Shan Oakes, Green Party

Oil drilling : Yorkshire Wolds

2011-12-29T11:18:00.003Z

Letter to Beverley Guardian:

We wrote to object in the strongest possible terms to East Riding Council regarding proposals for oilprospecting on the Yorkshire Wolds. The Green Party, alongwith Friends of the Earth (FOE) and other well-respected organisations, campaign, on the basis of careful research, for developmentand use of renewable energy and fuel conservation instead of the furtherexploitation of fossil fuels. We havehad a century’s addiction to oil - and we must now wean ourselvesoff this addiction, as oil becomes harder and harder to find and toextract. There are excellent alternatives which must be embraced insteadof resisted.

Since the use of oil is clearly contradictory to CO2reduction, permission for exploratorydrilling should neverbe granted on those grounds alone. In addition, the Wolds are andshould be considered an area of outstanding natural beauty,and should not be subjected to blots on the landscape such as filthy, noisy,smelly, toxic and brightly lit oil extraction plants. Windturbines would be far preferable in all respects...andat least, with those, you can SEE what is going on. Mining and drillingunderground is particularly dangerous because it can have unexpectedconsequences: ‘ fracking’ was apparently responsiblefor an earth tremor in the Blackpool area. Underground water courses canbecome adulterated . If this exploration were to be ‘successful’ the resource would be drained and then the company would move on todespoil other sites, leaving a wasteland behind. Unfortunately, the lure ofthe huge profits for the companies and their partners leads to them workingvery hard to get agreement for this appalling activity. Think of mountain top removal for coal in the United States. Where will it end? How can industrial activity of this kind becontemplated in the Wolds? There ARE alternatives – as usual, we have tochoose.

The ludicrously short timescale of ‘consultation’ in thiscase is yet another cause for concern. It suggests that both the Council and the company concerned have little regard for local residents’ views. Residents in nearby villages receivedletters only two or three days before the initialplanning meeting (at which the decision was deferred).

To allow this proposal for oil prospecting to go ahead wouldbe a gross abnegation of responsibility on the part of ERY Council, both in relationto current citizens and to future generations, so please let your electedrepresentatives (both in the Council and Parliament) know your feelings on thisissue.

Shan Oakes

Green Party

Hull and East Riding

Letter to Ugandan President Museveni

2011-12-06T11:34:00.001Z

I am joining Friends of the Earth Uganda (NAPE) in their campaign to protect Uganda's unique heritage.

We lived in Uganda for a few years (2001-4) and saw how beautiful it is - although we were aware of how much of it had already been deforested. Please don't be tricked into ruining your wonderful country for another short term commercial modernist 'solution'.

We visited the Ssesse Islands and know that they are a fantastic tourism resource - but not if they are turned into monoculture plantations (the products of which are boycotted by growing numbers of people). Please support permaculture instead.

Please consider the long term future and the integrity of the age-old respect humans had for the land. Monocultures are dangerous - we need to protect biodiversity. At last many people are beginning to realise this (but our politicians do not as they are blinkered by vested interests)

We live in the UK and this country has been thoroughly despoiled by too much 'development'. The grassroots is now trying, through the Transition movement (now taking off worldwide), to relearn the old values which are not just about profit.

Please also see the international Earth Charter which lists the values and principles we need for a sustainable world.

In Uganda you know what it is to fight against oppression; this commercial oppression must be opposed. Please stand up for what's right.

Letter to Beverley Guardian - hypocrisy

2011-11-22T15:32:00.001Z

Dear Sir,

A meeting has been called in Beverley this Friday 25^thNov at 2pm about increasing homelessness and lack of jobs in thearea (for detail call 874096). Considering the ConDem policies ofblaming/punishing the poor (by cutting public services and pensions) forthe sins and greed of the banks and corporations , it’s a bit richthat our MP has expressed concern about the issues and may attend thismeeting. Unfortunately we can’t be there, but if we were, we wouldbe asking him exactly how he thinks that his turbo-capitalist policies aregoing to help. It’s the government’s job to understand the bigpicture and act accordingly….but all it is doing is promoting business asusual. It’s repeating the mistakes of the 1930s. It’s so tiedin with the toxic financial, commercial, energy and military ‘establishment’ that it can’t accept that things have to change radicallynow (in light of the crises in oil, most other resources, climate, economy,ecology and society) to promote local economies and localsustainability – as in the Transition Towns initiative ( and there is now alocal group) and explained by the Green Party deputy leader next ThursdayDec 1^st at Norwood Methodist Church, 7.30pm.

The Government will say it is trying to promote ‘growth’ (iesupporting the CITY of London, big business and more globalisation - the very things responsible for global physical and economic overheating, wars for resources, arms proliferation, etc.) It isblinkered, to say the least. Einsteinsaid: ‘We can’t solve problems by using the same kindof thinking we used when we created them’. We are overdue for a big(positive and exciting) change in our thinking.

We do hope that others will make these points at the meeting (as well as trying to find ways to patch up the expandingholes in the local economy and services)

sincerely

Shan Oakes

East Riding Green Party

St Pauls and the protest

2011-11-02T22:05:00.000Z

Dear St Paul’s ,

Congratulations on coming to thedecision not to invoke legal means against the protesters.

Anyone who thinks at all aboutwhat’s going wrong (worldwide) can see that the protesters are right and arespeaking up for people and planet against the destructive and overweening power of the banks and their ilk - which have squatted for too long in theCity, silently manipulating the policy of this country - with enormousand terrible global impact.

This is a critical moment inthis planet’s history, and St Paul’s is centre stage. I’m not aChristian (because I think religions divide people), but I admireJesus the man for standing up for the weak, the poor and for justice. Ithink it’s very clear which side Jesus would be on in the current conflict...

Surely now is the time forreligions to stand together, be brave and clear, and tell the world offinance with its parasitical pawn politicians what they think ofit. For a start, David Cameron should do a U turn and, against the City’swishes, support the ‘Robin Hood ‘ tax on financialtransactions. How can this country hold its head up when our primeminister won’t even climb onto the moral high ground in Europe?

Sincerely,

Shan Oakes

Beverley, East Yorkshire

Ithaca - solar panels

2011-10-05T09:48:00.000+01:00

Vathy, the capital of Ithaca, the legendary home of Odysseus - lots of solar water fittings. Lovely place too!

Waking up to Greece!

2011-10-05T09:35:00.000+01:00

We slept on the sofas and awoke (Sept 15th) as we wended our way between Ithaca and the mainland, heading for Patra on the Peloponnese. We had a rendezvous with granddaughters on the Ionian islands (hence the trip), but the ferries had stopped running directly to the islands as the season was over, hence going via Patra

Brindisi - ferry to Greece

2011-10-05T09:11:00.000+01:00

Arrived Brindisi 4 ish and wandered onto the ferry. It was a party atmosphere on board, and a warm, beautiful evening.

Train to Brindisi

2011-10-05T09:05:00.000+01:00

Bill : early morning at Milan station on way to Brindisi. We'd arrived on the sleeper from Paris and been treated to a most welcome espresso and pastry by Sylvain whom we'd met and spent the night with (in the 6 berth compartment!) We stretched our legs walking round the front of the station just before sunrise and I actually saw a rabbit dart between bushes and railings!

Young Greens - Sept Conference

2011-10-05T08:52:00.000+01:00

Shan with Ash Haynes and and Kieran Anderson of Young Greens at Green Party Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, Sept 12th.

baby blackbird in hydrangea

2011-10-05T08:37:00.001+01:00

One of this year's brood from a nest in our honeysuckle. It was a rainy day in early september and, as seems to happen at this time of year, there was a spate of wild and frenzied bird activity.

Biodiversity Man

2011-10-05T07:50:00.000+01:00

Guy Wallbanks at the Friends of the Earth Northern Gathering in July at Haworth Youth Hostel

State schools 'not providing group worship'

2011-09-06T09:44:00.003+01:00

'Many state schools in England are not providing group worship, despite legislation making it a requirement, a survey suggests. The Comres survey for BBC local radio found 64% of the 500 parents questioned said their child did not attend daily acts of collective worship. 60% of the 1,743 adults asked said the legislation should not be enforced.'

I agree with them and have felt this for a long time. To me, enforcing ‘worship’ is appalling and this aspect should be separated from the activities it is linked with. The activities such as getting together and story telling (as long as the stories come from all over the world), and singing are great, but not enforced ‘worship’! If we got rid of this ludicrous element in schools, there would be no need to start all the various faith schools.

Here’s my secular version of that well known hymn (my favourite when I was small), All things bright and beautiful:

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, we must care for them all….

riots (letter to local press)

2011-08-11T21:04:00.002+01:00

Looking at TV film of riots in cities around England, we need to ask ourselves what sort of society has led to this sorry state of affairs. No one can condone the violence, looting and arson, but we do need to ask ourselves questions such as: Does our society value and promote peace and cooperation or does it value and promote war and acquisition of goods and status for the few? If the answer is the latter, then we should not be surprised at the violent and acquisitive behaviour of (a tiny minority of) young people.

The gulf between rich and poor in the UK is deeper than ever. Is this what we want? Inequality leads to unhappiness for all, both rich and poor. I have called on our local MP, Mr Stuart, to take a message to the emergency recall of Parliament that we need a real and careful review of what sort of society we want . What values does our society promote? If it promotes war (trade in arms etc), and a focus on consumer goods (‘growth’- on an exhausted planet) it will get just that, so we can only expect increasingly anti-social and fearful behaviour from everyone, particularly our young people.

