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16 April 2009 by sianberry
Today the European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality voted to set maternity leave at a minimum of 20 weeks, as well as giving a strong political signal on paternity leave. London’s Green MEP, Jean Lambert, commented: "There is no bigger event for an individual or a family than welcoming a new child […]
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15 April 2009 by sianberry
Jenny Jones, the Home Affairs spokesperson for the Green Party (and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority) responds to the release of footage of a police officer striking a woman protester on the 2nd April 2009: "This new video footage confirms what many of us knew, that the assault on Ian Thomlinson was far from […]
9 April 2009 by sianberry
A major protest will be taking place in London this Saturday 11 April, calling on the UK Government to exert its powers to help the Tamil citizens trapped and dying as a result of fighting in Sri Lanka. Jean Lambert, the Green Party MEP for London, will be joining the protests on Saturday and speaking […]
8 April 2009 by sianberry
Jenny Jones, Green Party Home Affairs spokesperson and London Assembly member, has called senior police in the Met "complacent" over their belief their officers behaved professionally at all times during policing of the G20 protests. Jones labelled the aggressive tactics used by police offices to manage G20 demonstrations as a threat to public safety. Jones […]
6 April 2009 by sianberry
Today, on National Pensions Action Day (Monday 6 April), the Green Party announces its key election pledge for pensioners – a £165 a week non-means-tested citizens’ pension for every pensioner in the UK. The pledge will form part of the Green New Deal for Older People, which the Green Party will launch in the build-up […]
Surveying the outcomes of this week’s G20 summit, one of Britain’s leading Green politicians today called the summit’s outcomes a "kick in the teeth for British industry and global sustainability." Darren Johnson AM, Green Party spokesperson on trade and industry, said: "British industry needs a shot in the arm, but it’s been given a kick […]
5 April 2009 by sianberry
Jenny Jones, the Metropolitan Police Authority member who has formally complained over police tactics during the G20 demonstrations, has spoken out again today (1). Ms Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly and her party’s spokesperson on home affairs, said today: "I’m very concerned about reports gradually coming out about the death of […]
3 April 2009 by sianberry
Jenny Jones AM has written a formal letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to express her concerns about the treatment of the G20 protesters by the police (see below). The Assembly Member first brought up anxiety over the kettling of protesters outside Bank of England and in the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate at the Metropolitan […]
2 April 2009 by sianberry
Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MEP has described the tactics used by the Metropolitan Police at yesterday’s G20 protests as "disproportionate and provocative." Throughout today, reports had been coming in from Greens who had been involved in the protest. One party member involved said she had "returned shaken and appalled at the policing tactics employed […]
Today the European Parliament adopted the report by Dutch Green MEP Kathalijne Buitenweg, which extends discrimination protection beyond the labour market to goods and services for the discrimination grounds of sexual orientation, disability, age and religion/belief. The proposal now appears likely to be adopted during the Swedish Presidency of the EU, following last week’s commitment […]
1 April 2009 by sianberry
Jean Lambert, the Green Party MEP for London, has today spoken out in support of the peaceful protests taking place ahead of the G20 summit meetings. Thousands of people gathered in London to express concerns about a wide range of issues, from climate change to the collapse of the economy, as well as growing inequality […]
Jean Lambert, London’s Green Party MEP, greeted Peace Cyclists at the European Parliament yesterday calling for a suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement. At a meeting hosted by Jean Lambert, the activists made a presentation to MEPs on human rights abuses carried out by the Israeli authorities, witnessed over the past five years in Israel […]
31 March 2009 by sianberry
Jean Lambert, London’s Green Party MEP, has welcomed a new report from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, assessing the extent of homophobia and discrimination across Europe. Green Members of the European Parliament initially pushed for the research report to be carried out to provide a true picture of the situation across Europe to […]
Answers from the London Mayor confirm that the Metropolitan Police regularly monitor people who are not suspected of committing any offence. Images and supporting information are kept in anticipation that certain individuals might be involved in protests in the future. This can include filming civil rights monitors who are themselves monitoring the actions of the […]
The Transport for London Board approved a revised budget today which delays or cancels key schemes. The Greenwich Waterfront Transit is cancelled and the widening of the North Circular is delayed. Failure to widen the North Circular may leave a gap in the Olympic Priority Route Network. This follows the cancellation of several other transport […]
30 March 2009 by sianberry
Leading Greens today criticised a Labour energy minister for destroying the chances that a fuel poverty bill would become law. The Fuel Poverty Bill was backed by campaigning groups including Age Concern, Help the Aged and Child Poverty Action Group and would have introduced: * A major energy efficiency programme to bring existing homes up […]
Darren Johnson today welcomed ‘Prospectus to London the Low Carbon Capital’, commissioned by the Mayor of London, which examines the low carbon economy and how London can capitalise on this emerging market. The report estimates that ‘green activities’ such as the retrofitting of buildings and the introduction of electric vehicles will bring thousand of jobs […]
27 March 2009 by sianberry
The European Parliament has this week called for concerted action to ban female genital mutilation in the EU, by adopting a new report which also acknowledges the problem in EU immigration law. Every year approximately 180,000 female emigrants in Europe undergo, or are in danger of undergoing, female genital mutilation (FGM). Although FGM is a […]
Suburban cycling cut to pay for central London cycling Analysis of new figures released by Transport for London shows how the Mayor is planning to spend £57m on a Velib style cycle hire scheme in central London whilst spending less on schemes, which would benefit cycling in outer London. New figures show that out of […]
26 March 2009 by sianberry
Budget papers being presented to tomorrow’s meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority propose to suspend £6.6m growth budget for youth crime prevention and enforcement. The paragraph in the budget papers states that: "Given the new pressures that are having to be managed within the budget now proposed, these initiatives will not now be progressed unless […]
24 March 2009 by sianberry
Responding to proposals from the Chief Executive of the Greater London Authority that would see the size of City Hall reduced by 114 posts, Darren Johnson AM, Green Party Member of the London Assembly said, "With such big staff cuts I am concerned about whether the Mayor could really deliver his statutory duties on the […]
23 March 2009 by sianberry
A report from the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights has criticised the misuse of the law against demonstrators. Jenny Jones is raising related concerns with the London Mayor about police surveillance techniques and use of information ahead of the G20 demonstrations in London on April 1st. A series of written questions to the mayor […]
19 March 2009 by sianberry
Responding to new London Development Agency proposals to offer free energy saving measures to every London home, Darren Johnson said he was pleased that his consistent questioning and raising of the issue has paid off. The announcement follows a major investigation by the London Assembly’s Environment Committee, chaired by Darren Johnson, which flagged up the […]
18 March 2009 by sianberry
Responding to new London Development Agency proposals to offer free energy saving measures to every London home, Darren Johnson said he was pleased that his consistent questioning and raising of the issue has paid off. "Ever since the home energy saving scheme introduced by Ken Livingstone was set for cancellation by the new administration, I […]