doing more to reduce energy consumption and investing more money into real renewables.

Friends of the Earth: Fracking fallacies, love from Dave: Green Blog.

The economics of courage – OECD Observer

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

The bailing out of the failed banks, we were told was a necessity.  This was total nonsense, and by bailing out the failed banks, they rewarded failure, incompetence and corruption.  And Governments are still bailing these banks out whilst cutting back on providing a welfare state.  Even the Co-op Bank, forgot it’s mutual roots and tried to play the ‘Big Bank’ and is also a failed bank.  We need to move away from a consumer society that is rapidly consuming its own ability to exist.  Dramatic climate change and financial collapse are just around the corner.

The economics of courage – OECD Observer.

Press Release: response to OECD Action Plan on corporate tax avoidance « Escape from Europe

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

If large corporations paid their fair share of tax, there would not be the need to drastically cut the welfare state.  Taxing the corporations would provide the finances to help improve the NHS and to pay nurses and auxiliaries a proper liveable wage.

Press Release: response to OECD Action Plan on corporate tax avoidance « Escape from Europe.

Why does Gove want to sell school places to foreigners when there aren’t enough for British children?

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Another re-blog, this about the benefits cap: The-500-benefits-cap. 

And a re-blog about how the media is moulding peoples thinking, to help push through the unacceptable: The media trickery and social-engineering

There is an ‘Ecology’, the Fascist Turn and on Privilege

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

To me, Joanne, describes what I found during my short time as a member of the Green Party, especially here in Manchester. I have found, those who class themselves as Marxists and other far-left doctrines, to be an elitist bunch. They shout down anyone who dares say anything they disagree with. The situation in Brighton, where one member of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas’s ex-PA, has been working against the good work her fellow colleagues are doing, under trying conditions.  Tim Jackson, (Prosperity without Growth) addressed a Green Party conference, and urged the Green Party to be bold and state, we cannot have more growth. He stated, ‘Labour – Social Democracy demands more, will only happen with growth. Capital Growth is a shark, Labour supports this inequality and unsustainable growth’. Some of them even dismiss the idea of Green Economics, what they want is a consumer society but with the riches more fairly distributed. That is, of course for those of us in the Global North. They do not consider the implications for those in the Global South. In fact Peter Cranie at a hustings for leadership of the Green Party. Claimed, it was only right that the thousands who are affected by floods in Bangladesh, should emigrate to the UK. It does not seem to understand, it is are excessive consumption of natural resources that are the cause of the floods. Therefore, moving people, will not solve the problem but will help exasperate the situation. Unfortunately, the left, of which, Caroline Lucas is one, decided to ignore Tim Jackson’s advice. And have continued with calls for more spending and consumption of natural resources. I do not know why they are in the Green Party, which was originally the Ecology Party.

Dr. Joanna Boehnert's avatarEcoLabs

When Mckenzie Wark appeared on Novara, Resonance FM on May 28th 2013 he argued that a critical theory that does not confront environmental problems as one of its central problems was not worth discussing (I am paraphrasing – what he actually said was is more complicated and is transcribed below). Oddly, in this interview Wark managed to simultaneously acknowledge the validity of the environmental crisis as a theoretical problem – while also denying its implications in practice. For me this was a significant moment for Novara since it was certainly the best attempt they have yet made (that I am aware of) to engage with the ecological problem. Unfortunately, while Wark has many good ideas, his convoluted take on ecological theory is a classic example of extravagant lengths intellectuals (and especially the environmentally disengaged radical left) devise to continue to dismiss the most fundamental challenges posed by the ecological…

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My thoughts on the MENs’ Business Week 23rd May

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

In the Manchester Evening News‘ Greater Manchester Business Week 23rd., May, I thought the layout of page 5, ironic.  In the centre of the page, there is an article about the outgoing governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King.  Stating that after a tour of Salford Media City campus, he was quoted as saying that “Greater Manchester’s universities, meant the city region was in a good position to deliver a bright economic future”.  Remember, he was one of the financial experts that did not foresee the collapse of major banks and the melt-down of the Global Norths financial sector, resulting in the on-going recession.  So, does his word portent more gloom for our City region?

The reality of further gloom for our City region is reflected in other articles on page 5.  With job losses due to Antler moving its HQ to London.  Also RBS announcing more job losses (this is one of the banks Mervyn King failed to see as a failing bank), after the many it has already made.  Then there is a small article on the Co-op, selling it’s car-dealership.  But no mention of the Co-op Group being in trouble and having been downgraded to ‘junk’ status.  Will we find this ‘ethical’ bank is also, in reality another failed bank?

Finally, to ensure Manchester retains its’ ‘Green’ credentials, there is an article on ‘fracking’.  Stating ‘fracking’ could create 74,000 jobs (how many times have we read, that this or that would create jobs?).  Along with a story about Manchester Airport Group proposing that the government give a “holiday” of the Air Passenger Duty.  What happened to reducing our carbon emissions in an attempt to prevent catastrophic climate change?  Despite our business and council leaders continual failures, they continue to pursue the same failed policies, increasingly accelerating into the proverbial brick wall.

Quiet Climate Milestones – EcoWatch: Cutting Edge Environmental News Service

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

“When it comes to climate change, we’re avoiding tough decisions instead of stepping up to the challenge, pure and simple.”  She could of been writing about the UK Green Party, whose pursuit of populist politics and not coming out strongly for a total change of economic and environmental policies.  At the start of the financial crisis, Caroline Lucas and the Green Party were urged by Tim Jackson, to take a strong stance on the economy and the environment.  But instead they have pursued a policy of just ‘more of the same’, showing a complete lack of leadership.  When members proposed a complete ban on ‘fracking’, Caroline Lucas urged the motion be changed to a moratorium, instead.  What happened to protecting the environment for future generations?

Quiet Climate Milestones – EcoWatch: Cutting Edge Environmental News Service.

And here in Manchester, we still have a lack of leadership from Manchester City Council even after two presentations from Kevin Anderson and Manchester environmental groups with their Steady State Manchester.  Under the leadership of Richard Leese and unelected Howard Bernstein, the council has continued to pursue a ‘business as usual’ policy.  A policy of of  ‘keep making the same mistakes and hope this time, it will turn out different’!  Unfortunately, I have found local Green Party members with a similar mind-set.