Another world IS possible – but we will have to decide to make it happen. We need to really consider what we really want for ourselves and for our children.

sincerely,

Shan Oakes

Green Party

Diversity : bio and cultural

2011-08-01T11:09:00.007+01:00

Diversity, whether bio or cultural, is key to sustainability. Monoculture is destructive of sustainability.

These photos were taken in my garden and its quite a wildlife haven (in the middle of a town). It runs on home-made compost, self seeded plants, and absolutely no pesticides or other poisons.

Yes, the 'lawn' has buttercups and daisies and other plants in it, but I prefer that to a pristine over-managed garden which depends on hours of labour or regular dousing with chemicals.

I use the garden as a metaphor for politics. Green political theory values cultural diversity because it's enriching, progressive and self-organising. Different perspectives inform each other which promotes healthy social progress. The opposite, where cultures are kept apart, leads to prejudice, isolation and antipathy, a blinkered view of the world, and, ultimately, war. What could be more destructive?

school veg patch

2011-07-29T15:21:00.005+01:00

Here's an impressive veg patch at a primary school in south London...this should be a major part of the curriculum in my view. If we continue bringing kids up to think that food is made in supermarkets we're super-stuffed.

East Riding Council at it again

2011-07-08T10:45:00.005+01:00

East Riding Council insists on behaving like Big Brother. This time it's harrassing a kitchen firm who have made an advertising board to fit the back of a bicycle. What about all the vans with their ads on the side? ERYC (and all 'authorities') should be supporting the bike culture. If only ERYC would get its aims straightened out: are they trying to make the world a better place or what? Yes, you're right - it's lack of vision and short-term money-grubbing as usual.

Gardening - East Yorkshire

2011-07-07T19:14:00.006+01:00

I've been doing some gardening for a change - At least the neglect attracts wildlife... lots of frogs around, and a woodpecker (lesser spotted) turned up in the garden for the first time ever. There are birds nesting in every conceivable bushy bit. Have decided not to use lawn mower in future as its noisy and wastes energy - much nicer having a straggly lawn blending seemlessly with the edges...

Local election and Electoral reform - or not

2011-05-10T14:48:00.004+01:00

Bill and I received around 900 votes each, with Michael Jackson in Nafferton getting ca 950 - well done Mike! Locally it was a Toryfest as usual but even more now in ERYC, so there is virtually no opposition - what a disaster for all of us and the environment. Until we get a new voting system we're destined to continue with good numbers but not enough to get elected....and meanwhile the Tories are destroying the few safeguards we have.

On the bright side, the Greens did well nationally, picking up seats even against the odds

Letter to Graham Stuart MP

2011-05-10T14:45:00.002+01:00

Dear Graham,
We were not impressed with the general arrogance of the Conservatives at the election count. You should also be aware that several of our Yes to AV and Green Party signs (correctly placed) near polling stations were mysteriously removed.

However, the main reason for me contacting you is that I understand the government is considering rejecting the advice of the Committee on Climate Change. This doesn't fit with promises to be the "greenest government ever".... Or does the Conservative Party know something the rest of the world does not know?

Please can you write urgently to the Prime Minister and ask him to accept the advice of the Committee on Climate Change in full. That has to include accepting their recommendations for future targets. If we are serious about tackling climate change, we have to bring down emissions at the rate which the scientists say is necessary.

It is unacceptable to argue that these changes to the targets should be made for reasons of short term economic necessity. If you are really green, you have to look at the big picture - long term.

sincerely
Shan Oakes

A tip for politicians

2011-05-02T20:25:00.003+01:00

When life seems hard - see above (statue with no name on Beckside), get yourself into the nearest hostelry and find some allies!!

Why I like doing politics (2)

2011-05-02T20:10:00.004+01:00

This was baby Joshua's christening party at the Forester's pub on Beckside - the family invited us in and it was great fun as you can see - we drank a toast to 5 month old Joshua and it was a really lovely occasion. Thank you Joshua's family for these fantastic photos. Loved it!

What I don't like about politics (1)

2011-05-02T19:48:00.006+01:00

The worst thing about this job is when people just aren't interested. You can't really blame them. One reason is the ridiculous 'first past the post' electoral system we currently have in this country which means that most people's vote doesn't count. However, I want to remind them that democracy may not be perfect but it's the best system humans have thought of so far for running our affairs and it's precious so we should participate. People have died for the vote, and in other parts of the world people are still dying for it. When people say 'I'm alright thanks' (meaning 'I'm not interested') I have to move away quickly before I say something I'll regret, like, 'You call this state of affairs alright then, do you?....Don't you care about your children?'...etc.

Anyway - all the more reason to vote Yes to AV because it will mean that our votes actually count.

Why I like doing politics (1)

2011-05-02T19:11:00.005+01:00

The best thing about canvassing is the people you meet. I met a woman I used to teach years ago in Beverley. She said she had hoped to see me because she wanted to tell me something: apparently i had said to her (when I was manning a stall, some time after we had both left school) that the school system does not serve a lot of people well because it is too focussed on academic results, so that less 'academic' kids feel like failures. She had been one of those people - always in trouble. Apparently my comment had helped her decide to do a course at Hull Uni which she is really enjoying. This made my day.

I also met a woman last saturday whom I'd taught in Hull in 1975 and we were both amazed that her name came straight to me....weird but true. She said she had seen me on TV. I was able to apologise for all the stuff I must have got wrong in my first teaching job (I'm only 7 years older than she is) but she kindly said I was a nice teacher... Another really lovely encounter, and if I wasn't doing this job it wouldn't have happened .

Election canvassing feedback

2011-05-02T18:58:00.004+01:00

Some comments we've had:

'not interested thanks'.

'what do you think of beer prices?'...
'we think landlords are being exploited by the big breweries.'..
'Oh do you?..well i'll be voting for you then.'

'we're the lot fighting vested interests which are poisoning the world'..
'That sounds good - I like that.'

'Yes - give me a vote green poster - i want to annoy my neighbour!'

'Im alright thanks'.

'Yes i'll vote for you - I'm not voting for any of them others'.

'That's a mint bike - give us a poster for the window'

Saturday in Beverley

2011-05-01T21:32:00.005+01:00

Saturday in Beverley- we had an especially good response to our 'Cut pay to fat cats not jobs in public services - all Tories out' poster.

New local Party mascot

2011-05-01T21:17:00.003+01:00

This snake looks happy to have found a new home. She was languishing on a charity stall a few minutes previously. You are welcome to send suggestions for a name for her.

YES to AV

2011-05-01T20:51:00.005+01:00

I've sent in my postal vote and my Yes to AV. Although AV isn't perfect, it's far better than FPTP (which we have at the moment) because every vote will count. It's a step in the right direction. The people wanting to keep FPTP are the Tories, the right wing of the Labour party and the BNP. The No campaign reasons are ridiculous. They seem to assume that people are completely stupid and can't count to 3. A lot of money has been poured into the No campaign. If this country decides to continue with FPTP we will deserve what we will get - more of the same dire politics.

Spring - and Green posters - busting out all over

2011-05-01T13:23:00.003+01:00

Lots of people are putting up Green posters. Lots of support for the ' stop the cuts' campaign.

Kids campaigning for a better world

2011-05-01T13:15:00.004+01:00

Kids are green. We know this as we've done research on it. They want a good and fair world. So we have no compunction about roping the kids in to campaigning!

FAQ: So how did you get to Budapest?

2011-05-01T12:52:00.008+01:00

We went by North Sea ferries from Hull to Rotterdam (overnight).
We were struck by the contrast between Hull and Rottm in terms of wind turbines: Hull has one visible from the ship - and this pic is of Rotterdam dock. We then took trains to Munich and a sleeper train to Budapest. The photo of recycling bins was taken on a station - Dusseldorf I think.

Bike tour of Budapest - European Greens

2011-05-01T12:36:00.005+01:00

The Hungarian greens took a few of us around their beautiful city showing us the political scenery: arts centres which had been rescued by the people, squares dominated by big business interests, recycling points which are as yet little used.

European Greens in Budapest

2011-05-01T12:05:00.004+01:00

A guy in breathing apparatus just happened to be passing and joined in with our demonstration against the use of nuclear energy in the wake of Fukushima - on the bank of the Danube

European Greens in Budapest

2011-05-01T11:16:00.002+01:00

We attended the European Greens' council in Budapest in early April...an inspiring event. This is one of the members of the Hungarian Greens, or 'Politics can be different' (LMP). One of the bridges across the Danube can be seen behind him. After the formal proceedings they took us on a bike tour of Budapest. We particularly liked the 'ruin pubs' - in one of which the LMP had celebrated its latest election victory.

Public Service Cuts - the East Riding Council got in first

2011-03-26T18:01:00.007Z

I was out today in Beverley handing out 'Stop the cuts' leaflets. A lot of people seem unperturbed. Why? One reason, I guess, is that the Tory ERYC (East Riding of Yorks Council) has been quietly cutting services for years, so people in the area have become used to poor provision. Take the youth service...there's nothing, even though people are always complaining, rightly, that young people have nothing to do and nowhere to go. Beverley Town Council now picks up the bill for detached youth worker time, even though it's not their responsibility. Meanwhile, ERYC pays over the top for a few senior staff and the lowest possible rates for the majority. Is this the council attitude we want? We have to decide at the ballot box.

