Darren Johnson said, "This slur is amazing. The No Campaign has never given the Green Party money. It did pay for a leaflet for the Green Party to advertise its pro-European stance but its anti euro currency policy as it did for Labour against the Euro. The campaign was led by Dr David Owen, that well known Lib/Dem Peer that shared the leadership of the Lib/Dems with that other well known Peer, David Steel."
Paul Ingram, No 2 on the list for the European Parliament and who lives in the same constituency as Simon Hughes said, "The Lib/Dems are well known for dirty campaigning based on half truths. Far from being the party of pavement politics, they have resorted to gutter politics."
The No to the Euro campaign has suspended active campaigning after the Budget announcement that ended the prospect of a referendum in the foreseeable future.
The Green Party has never disowned the fact that it was part of the Europe Yes, Euro No campaign alongside Bob Geldolf, Diane Abbott, Harry Enfield, Lord Owen, Sir Malcolm Riffkin and other prominent political and national figures.
Penny Kemp who sat on the steering committee for the Europe Yes/Euro No campaign said,
"The Greens mounted a strong environmental case against the Euro. The Euro is meant to facilitate an increase in trade. That means more transport and more environmental impacts. Ever-increasing trade means an ever-harder job trying to tackle climate change."
"Climate change has huge economic costs. These are borne by society as a whole, while the trade which exacerbates those costs results in bigger profits for the transnationals".
"What society needs is a sustainable economy – an economy which promotes both prosperity and environmental protection. That is not what the Euro is about."
"The Euro is a tool of the political and economic centralisation which goes with globalisation. Globalisation is about putting corporate interests first. "Greens put people and planet before profit, which is why we’re opposed to globalisation and its European offshoot, the Single Currency."
Ends:
NOTES TO EDITORS
· Darren Johnson is 38 and was selected as the Green Party’s candidate for Mayor of London in May 2003. He was elected to the London Assembly in May 2000 where he is Leader of the Green Party Group. He was also elected to Lewisham Council in May 2002.
· The Mayoral election will be held on June 10th at the same time as the elections for the London Assembly and the European Parliament. At the last Assembly elections the Greens scored one of their best ever results in the Party’s history, securing 11.1% of the vote across London and winning three seats on the 25-member Assembly.
· Darren Johnson’s vision for a sustainable Green London can be found on his website www.johnsonformayor.org.uk
· Jean Lambert is London’s Green Member of the European Parliament and she is No 1 on the list for the London Green Party. Her website is www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
· Green Party Assembly Members are Cllr. Darren Johnson AM, Deputy Mayor Jenny Jones AM and Noel Lynch AM
· Biographies for all candidates are available from London Press Officer, Penny Kemp 07711 760692 or penny.kemp@virgin.net
· Published and promoted by Chris Cotton on behalf of London Green Party both at 1a Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ
· Printed by Penny Kemp, Press Officer on behalf of London Green Party at 1a Waterlow Rd, London N19 5NJ
Further information, interviews:
Penny Kemp 07711 760692
ENDS