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18 September 2008 by sianberry
Jenny Jones is questioning the use of London as a pilot area for thescrapping of police stop and account forms. She will raise the issue,through the Assembly, with London’s Mayor, who also takes over asChair of the Metropolitan Police Authority in October. This morning it was announced that London officers would soon nolonger have to […]
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16 September 2008 by sianberry
Commenting on a Department of Work and Pensions conference, ‘No-one Written Off’, at which no speaker from any disabled people’s organisations had been invited to speak or participate, Disability Spokesperson for London Green Party Alan Wheatley today said, "I have learned that when New Labour talk about ‘service user involvement’ what they really mean is […]
15 September 2008 by sianberry
London Assembly member and Lewisham Green councillor Darren Johnson today welcomed the decision of a primary school in New Cross to offer free school meals to all pupils, regardless of parental income. "A policy of universal free school meals improves nutrition and classroom concentration, and eliminates what can be a powerful social stigma for pupils […]
10 September 2008 by sianberry
Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London and long-time human rights campaigner, will address the Annual International Sikh Convention in Wolverhampton on Sunday 14 September 2008. Around 10,000 Sikhs will attend the Sikh Federation (UK) event, which is the biggest of its type in the West. As a Member of the South Asia and the […]
The UK’s Green MEPs today urged the UK authorities to intervene to ensure free passage for three international peace campaigners stuck in Gaza. The three campaigners, all of whom live in the UK, are part of the Free Gaza movement which last month sailed two boats into the Palestinian land to deliver desperately needed medical […]
9 September 2008 by sianberry
Students from Southwark and Lambeth spoke out at the Green Party conference about their experiences and recommendations for politicians to help overcome difficulties facing youths in London. One of their main concerns was the police’s stop and search policy, which they believed was worsening relations with the police and amongst people of their own peer […]
7 September 2008 by sianberry
Delegates at the Green Party’s annual conference have voted overwhelmingly to back a fast track to either residency or citizenship for Gurkhas and their families. At present, Gurkhas who have retired before 1997 do not have the right to settle in the UK, but Gurkhas that have retired after 1997 and completed four years of […]
6 September 2008 by sianberry
Responding to reports that the Mayor of London is considering plans todemolish the 2012 Olympic stadium and re-build a football ground on thesite, Jenny Jones, Green Party London Assembly Member, said such a movewould damage the credibility of the ‘green games’. "London’s Olympic organisers have said they would minimise the energywhich goes into providing materials […]
The Green Party has passed a motion calling for the establishment of workplace environmental representatives with the same rights as other trade union representatives. The motion, which was prioritised by the membership and passed overwhelmingly at conference, called for the representatives to have a decision-making role in the development and implementation of strategies to make […]
4 September 2008 by sianberry
– UK falling behind EU neighbours in transition to green economy Jean Lambert MEP will open the Green Party conference in London this Friday, 5 September, where she will launch her new report, Green Work. The publication calls for greater investment in green industries and skills for workers to help transform the UK to a […]
Responding to the news that London’s Mayor is expected to announce an above inflation rise in bus and tube fares, Darren Johnson, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, commented: "If Boris was not consulting on the scrapping the western extension of the congestion charge, or had not abolished the £25 charge on gas […]
2 September 2008 by sianberry
The European Parliament has today adopted a new report evaluating the Dublin system, which decides which EU Member State should assess an asylum claim. The report, from Green MEP Jean Lambert, finds that the system is failing because there are huge discrepancies in the ways that asylum seekers are treated in different European countries. The […]
Responding to the news that the Mayor has appointed Isabel Dedring tobe his Environment Advisor, Darren Johnson, a Green Party member ofthe London Assembly, commented: "It is about time that Boris appointed an environment advisor, sincethe majority of his other advisors were appointed within the first fewweeks of him coming into office. Whilst I welcome […]
29 August 2008 by sianberry
I’m asking myself when the honeymoon period for the new mayor will be over, and when Londoners can be expected to see real progress rather than lots of erudite chatter and vague promises. This administration seems to lack any sense of urgency about the terrifying issue of climate change, preferring instead to tackle the issue […]
26 August 2008 by sianberry
Jean Lambert MEP has today spoken out over the treatment a detained Sri Lankan journalist, whose case she previously raised at a meeting with the Sri Lankan President. At that time, JS Tissainayagam was under detention without charge and was being kept in poor conditions. His health was suffering and instructions to Magistrates to improve […]
Responding to reports that London’s air quality is so bad that thecapital faces unlimited European fines, Darren Johnson, Green PartyLondon Assembly Member, has told the London Mayor that trafficreduction is unavoidable if he wants to stop the court action. "Boris has clearly stated that traffic reduction has a role to play inimproving air quality and […]
23 August 2008 by sianberry
Jean Lambert MEP has today called for more to be done to prevent young workers coming to harm when they first enter the workplace. The Green Euro MP for London, recently visited the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and heard about the high numbers of young people leaving school without any understanding of […]
21 August 2008 by sianberry
Local Greens are backing the campaign to prevent the demolition of the Victorian swimming baths in Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill. Over a thousand local people have signed a petition to save the historic baths. These are the oldest pools in London that have been in continuous use since opening in 1884. They closed in 2006 […]
19 August 2008 by sianberry
Responding to news that Boris Johnson has now decided to chair the TfLBoard instead of Tim Parker, and that Tim Parker will be standing downfrom his role as First Deputy Mayor, Darren Johnson, a Green PartyMember of the London Assembly commented: "Tim Parker is the third key figure to resign in less than fourmonths, reflecting […]
14 August 2008 by sianberry
London Green councillor Maya de Souza, today raised concerns at the conclusions of a report showing the disproportionate targeting of black and asian lawyers by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Councillor de Souza has represented Highgate ward in Camden since 2006 and is a member of the government’s 14-strong Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Women Councillors’ […]
12 August 2008 by sianberry
www.guardian.co.uk After declaring himself a die-hard opponent of a third runway at Heathrow airport, Boris Johnson now seems to be backtracking. In his Daily Telegraph column he bets that Heathrow’s third runway will never get built. It is almost a lament, rather than the cue for a street party involving tens of thousands of west […]
11 August 2008 by sianberry
More London drivers are obeying the rules and not jumping red lightsaccording to figures released by the Metropolitan Police. The number ofmotorists caught jumping red lights over the last five years reached apeak of over 50,000 in 2005, as the number of cameras and level ofenforcement increased, but the number being fined has dropped rapidly […]
8 August 2008 by sianberry
www.guardian.co.uk The new mayor of London has cancelled the biggest purchase order for hydrogen vehicles in the country and possibly the world. This dreadful decision will make the capital much weaker when facing problems in the very difficult times ahead. This decision matters because hydrogen is potentially one of the best ways of storing and […]
www.guardian.co.uk Boris Johnson is making long-term decisions that are in danger of making London less green, environmental and social campaigners say, as the new mayor reaches 100 days in office. The mayor had pledged to make London the greenest city in the world before the elections but London is rapidly losing its reputation for being […]