Armed Forces Days

2011-03-25T19:06:00.003Z

Unfortunately, people are being encouraged to organise these thinly disguised military recruitment events by a £9,000 bribe from the MOD...They are now planning another one in Beverley, East Yorks. I see them as tantamount to child abuse in that young people, and children brought for a day out, are given the impression that joining the armed forces is fun. Kids are encouraged to climb about in military vehicles with their faces painted in camouflage colours. It's grotesque and cynical. Nobody spells out the horror and brutality involved.

I met the distraught aunt of an only son who had just been sent to Afghanistan - It's no joke, and its unfair to entice people into the armed forces in a recession when people are desperate for jobs. These events should not be masquerading as a family day out. There are plenty of alternative ways to set up a good day in town - such as a community celebration, showcasing all the exciting activities going on in the area including business, sport, arts, heritage, food, etc.

I have no problem with Remembrance Sunday when we honour those who died and were injured in past conflict- its the least we can do - but AFDs are a very different matter. Please think again Beverley. At least the Town Council has had the sense not to participate this time.

Peter Tatchell's letter to TUC

2011-03-25T19:03:00.001Z

To: General Secretary, TUC
from Peter Tatchell

Dear Brendan Barber,

Congratulations to the TUC for organising Saturday's anti-cuts protest. It's a great achievement to bring together the many disparate groups affected by the ConDem attack on public services. I'll be there on the march, in full support.

I am, however, somewhat perplexed why the leader of the Green Party hasn't been invited to speak at Saturday's protest, given the otherwise inclusive line-up of speakers.

Caroline Lucas MP - and the Greens – have consistently supported protests against job losses, student fees and spending cuts. She has been a clear voice in defence of public services and working people.

Caroline was one of the originators of the Green New Deal group – the first major policy intervention proposing an alternative route out of austerity. The Green New Deal is exactly what trade unionists, socialists and all progressive people should be campaigning for – rebuilding a fair, just and sustainable economy from the ashes of the recession.

Saturday’s protest is supposed to present a united front against the cuts. Sadly, this message is confused and diminished by having Ed Miliband as a speaker. He and Labour support massive cuts just like the Tories. The only difference between Miliband and Cameron is that Ed supports spacing the cuts over a few more years. Under Miliband’s plans, masses of people will still lose their jobs and huge swathes of our public services will be decimated.

If you are going to give Ed Miliband a platform, then surely you should balance his “fewer cuts now, more cuts later” stance with Caroline Lucas’s commitment to “no cuts now or later”?

Like you, I want to see a broad-based, pluralist movement against the cuts and the coalition government. This movement should include the Greens. I think it is only fair, and politically important, to feature at your rally the leader of the only political party to steadfastly resist the cuts agenda and propose a radical but pragmatic alternative to massive job losses.

The Greens are the only party that is unambiguously committed to avoiding public spending cuts by scrapping the Labour and Conservative military procurement programme, including Trident (saving £76 billion) and the air transporters and super aircraft carriers (saving £10 billion).

The Greens are also the only party advocating the Tobin Tax (Robin Hood Tax) on all financial transactions. A tiny tax rate of 0.05% (one-twentieth of 1%) on such transactions could raise up to £100 billion a year in the UK. This would wipe out the government deficit in just over 18 months – making the need for cuts in public services and jobs redundant. In the long term, this tax would provide major permanent funding for social welfare and environmental programmes.

I think it is important to have a speaker at Saturday’s demonstration who will articulate this credible alternative to the cuts. A simple anti-cuts message is not enough. Negative oppositionism will not galvanise the public. People rightly want to know how the trade unions, the left and the Greens will plug the deficit.

Given the Greens Party’s anti-cuts credentials and Caroline's track record in defence of working people I am sure there must be a very good reason why Caroline hasn't been invited to speak. But I have no idea what this reason might be. Could you advise me?

I hope that the omission of Caroline from the speaker line-up is an oversight and that you can remedy this by now inviting her to join the platform on Saturday.

Thanks a lot for your consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.
Best wishes for a fabulous turn out on Saturday.

Peter Tatchell

Human rights campaigner
NUJ member
Green Party human rights spokesperso

Email: peter@petertatchell.net

Web: http://www.petertatchell.net

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/PeterTatchell
Join me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peter.tatchell

swifts

2011-02-13T20:48:00.001Z

Shan Oakes
Swift Conservation - http://www.swift-conservation.org/ - Keeping the Skies Alive! I've been very worried about the drop in numbers of swifts and delighted to find this site. They advise on things like how to make your roof better for swifts to nest in.
Swift Conservation Homepage
www.swift-conservation.org
Biodiversity

everything!

2011-02-11T12:52:00.005Z

I'm feeling highly frustrated. Why can't everyone see the appalling mess the world is in due to unleashed corporations and greed? Its no good saying 'Oh well its always been the same'. Humans ARE capable of change, and the need is so blatant we should be working together for change.

'More for Less' - this was the title of last Tuesday's conference at Bishop Burton Agricultural College. The presentations ranged from the excellent(how farming can contribute to the general good) to the grotesque (the proposed Nocton cow factory). The college should be congratulated on running this public conference to showcase these varying points of view.

Graham Stuart, Tory MP for Beverley and Holderness, spoke first and demonstrated his complete lack of understanding of the need to develop a vibrant local economy in the face of peak oil. His vision is severely limited - to yet more corporate power, 'competition', and 'growth': more of the very things which are leading to war, job loss, disease, species extinction, empty seas, poverty, climate change and so on. I was not the only one aghast at his myopic view. He repeats the mantra of 'less government' without seeing the need for a review of our collective values. He has a background in running a small business, but he needs now, as does his party, to get to grips with the bigger picture. The two 'slick and dirty' presentations were promotions for genetic modification and animal concentration camps, but the others were about how to diversify, think differently and add value and were fascinating.

At the end I met a student whose family has farmed in East Yorkshire for 4 generations - and it was his enthusiasm and the local connection which will remain with me the longest.

Student debt debate

2010-11-04T13:28:00.001Z

Student debt debate

This new regime proposed by the Con Dems, puts UK education amongst the most expensive in the world whereas the Green Party wants to see education free including at university level, and to fund it by tax changes for those on 100k and over, among other changes.
At least £20K for fees over 3 years, plus a similar amount for accommodation and living expenses, will be hanging over most graduates for a good deal of their working lives, and may have to be paid back at the rate of £2,000 plus over 30 years - much like a mortgage. Many young people would feel intimidated by this prospect and the total number of students is likely to fall. If a graduate who was in employment later lost his/her job, the debt would remain on the books and actually increase as there is an interest charge, so that if the graduate returns to employment in a job earning more than £21,000 pa, s/ he will stand to pay back the added charge in the long run.
The position of the very poorest students was better covered, but the implication for those just above the bread line would be serious . Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have made the economic argument that these changes are necessary and "progressive", but the changes are going to hurt and there will be political repercussions, if not on the scale of the derided poll tax, but widely and permanently. The shift from state responsibility for the costs of higher education on to the shoulders of the individual is going to be profound. with thanks for commentary from Peter Reeve.

We must demand proportional representation

2010-05-28T11:05:00.003+01:00

We have had many queries since the election, asking why the Greens didn’t do better at a time when most people are now aware of the very real issues which only the Green Party has been seriously addressing - for more than 35 years!

It became quite clear as we approached polling day that people were going to vote tactically. Many people said to us, apologetically, that although they wanted to vote Green, they would in fact be voting Lib Dem or Labour because they wanted rid of the Tories and they wanted proportional representation. Even the far right wing parties did better than the Greens because those voters are typically less reflective and so tend not to vote tactically.

Knowing that we could not win this time in this very conservative area, a lot of the energies of the local party were focussed on supporting the Greens' campaign in Brighton Pavilion – where, at 6am on May 7th, Caroline Lucas was elected Britain's first Green MP . She is the first Green MP worldwide to have been elected under a first-past-the-post system: a spectacular achievement. There are of course, many Greens in government in other countries, as well as in the European Parliament. In the UK, Greens are in the Scottish Parliament, London Assembly, on many councils – and, at last, in Westminster!

So thank you to all those who voted for a fairer world (whichever box you put your cross in). The next job for us all is to push for a fairer electoral system which will make every vote count, so that people can vote from the heart, and the real issues can come to the fore and be addressed in the interests of people and planet instead of in the interests of corporations and the very rich.

comments welcome to shan@voice.karoo.co.uk

poster parade 4

2010-05-05T21:52:00.000+01:00

poster parade 3

2010-05-05T21:51:00.000+01:00

poster parade 2

2010-05-05T21:48:00.000+01:00

poster parade 1

2010-05-05T21:46:00.000+01:00

A Reminder

2010-05-05T09:48:00.004+01:00

A pleasant day in Swanland - this poster is close to the polling station.

Bank Holiday - campaigning in Beverley

2010-05-05T09:43:00.003+01:00

The other placard messages were: 'Cut pay to fat cats not jobs in public services - all Tories out.'
and 'ERYC leads where Cameron will follow' (referring to the grotesque discretionary early retirement pension fund payment for a senior officer of East Riding of Yorks Council)

David Davis refuses to join debate - again!

2010-05-01T16:45:00.006+01:00

The article below by Jonathan Reed appeared in The Yorkshire Post on 27 April 2010:

'Call for apology follows market confrontation

A ROW has broken out between a clergyman and former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis after a confrontation at a market place.

Father Oliver Coss has called for an apology after a confrontation with Mr Davis in Cottingham market as he tried to persuade him to take part in a hustings event he was organising.

But Mr Davis, who is campaigning to regain his Haltemprice and Howden seat, insists that during the exchange he was "firm but polite" and dismissed the incident as a "storm in a teacup".

Mr Coss, assistant curate of St Mary's Church, Cottingham, approached Mr Davis at the market along with Father Paul Smith, the Rector, after being told the politician was unable to attend Sunday's event, and said they were "astonished" by his response.

Mr Coss, who said he was a Tory voter but would be rethinking, said the meeting turned into "a deeply confrontational episode in front of our parishioners".

Now Mr Coss has written about it on social networking site Facebook where he said: "I want nothing more than an apology and this hustings to take place without any further unpleasantness".

But Mr Davis denied allegations he was rude. He said he already had campaign commitments when he received a written invitation the day before the encounter, and said a call received by a secretary several days earlier had not been passed on to him.

"I had no intention to be rude to anyone," he said.'

This has become a pattern. In the 2008 byelection the Tory campaign team used the same excuse (communications mix-up) to explain Mr Davis's refusal to engage with me on the civil liberties issue. What is he worried about?

domestic solar energy

2010-04-25T16:06:00.003+01:00

Today's report in the Independent concurs with our experience of getting a solar hot water system installed about 6 years ago now by Smart Energy UK. Although their own assessor said our house needed 2 panels facing in 2 directions to make the most of the sun, the SE installers turned up and installed only one panel. This has meant we lose the sun too early in the day to heat the water for the morning. We have complained several times but have never managed to get the firm to do anything about it. As with so many other issues, there needs to be regulatory bodies (as there are with tourism for example) to safeguard the public from cowboy operators who are not interested in follow-up.

Saturday in Beverley - vote for your kids

2010-04-24T21:56:00.005+01:00

Took leaflets and placards into Beverley. Sunny, busy. People walking past trying not to make eye contact. Feeling rather disconsolate - when a wonderful thing happened: 2 girls aged about 13 came up and asked what I was doing. I explained. One said 'Why are you dressed like that? It's weird' (boots, skirt, Green Party tabard, rosette and straw hat). The other said, 'That's rude', and I said, 'It's to attract attention.' Then they offered to take some leaflets to give out!! They did this for several hours, parading the placard up and down the crowded street....and they want to do it next saturday as well!

robin looks suspicious

2010-04-17T18:34:00.002+01:00

thought you might like another shot

It don't mean a thing if it aint got that Green swing

2010-04-17T18:22:00.005+01:00

We moved down Toll Gavel and found some live jazz - The Black Cat Swing Club - perfect. What we need is a big Green swing! Spoke with people from all around the East Riding and Hull - and further afield.

On the stump - Saturday Market

2010-04-17T18:04:00.003+01:00

Great day today - Beverley, Saturday Market, Butter Cross. We thought how little this spot is used when it could be a wonderful stage for street theatre etc. Just shows how much our community needs enlivening. More trading of locally grown food needed too.

'leader' debate

2010-04-17T10:15:00.002+01:00

The debate last thursday was a good thing if it helped increase interest in politics. Nick Clegg came out marginally better than the others, BUT, if the Green leader, Caroline Lucas, had been on stage she would have outshone them all. Clegg said he would do things differently – BUT, how differently? All three still cling to the idea of economic ‘growth’. The Greens know that we have to change our ideas fundamentally if we are to climb out of recession without massive job losses and/or more damage to the environment. It was Caroline who came up with the term Green New Deal which the old parties have now adopted, but - the Greens’ policies actually hang together. ALL the old parties forget that the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment. We forget this at our peril. We can’t continue with infinite growth on a finite planet.

Robin moves into wren's nest

2010-04-08T23:43:00.001+01:00

Hunting

2010-04-01T16:58:00.003+01:00

A few words on hunting: We walked up to see the Holderness Hunt meeting on Beverley Westwood last Boxing Day. You might assume the Greens are opposed to hunting and you would be right that we are against hunting with dogs for sport. On the other hand, we are happy to see the vestiges of an ancient tradition in the form of horses, people and hounds getting some exercise - but without killing foxes - as was the case on Westwood on Boxing Day. If foxes need controlling there are more humane ways to do that than using packs of dogs to tear them apart.

The Tory MP, Graham Stuart, on the other hand, said that if the Tories get into government at the coming election, he hopes the anti-hunting law will be repealed - so that this bloodthirsty 'sport' can resume. Mr Stuart spoke of retaining the 'freedom' to indulge in hunting foxes. The Greens' view is that we certainly want to retain our freedoms, but that archaic customs such as hunting and killing animals with dogs should no longer be seen as acceptable behaviour. Barbarity towards animals supports and encourages barbarity towards human beings.

Hustings under way

2010-03-26T10:05:00.002Z

Early spring in Howden (and Hornsea)

2010-03-19T09:39:00.007Z

On the train on the way back to Beverley from a meeting in Leeds last tuesday, I felt impulsive - must have been the weak spring sunshine - and jumped off at Howden. Howden station is perhaps a mile from town so I had a good walk to start with - and noticed the ditch between the path and the fields. It looked lifeless - at a time when other still water is surging with frogs. Is it full of chemicals due to our current intensive agricultural methods? Can anyone tell me?

Nearing town, the first thing I noticed was the huge carpark in a field. I later discovered it's for the Press Association. As its quite a step back to the station, I decided I'd better first find out train times and was told Shire Hall was my best bet for tourist information - but - Shire Hall is closed on mondays and tuesdays. So where could I get information? This search gave me insight into the kindliness of people in Howden: the owners of the Minster View Hotel found me a train timetable, the landlord of the Wellington Hotel let me use his computer to try to check current train times (not easy!), and one of the post office staff found me an up to date timetable. I bought a meaty little magazine - Howden Matters - and chatted with the owners of various hostelries and shops. Some were angry about East Riding Council drawing yellow lines on the road and fining people for parking...but, to be fair (and I'm no admirer of ERYC), others felt it wasn't such an issue. Cars! It was nice to be free of one.

Having spent monday evening at a meeting in Hornsea of small traders trying to develop survival strategies for the arrival of Tesco, I do feel Howden is very lucky to have the ethical Co-operative and not to be dominated by the big-bully supermarkets. There are some great little shops in Howden - including butchers, deli, homecare - long may they thrive.

I spent a really pleasant afternoon in historic Howden and hope to return soon - thanks for the friendly welcome!

'All war is organised murder'

2010-03-03T21:04:00.003Z

Brian Haw's Awesome Peace Protest

2010-03-03T18:59:00.004Z

We had a chat with Brian Haw on February 21st. He’s been camping opposite the Houses of Parliament for 8 years to protest against the aggression, death and destruction perpetrated by this country on Iraq. Brian deserves all our respect and admiration for standing up for human rights and civilised behaviour.

Politics Show Sunday 21st Feb

2010-02-26T19:52:00.003Z

The Green Party was featured on the BBC Politics Show last Sunday with film of Hull North candidate Martin Deane, Huddersfield's Andrew Cooper, and myself doing a live bit from the London studio. Trouble is they asked me about climate change, and that's just not our main issue. I had about five points I wanted to make - but no time!

Young people and political debate

2010-02-26T19:46:00.002Z

I spent a very interesting afternoon last week observing an East Riding Youth Assembly meeting in Beverley where young people were putting themselves forward as potential members of the Youth Parliament for the UK. 30 secondary school students spoke about what mattered to them - and it was all about justice. Issues included lowering the voting age, divorce and its effect on kids, bullying, the need to listen to young people’s views and to talk about disability in schools, unfair attitudes towards young people, and lack of things for young people to do. It was very impressive – and all these issues are championed by the Green Party whose slogan is ‘Fair is worth fighting for’.

The afternoon proved how caring young people can be, so it’s worrying that, in my experience, many young people don’t vote at all, often saying they know nothing about it. This allows the ‘grey’ parties (and the far right parties) to win seats because many older people seem to vote out of habit - or protest. It’s often younger people who want sensible fair Green politics, but who don’t vote…so its easy to see why we don’t get the positive change we so desperately need.

So, I’m inviting colleges and schools to please hold hustings (a meeting with questions to a panel of politicians) in the run-up to the general election. There was a Green landslide vote at Wolfreton School hustings (see below) : when people hear Green policies they like them. If you know a school or college (or, for that matter, any group at all) which is looking for a Green speaker, or a Green panellist for a hustings, do please get in touch with us.

Greens Landslide Win at Wolfreton School

2010-02-26T18:08:00.003Z

I was delighted to be invited to Wolfreton School recently to participate in a political hustings in the run-up to the General Election. The audience was the whole of Year 10 and some sixth form politics students. The venue was the lecture theatre with adult politicians stage left and student politicians stage right. The adults represented Labour, Lib Dems, Conservatives, and myself for the Greens. The students represented Labour, UKIP, Green, BNP, Tory and Lib Dem. Tom (aged 13) also spoke as a member of the UK Youth Parliament. The politicians, young and old, described their policies, and questions followed.

Natalie and I gave the message that Green is the only way out of the recession. We can afford our policies because we would cut out the massive UK spending on ‘defence’. We would create hundreds of thousands of green jobs in agriculture, house refurbishment, insulation, public transport, and new energy technologies.

The audience voted and the result was a LANDSLIDE vote for the Greens!

Young people invariably believe in Green policies, but if they don’t vote (when they can), the older voters put in the OLD outdated parties and we get old outdated policies to keep us in the same old mess.

Many thanks for the event, Mr Richardson – if only more schools would do this….well done Wolfreton!

2010-02-26T17:20:00.001Z

Campaigning in Cottingham in the rain

2010-01-27T18:34:00.005Z

A bit of multi-tasking here: we wanted to do some campaigning, and needed to take some pics for our General Election Freepost leaflet, so invited passers by to join us and choose a poster to be seen with - we really enjoyed it despite the rain. The dogs were camera-shy.

Imagine the old parties doing this - would they get people to stand by them with posters saying, 'Let's buy a new Trident missile' or 'Privatise the NHS' or 'Support Big Corporations' or 'Send more soldiers to war'?!!!

It's good being Green because our policies make sense.

fungus on apple tree

2010-01-27T17:51:00.003Z

Beautiful fungus on an old apple tree - an example of awesome biodiversity!

2010-01-23T15:29:00.001Z

Revisiting an old stamping ground in this piece the Beverley Guardian published on Friday. Tread carefully, though!

Norwood House Campaign takes a new twist

2010-01-23T14:26:00.002Z

Our long running campaign to keep Norwood House as a community resource was helped by the Planning Committee refusing a change of use to offices last Monday, 18 January. The Yorkshire Post followed up the story and latched on to the fact that we have referred the whole matter of the sale to the Ombudsman. The story above was published on Friday 22.

2010-01-19T20:23:00.002Z

I sent this to the BBC 'send us a story' site today:

The Greens take issue with the Tories’ elitist approach to teaching and learning. Tories, typically, would assume that a good teacher is a commodity: they can be ‘made’ and ‘bought’.

The Greens have a different view. We would say that a good teacher is someone who likes and can communicate with children, and this quality cannot be measured by academic means. A good teacher is not necessarily someone who is ‘academic’.

The assumption that more pay will attract ‘the best’ teachers is also at fault - but this is the attitude we would expect from the Tories. A committed teacher will not be ‘bought’.

What the Tories, and the other ‘grey’ parties fail to understand, is that the aims of ‘education’ need a fundamental rethink. It’s not ‘bad’ or ‘good’ teachers that are the issue, but outdated assumptions underpinning our education system. The Greens advocate education which develops the whole child: learning to be, to do, to know and to live together (as recommended by UNESCO), rather than the ‘jumping through hoops’ style of education which we have all become used to and which causes such havoc.

Ice and no action from council

2010-01-06T21:45:00.002Z

I sent this letter to the Beverley Guardian today....

East Riding residents say the icy roads and pavements are a disgrace. Driffield, for example, has been even worse than Beverley. I've spoken to officers of East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) and they say they treat 38% of the road network on a precautionary basis and an additional 12% on a ‘responsive’ basis, but little or no funding is allocated for cul-de-sacs or pavements. Meanwhile the injuries are mounting - along with all their pain, cost and inconvenience. A&E in Hull has had ‘unprecedented’ numbers of injuries and has been forced to send people on elsewhere for surgery.

The ice issue is yet another example of ERYC’s poor record in deciding on sensible and humane priorities. ERYC seems to have priorities other than residents' welfare and safety - or surely there would be plans in place for emergency situations such as this? It should be a priority to enable people to get out of their houses. There's job potential too. Plenty of people would have been pleased with some seasonal paid work clearing smaller footpaths. Maybe there is a lack of ‘special vehicles’, or maybe health and safety regulation is being allowed to get in the way of common sense? Whatever the reason, there’s no excuse for leaving residents trapped at home or risking serious injury by going out. It’s the Council’s job to sort this.

But it’s a political decision - and ERYC is Tory-dominated. Do we want to see more neglect of public service and cost-cutting in the future? It’s ironic in this context that Graham Stuart (Tory MP for Beverley and Holderness) talks of care of those who are ‘elderly, frail or lonely’ – the very people who have been frozen into their homes. Green politicians, whether on local councils, in Westminster, or in Europe, prioritise safety and welfare. For example, there are 7 Green City Councillors in Oxford, where ‘all the main roads and pavements are gritted’ (quoted from your article last week).

Let’s have more sense and fairness instead of hidebound political thinking in pursuit of ‘targets’…and empty rhetoric.

Sincerely, Shan Oakes Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Haltemprice and Howden

Why be worried about Prince Charles?

2009-12-17T10:14:00.004Z

Today's Guardian's story about Prince Charles writing letters to Government Departments is a storm in a (bone china) teacup. Why make a fuss about it? PC poses no threat to what's left of British democracy. I see him as being a 'particularly famous person' and I'm therefore more interested in what he says in the light of its impact on public opinion. PC is often voicing the views of his charities. There's no doubt he makes some very good points - about the appalling implications of genetic modification ; about the need for healthy communities; about climate change, sustainability, buildings, human abuse of nature and so on. Yes, PC does have more opportunity than many of us to see the bigger world picture (and that's not to say everything he says is right) so his personal view is worth hearing... and given the same weight as anyone else's.

Greens say that the constitutional functions of the monarchy should be abolished and the House of Lords be replaced with an elected chamber. This would leave PC as a public figure much as he is now. As several people have already said above, why are govt depts so worried about it? I suggest its because his views on the big issues like GM are opposed to the grey political parties' 'Save the Corporations and Save Us' stance.
.

Susan, Beverley, and the Polar Bear Rap

2009-12-12T17:15:00.003Z

Susan the Polar Bear joined our mini 'Copenhagen' demo with some young activists in Beverley, Saturday.

Susan performed her own Polar Bear Rap which was very popular with some of our younger citizens who joined in enthusiastically. She also invited people to the Greens' fundraising bash at Hodgson's, (Flemingate, Beverley) on Tuesday 15th December 7.30: The Harri Watts Band, Knu, veggie pie and pea supper and a quiz - all for a fiver (£6 on the door). All welcome.

Visiting Christiania in Copenhagen

2009-10-13T17:47:00.021+01:00

Yesterday we visited Christiania, an amazing example of alternative living. Look them up.

Leif's Seven Year Vigil

2009-10-13T17:38:00.009+01:00

Today we met a guy Leif Poulsen, www.fredsvagt.dk who has been on a daily anti war vigil outside of the Parliament for seven years, protesting against the Afghan war. He is in touch with Brian Haw and we said we'd show the photos to Brian.

Biking in Copenhagen

2009-10-13T17:24:00.010+01:00

This morning we got a call from Peter Levy's team, asking for an interview on BBC Radio Humberside to talk about fining people who put the wrong stuff in their trash. So we went to the Copenhagen city department which looks after recycling to see what happens here - and took the call for the interview (as you can see).

By the time they rang, they had changed their mind and wanted to talk about proposals to make people pay to drive on motorways! Anyway we had an opportunity to say we were here for a European Green Party conference and how we had come by train, and how great the biking is here.

We took the opportunity to talk to their bike people and came away with all sorts of ideas and contacts for Hull and York.

.

The cycle supporting the arms trade must stop

2009-10-06T22:01:00.003+01:00

A Message from Hull and East Riding Green Party to BAE Systems

30 SEP 2009

The Greens have always worked for Justice and Fairness and we want to get this message across for the general election - as emphasised at our Conference.

Greens are batting for fairness for people and planet, for the workers, and no other party is doing that. Labour have failed dismally over the last 12 years.

Freedom and justice are worth fighting for. Unfairness in the UK is rife. Take the issue of recent unjust unwinnable wars - totally supported by Labour and Tories. Iraq has already been withdrawn from. Our Afghanistan resolution at Conference says we want an immediate withdrawal of all UK forces, withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, and a regional agreement with Afghanistan's neighbours (Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan), together with Russia and China and the UN, to hold a peace conference with the aim of establishing a new Afghan government which will have the support of the Afghan people.

If the UK wants to deal with problems of refugees and alienation in our society we have to sort out our policies with our allies not only on Afghanistan but also Palestine, Somalia & the Horn of Africa.

In the context of a global reduction of war - which surely we all want - there will be a reduced need for armaments. At the moment there is a vicious cycle of political and economic pressure supporting the arms trade which supports war which supports the arms trade and so on. This cycle must stop.

Our policy is to redirect the valuable skills of the armaments industry towards progressive manufacturing - such as the complex machinery required to extract energy from the tides, the waves and of course wind.

As things stand, the UK has no manufacturing capacity in any of these areas, despite the fact that it’s a certainty that such technology needs to be on stream in a very short time. Despite the fact that the British Isles are very windy and surrounded by sea, there are zero turbines manufactured in Britain now.

The Vestas issue (600 jobs lost) illustrates the confusion successive governments have created. For decades it should have been clear that the UK should be developing and making alternative energy technology, low energy houses, trains, for example - and not buying from abroad. That's more important than an economy which is dependent on arms.

Other EU countries, including Germany, are making large scale joint investment in solar energy designed to harvest the energy in the north African Desert - an essential complement to the intermittent supply which wind energy on its own will provide. The UK is absent from this consortium.

But what does Government do? - In a policy supported by the Tories, it gives a £1 billion subsidy per year to the arms industry.

BAE is the main recipient of this subsidy, and yet BAE has already shed many hundreds of jobs in the region in the last two years. We are told there used to be 8,000 people working at Brough - now it’s 1650. As a single product manufacturer it is just as vulnerable as the car manufacturers at Cowley, Luton and Longbridge. BAE Brough, this key plant, will be the first to suffer if they're making something that no-one wants, and with no plans for retooling.

If there is a lessening of tension in the world - and let’s hope that there will be - are we ready to reap the benefit of any ‘peace dividend’? No. It seems that the old-style politicians in this country (aping the United States) lack imagination. They assume the economy needs continuing war and quest for oil, even though there is a sane, sensible and peaceful alternative.

The Green New Deal promotes green jobs, greening the economy, green energy, modifying existing houses, and public transport development. Greens would address financial injustice: eg. limit bankers’ bonuses and close down offshore tax havens, since tax evasion is, in effect, white-collar crime.

The Greens are clear about supporting ordinary people, workers, whilst challenging big business when it exploits people and planet.

Shan Oakes:

Parliamentary candidate for Haltemprice and Howden

Tel: 01482 862085 / 07769 607710

Green challenger achieves 25% in Beverley by-election

2009-08-06T16:15:00.004+01:00

St Mary's Ward West, parish by-election, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

A great many thanks to everyone for the substantial Green vote on July 30th. We scored just under 25% and came a good second to the Conservatives. There was a 24% turnout, so-so for a ward by-election, and all the results were as follows:

CON - 331 - 41%
GRE - 199 - 25%
IND - 144 - 18%
LD - 128 - 16%

With best wishes,
Charlie Jones-Lewis

Tremendously well done Charlie!
We look forward to more scores like that across the country!
Shan.

Beverley by-election: Vote Green!

2009-07-14T10:21:00.001+01:00

If you would like to help get Charlie elected contact us on 01482 862085.

With strong communities we can do anything!

2009-07-14T10:19:00.000+01:00

Making stronger, more vibrant communities.

2009-07-14T10:18:00.000+01:00

St Mary's West parish by-election, Beverley

2009-06-26T15:39:00.008+01:00

St Mary's West parish by-election.

Leafleting for this will be 15-17 July.
Get in touch if you can lend a hand: 01482 862085.

Candidate: Charlaine Jones-Lewis

See Charlie's Campaign Blog here.

The next Green Party Meeting will be on Thursday 9th July, at 7.30pm in Nellie's, side room.

.

Charlie Jones-Lewis selected for St Mary's West

2009-06-18T08:47:00.006+01:00

We are very pleased to announce that Charlaine Jones-Lewis will stand for the Green Party in the Beverley byelection on July 30th.

See Charlie's blog here: http://stmaryswest.blogspot.com

Charlie has lived and worked in Beverley for some years. She has a growing interest in how local communities grow whether it's play areas for kids, or where a hospital may be sited or how an area looks and feels.

We look forward to her plans for St Mary's West.

Shan Oakes talks about windpower on Look North

2009-06-01T21:35:00.004+01:00

Shan Oakes (audio), BBC Look North

We must move on from coal as major energy producer
Wind could actually supply 3x UK energy needs
Whole range of renewable energy needed
Need better communication with local communities on issue
Major investment needed now
Reductions in energy we use
Government must commit to this.

Shan Oakes campaigns for Europe at Friends of the Earth Northern Gathering

2009-05-19T20:59:00.004+01:00

- Shan Oakes pictured with Andy Atkins, Director of Friends of the Earth.

The Northern Gathering of Friends of the Earth was held in Manchester this weekend.

I was there, full on campaigning for Europe and it was great to spend so much time with friends and allies in FOE.

We had a good input on climate change and workshops on loads of things.

Bill did his pieces for Marinet and the Marine Bill going through Parliament. Latest figures show complete declines in all the major fish stocks.

Again and again we see what a huge impact we have on the planet.

The campaign for Europe is in full swing now. We've had Mark Thomas endorse us last month, Salma Yaqoob and the Respect Party throw their weight behind us on May 4th, Jonathon Porritt too, and Tony Juniper - the former Director of FOE - is now going to stand for Parliament for us at the next general election.

The huge sleaze revelations are disgusting. It's all across the major parties in the Commons. People expect more from their MPS - and have every right to!

We really need a Green MEP in Yorkshire! We really need Greens in Westminster! Please get out there and help us do it!

Shan.

'Supersizing' schools and community

2009-04-17T16:31:00.004+01:00

In response to John Roberts’ article about ‘supersize’ schools (Dec, Yorkshire Post), I should like to make one or two observations.

I do not think children’s experience of school is dependent on the size of the school per se, although I agree that children respond well to ‘being known’ - which is usually easier to achieve in a smaller institution . Whether a school is successful is dependent, in my experience (as a former teacher, parent and former officer in local education authorities), on the quality of relationships both within the school and between the school and the community.

I have just spent a morning as a guest at Kingswood, a secondary school in Hull, with Year seven. The children couldn’t have been better behaved or more engaged and thoughtful. I was very impressed. What I noticed was the mutual respect and good humour which was evident between staff and students, and the politeness and good listening skills of the students. In addition to a high respect factor, I understand that Year 7 is organised in such a way that students do more discussion and project work than is usual in secondary schools, and I suspect that this allows for a more relaxed and student-led approach to learning than the usual dominance of ‘subjects’.

When students (of any age) are allowed to learn about things which interest them, and at their own pace, they learn faster and more effectively. This is why we need to remove from our schools the frenetic drive for pressure to ‘perform.’ The well-known struggle to reach state-imposed subject ‘targets’ often becomes a barrier preventing staff and students from acknowledging and respecting each other as people. The school scenario becomes dominated by stress and competition with many falling behind in the race and feeling disaffected and disgruntled.

Many children come to school with huge personal issues which are rarely addressed due to the time pressure created by ‘state’ obligations. A Green education, on the other hand, would be child-centred, firmly based in the community but also looking outwards to the rest of the world, and founded on respect for each individual and his or her unique contribution.

Shan Oakes
Shan@voice-international.net

Greens: more jobs per mile!

2009-04-08T15:06:00.002+01:00

200 jobs created
£4.5 million saved on people's bills a year
£150 average reduction in fuel bills per year

Right now we're facing three crises: the recession, climate change and ‘peak’ resources. All need urgent action and only the Green Party offers policies that are high in jobs and low in consumption, to tackle all three in one go.

For example, it's Green Party councillors in Huddersfield who have led the way in providing free insulation for homes. This does three things all at once: it cuts pollution, creates local jobs and saves people hundreds of pounds a year on fuel bills. Average bills are down £150 a year per home making a huge dent in fuel poverty. Kirklees Council is saving people £4.5 million a year - and created about 200 jobs locally.

Green policies like clean energy, better public transport, good local food and modernised homes, bring more jobs per megawatt, per mile and per tonne.

Some people might try to tell you our problems are caused by immigration. But it wasn’t immigrants who caused the credit crunch, or the recession or the climate crisis, so don’t be fooled.

We need strong, supportive, elected representatives putting genuine Green policies into practice.
And we need them on local councils, in Westminster - and in Europe.

Shan Oakes

Discussing the Shore at Shores

2009-04-06T18:08:00.004+01:00

I attended a meeting at the Shores Centre in Withernsea on Friday about coastal erosion and offshore dredging. Local residents feel that the dredging is speeding up coastal erosion, so Graham Stuart MP had asked several aggregate producers to be there with their charts and exhibits – which included woolly mammoth tusks and other fossils. About 60 people turned out on a blustery cold evening.

The aggregates representatives explained the high demand for and the origins of the sands and gravels. Residents said that the beaches and cliffs were rapidly disappearing. Reference was made to the village of Hallsands in Devon which was completely swept away after dredging had removed a gravel bank out at sea. A local fisherman, who spends 8 hours a day off Spurn, described how dredging ‘left everything dead – just broken starfish.’ The silt kills shellfish in the pots. He said the sands and gravels are nurseries for shellfish. East coast fishermen are getting together as the dredging is putting them out of business.

Bill Rigby from Marinet gave an impassioned speech about the effects of aggregate removal on the marine ecosystem. He said that the whole food chain is affected and the consequences are unknown as the areas being dredged are the ancient stony river beds which have sheltered marine life for thousands of years. They cannot ever fully recover.

Prof Mike Cowling, a representative of the Crown Estate, was also present. He said that the coast has been receding for thousands of years and what we see is just a small snapshot in time. A local town councillor retorted, ‘But it’s our moment in time’. The Crown Estate receives a royalty for every tonne dredged (£17.7 million in 07/08). Although much of this revenue goes to the Treasury, many people seemed to feel that it was not surprising that Prof Cowling saw no problem with the dredging. Professor Mike Elliott of the Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies at Hull University also seemed to feel that observed changes were only natural.

My contribution was to point out that we all have a responsibility to reduce the demand for gravel and sand. We can stop putting gravel on our gardens for a start. Grass or vegetables are better for averting flooding, better on the eye and the purse. We can live without more airport runways and roads. We can relearn to build our houses with renewable materials such as straw bales – which are cheap to build and have excellent insulation value. We need a joined up approach to coastal management which involves listening to local people. We need Green policies which are not based on ‘growth’ but on life: policies which are not swayed by vested interests, corporations, or funding for weapons and wars.

Shan Oakes

shan@voice-international.net

Green Party surveys Brigg farmers' market

2009-03-29T18:59:00.008+01:00

Green Party members came to Brigg farmers' market on Saturday to seek shoppers' views on food.

There was a warm welcome for us in Brigg and the farmers' market had a huge range of goods, all local produce from local businesses, just the sorts of things we want to promote.

The market shoppers were concerned about all the major food and farming issues. There was a high level of concern about animal welfare, use of pesticides, and food additives. People were very suspicious about the food giants and government trying to push GM crops on us.

School meals came in for some criticism with a number agreeing with the Green Party that they should be free and of high quality. However hospital food fared much worse, drawing heavy criticism. One woman who had had a hip and knee operation told how she couldn't wait to get home and cook herself a three course meal - while still on crutches.

Visiting the farmers' market was a very positive experience. We heard many interesting views and got some new ideas from people and we'll try to get some of those into national policy.

If Brigg shoppers all vote in the European elections in June, we will be very happy with the result! We hope to visit the Market again

The farmers' market in Brigg is the fourth Saturday of the month. The next area farmers' market is Sunday April 5th at the Humber Bridge Viewing Area.

Our survey results are below

RESULTS

No concern - slightly concerned - very concerned.

Animal Welfare 1, 5,16

Pesticides on food 5, 4,15

Additives in food 1,4,15

GM food 5,5,13

Intensive livestock farming 1, 4,13

Food waste 0,6,12

Food miles 1, 8,9

Supermarkets v local shops 2, 4, 9

Hospital meals 2,3, 8

Meat / dairy consumption 10,12,7

Intensive crop farming 6, 3, 6

School meals 3, 4, 4

They’ll be talking about ‘green’ weapons next

2009-02-20T11:32:00.007Z

How mad is it when BAE systems can brag about ‘good growth’! They’ll be talking about ‘green’ weapons next.

It doesn’t take much imagination to realise that BAE growth (of any but a Green kind!) means more and deadlier weapons being let loose on the world so the news that their profits almost doubled is troubling indeed. And what do they mean by ‘organic’ growth I wonder – warheads made without petrochemicals perhaps?!

When will BAE start to turn its skills to the manufacture of really useful equipment such as solar, wind and other renewable energy technology, or low carbon vehicles (and I don’t mean military ones)?

The main thing we need to beat in the 21^st Century is swords into ploughshares. All this aggressive behaviour is so last Century.

How can we continue sabre rattling when the human race and all other species on the planet are threatened with extinction? Let’s get over it and start working together …And no, it’s not idealistic. You can’t say one thing and do another and expect anyone else to have any respect for you.

Shan Oakes

Beverley.

MEP candidate for Europe 2009

Education Education Education!

2009-02-18T17:16:00.004Z

‘Human history is more and more a race between education and catastrophe’ said H G Wells.

Do you think education is winning the race? A meeting to discuss this big question was organised by the Hull and East Riding Green Party last Monday in the King William pub, Cottingham.

Bill Rigby introduced the evening explaining that education has only developed into a major industry in recent history. Once, humans were forest creatures, but as populations grew we got into agriculture in the Middle East, about 8,000 years ago. The increased productivity allowed us to create governments and cities - and war. Cities made commerce and trade more necessary.

British government involvement in education stems from the 1870 Education Act.

The school Curriculum started off with the only compulsory component being Religious Education. Second to this came PE - in response to the state’s need for men to be strong enough to carry guns. Third came Home Economics - the need for nutrition to keep people healthy ( and wage war!)

Education became the means for the next generation to be readied for work. It was necessary to make the present social system work. So all our schools, colleges and universities have developed to replenish the personnel necessary to current society, and now we pay huge taxes for education.

However, the world has changed. We now see that we need to work cooperatively instead of competitively both at local and international levels. Einstein said – a fundamental problem cannot be solved with the same understanding that gave rise to it. Bill asked: If we’ve identified the need for a different society, how do we get there given we’re trained for this one?

The ensuing discussion included the following points: much education is about inculcation, formation and training. Instead, education should focus on questions such as ‘Who am I, what am I?’

Mainstream education creates codependency.

School tends to teach you that you learn only in school. Jackie challenges this as she home educates her children. This is a growing movement across Britain. She said, ‘my four year old daughter, at home, was just naturally learning, soaking things up.’

Colin pointed out that schools have lots of problems: bullying, peer pressure, truancy. Many kids are frightened, put off, alienated, by the whole thing. Now we have students being told not to use wikipedia – the biggest encyclopedia in the world.

A young woman said that school is training you. But it’s not actually teaching you how to live in society. A school student said a lot really depends on which teacher you have. Students are not taught to challenge. A teacher said, ‘I take the opportunity, in social sciences, to talk about Marcuse and Marx, and give students the tools to criticise capitalist society: give them solid critical skills.’

Diana thought that it would be healthier to mix age groups more, and Colin commented that the Scandinavian model regards play as central to learning.

Since the 1980s Thatcher, and her offspring, Blair and Brown, have got into the micro-control of education. Paul pointed out that in Scotland there are no league tables nor SATs. (SATs originate in America). Scotland has only one teaching union, unlike England which has several, which means it is possible to divide and rule the teaching profession.

Bill said the English system is one of complete conformity. When SATs were introduced, all 24,000 schools dutifully returned their SATs scores.

Shan said that this system has spread across the world. She quoted a director of Education in Uganda who called the western model of education ‘Education for Stupidification”. Uganda’s current model is based on the British education system and Uganda gets most of its education budget from DFID.

Shan said there is a huge difference between what we want for our child and what the state wants for them. Paul qualified this by saying that people are very heavily conditioned by our current materialistic culture.

Jackie felt many of the parents just collude with the system and say, “you’ve got to go , it’s good for you.”

Education is DONE to us! It should be ‘owned’ by the community.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

What do you think?!! Write us your comments.

Local Jobs for Local Workers.

2009-02-18T12:20:00.003Z

Green Party candidates support the Lindsey Oil Refinery protesters who are calling for Local Jobs for Local Workers.

Shan Oakes of Beverley, and Leslie Rowe of Richmond, North Yorkshire, today both call for an enquiry into discrimination against local workers.

Shan Oakes, the former Howden & Haltemprice by-election candidate, said, "As Greens we support the rights of British workers to protest.

"Whether in Killingholme, Dimlington or Saltend, workers around the Humber have a right to demand fair treatment for local people. We challenge the EU on its bias in favour of big business at the expense of local businesses and local workers."

Leslie Rowe, Parliamentary candidate for Richmond, North Yorkshire, says, "The EU single market is about the freedom of workers to apply for jobs anywhere in Europe on a level playing field. It's not about the rights of multinationals to undercut local pay rates and exploit workers.

"Unlike Gordon Brown and New Labour, as Greens we call for a programme to defend jobs and working conditions across the European Union. The EU should support local collective agreements across Europe."

"The Green Party must also question the sustainability of moving large numbers of workers hundreds of miles to do work that local people can do just as well.

"It is unlikely that the contractor IREM is paying these workers the same as local workers. The Government should demand IREM open their books and publish the exact terms of the subcontracts.

"A sustainable future relies on supporting local business and local workers. Unlike the Labour Party, the Green Party supports local workers and we are proud to do so."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yorkshire & the Humber Green Party

Leslie Rowe, Richmond, North Yorkshire

Shan Oakes, Beverley, East Yorkshire

Politics - it’s about policies not personalities!

2008-08-02T13:14:00.012+01:00

Shan Oakes bashes fake Miliband leadership contest.

In David Miliband’s interview, Thursday, on BBC's Jeremy Vine Show, the focus was sadly on personality and not policy.

But Shan Oakes, who stood against David Davis in last month’s by-election for the Green Party, has different ideas.

“Whoever is in charge of the 'old' parties,” Ms Oakes says, “we still get the same old policies - policies supporting profit, not policies promoting the welfare of people and planet.”

“We need an ethical policy at home and an ethical policy abroad - instead we’re served up with streams of smooth-sounding soundbites.

“Miliband wriggled out of the lack of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. People want it - and the people would have said no. So, we weren’t given the chance and instead government signed it anyway.

“On the Middle East, we were told Iran is not behaving like a ‘normal country’! But David Miliband failed to remind us that there is only one nuclear armed state in the area - Israel - with an estimated 200 nuclear weapons. Iran is apparently not ‘a normal player in the international nuclear game’. Presumably Israel is - with dozens of UN resolutions against it – the state which bombed Syria in 2007 - the state which went to war on Lebanon in 2006.

“It’s heartening to hear on Iran that ‘100 per cent of our effort is focused on the diplomatic track’ - but we remember Blair wanting a “diplomatic solution” on Iraq, 5 year ago.

“Today, an ethical policy on Iraq means ending the adventure and bringing our troops home. On Iran it means rejecting the option of starting a war, as we started a war on Iraq.

“Miliband is being talked about as Brown's successor, but whether someone sounds ‘more confident’ or 'smoother' - or more like Tony Blair - does not make them any better. The policies stay the same: profit, growth and empire building!”

“It’s time for proper political debate on the fundamental issues.”

------------------------

Shan Oakes,

Hull & E. Riding Green Party

They think it's all over! It is now!

2008-07-11T03:49:00.005+01:00

Another long day. And another long night. The count went on and on but the night was interspersed with interviews. Finally, after a recount, all was declared. We came second (damn!) but scored 7.4% - a new Green Party by-election record apparently! Phew! And now we're having a well-earned rest! SO - THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Derek Wall on the megaphone for Shan Oakes

2008-07-10T20:43:00.002+01:00

I have been campaigning right up to the last in the by-election. As Green Party Principal Speaker my job is to go and speak! So I have been up for a couple of days supporting Shan Oakes who is an excellent candidate.

Yesterday I went canvassing for a modest 8 hours, today on election day I have been right across the constituency with the megaphone. With Martin Deane, I have rolled up in little villages, proclaiming ‘This is your chance to make history and elect Britain’s first Green Party MP. Vote Shan Oakes. Vote Green Party. Vote for real civil liberties. Vote for real action on climate change. Vote for troops out of Iraq and Afganistan. Vote for action on a green post-petroleum economy. Vote for social equality’ etc, etc, etc.

Great fun to get into the town square at Howden and lambast the throng of Conservatives about Thatcher’s squandering of North Sea oil, of policies of waste and inequality.

‘Give Gordon Brown a shock, elect Shan Oakes first Green Party MP’.

It has been fun and hopefully got a bit of radical politics out to a lot of people even in the quiet corners of the East Riding.

So here is hoping the votes keep coming in and we really make a splash at the count tonight.

The last lap

2008-07-10T08:58:00.003+01:00

I'm off around the polling stations, to encourage our supporters, and hope they find the right place for the X to be placed.

The eve of the vote

2008-07-09T22:47:00.007+01:00

The number of candidates today was only outweighed by the number of media!

Just watched our Newsnight coverage. I’m happy with that. On the one hand it showed the serious side of 35 years of policy development on some of the most pressing issues facing life in the 21^st century, and on the other the forces of control: while supposedly debating civil liberties, they once again refused to let Green Party representatives attend!

We also featured on Look North and Radio Humberside.

So it all happens tomorrow. We know from speaking to so many people that there is a wide variety of feelings about this vote. I think I’m getting addicted to canvassing – it’s so interesting. Will we be able to stop?!

It’s also a big help to have just one neo-liberal-market-orientated-economy-equals-growth party to fight against, rather than three. And without the ‘old’ parties rabbiting on about their latest greenwash and now civ-lib-wash that certain parties are indulging in, we’ve really got the Green message out. Rain may be another factor in tomorrow’s voting.

It’s only a pity with the limited time that we haven’t been able to reach the whole area. But if everybody that we talked to votes Green our vote will be very respectable… it’s a lottery so let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Every Voter Counts

2008-07-08T23:51:00.006+01:00

Reaching Every Voter (Clive Lord's Blog)

As a veteran of many by-election campaigns, I can say that this is among the better organized and supported. No doubt the unusual circumstances are playing a part, but at 30%, the positive response rate is higher than in any previous campaign. This probably explains why David Davis has been at pains to have as little direct contact with Shan as possible.

This strange election is riddled with unknown quantities. In the later stages media coverage has been better than in previous campaigns, and there has been reasonable local coverage.

It is difficult to assess how much difference this has made on the doorstep. Certainly many agree with my view: “Of 26 candidates, 24 have emerged specifically for the purpose of this election. One of the remaining two receives wall to wall coverage, but how much have you seen of the Green Party during its 35 years of existence?”

If we could reach every voter, we would give David Davis a shock. But my message “You have a unique opportunity to give the Green Party enough support to persuade the media that our voice should be heard at last” strikes a chord in many. Our problem is that we do need to speak to them to turn the massive latent support into votes.

Monday's Journey

2008-07-08T08:33:00.007+01:00

Today was another whirlwind of activity: no sooner had we set up our pitch in Cottingham than we spotted BBC Look North across the road, so cameras were soon rolling, with me expounding the folly of the old parties and what the Green Party wants to do. William Hague and Liam Fox were at large around the market place: the Tories seem to think it helps to import more Tory ‘big names’ to casually stroll around the vicinity. We, on the other hand, imported the much more useful James, Mark and Dan, all aged 18 and now free of school, who had travelled for 2 hours from Harrogate by train and bus to help out with the campaign. They write:

'This by-election is in our view pivotal for the future of both the Green Party and the country, so we were eager to get involved!

‘This was our first experience of canvassing, and although it was initially daunting, we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Today we went door-to-door around Cottingham, and got a sense of anger from many over the calling of the election at public expense. In fact, the majority appeared disillusioned with the existing state of British politics.

‘It is clear that an alternative is needed. And the Green message - of power in the hands of communities - was well received by Haltemprice and Howden constituents, who have grown tired of Westminster's undemocratic grasp.'

More supporters hopped off the train at Cottingham to help with accosting the voters. Another TV interview at 1pm (More4 News) and then off to the BBC studio in Hull for a radio interview with Simon Mayo on Radio Five Live, followed by an interview with KCFM and a public meeting arranged by one of the candidates.

Our Mental Health lobbyist Colin Revel had a rather lively debate with Miss Great Britain about her health policies!

Thoughts on the campaign trail

2008-07-06T08:35:00.005+01:00

Listening to the people of Haltemprice and Howden

Everyone has heard a lot about the various candidates in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election. You might like some feedback about how people in the area are feeling. The Green Party has been doing a lot of listening on the campaign trail. We’ve met very many people on their doorsteps, in bus shelters, in the markets, in shops, on buses and trains, in car parks, in pubs, in dramatic thunderstorms, and in blazing sun. It’s a privilege to be able to discuss the big issues with voters – so that’s one advantage of the election – and most people seem happy to take a few minutes to have their say, and listen to some Green Party views too.

But, the striking message from voters is that they are fed up - not only with this by-election (which many feel has been an unnecessary waste of public money) but also with politics and politicians in general. They say there is no difference between the old parties who do not listen to the people themselves. They express feelings of anxiety and deep disappointment about the state of Britain. Several people have spoken about wanting to move abroad just to get away from this country. There is a general feeling of real anger and despair.

Almost everyone with whom we have spoken has agreed that our government has taken us wrongly into wars (for oil), that ‘defence’ spending is out of control, that our governments have encouraged the domination of giant corporations, and that the social and natural environment is being decimated as a result. People agree that profit is driving what goes on in Britain (and increasingly across the world) rather than values we can be proud of. Nearly everyone agrees that things will only get worse if we continue to be taken down the same path.

So is there any hope? Yes there is. Green Party policies boil down to real local democracy so that we can PLAN our way into an oil-free world by discussion at LOCAL level. When people have the chance to hear this idea, they are highly enthusiastic about it. They can see it is a real way forward – the only way forward - because nobody wants the alternative - a totalitarian state which controls us all from Westminster or elsewhere. It is possible to regain our freedom only if we stand up for freedom.

The Green Party wishes to debate these big issues. Unfortunately the old party representative in this by-election, David Davis, has so far avoided having that debate with us.

National Coverage at Last for the Greens!

2008-07-04T16:16:00.001+01:00

Thursday was another good day on the campaign trail with continuing positive responses from the people in the street. Lesley and Nick joined the campaign trail for the day and I had a long session with the Guardian over the lunchtime.

But the big feature of the day was the amount of media coverage we received.

Following on from our spot on the BBC Ten O’clock news on Weds evening we picked up national coverage in the Mail and Telegraph and a crisp piece on Radio 4‘s PM programme recorded in Cottingham pubs on Tuesday.

On the PM programme:

“We are opening up the [civil liberties] agenda because we feel that there are huge issues underlying what has been brought to light. Things like the end-of-oil, the way we are being taken over by the huge corporations, the devastation of the planet. The fact is that we have got to do something about it. We have got to change. So our message is change is necessary, the old parties have had their day and I think we are possibly going to see a much bigger green vote than some people might expect.”

And in the Daily Telegraph:

"I think 42 days is far too much. This country used to pride itself on habeas corpus. The Green Party is the party of civil liberties. ID cards and all these things are the result of the increasingly totalitarian state we are living in. People are not stupid. We have got a completely mad kind of politics. The whole world is being forced into slavery of the great corporations. Tesco's is doing a world take-over at the moment and it's not only Tescos."

When asked about whether the Greens wanted the price of petrol to stay as high as it is now and whether fuel taxes should continue to rise - this is not simply a yes-no answer; it involves a package of measures.

So a day on consolidation with no set backs. And pledges to support the campaign keep coming in. The “Paypal system” is now working well and donations continue to come in via the internet. We continue to be very moved and inspired by people’s generosity.

A Practical in Civil Liberties

2008-07-03T12:06:00.006+01:00

Dynamic David Duo make swift getaway at South Hunsley School

After the ‘jog’ yesterday, the pace quickened up and we joined the feeding frenzy at Willerby Manor, being interviewed by a series of journos – with reports all over today’s press. the Telegraph, Mail and Hull Daily Mail all encouraged us – still silence from the others. Late last night I made notes of what followed…

Civil liberties suddenly became an immediate issue in the constituency today! We were excluded from a meeting that David Cameron and David Davis had set up with members of the East Riding of Yorkshire Youth Assembly and a number of Conservative supporters.

I had previously been emailed by the Youth Assembly organiser to ask if I would attend an Assembly meeting to discuss the issues with David Davis. I had replied saying I would be delighted. I have attended several Assembly meetings - which are usually held in Beverley where I live. I had also requested David Davis to include us in meetings to debate the issues to which he had agreed.

We turned up at the school and were kept out. First we were refused entrance to the site, then, after great debate with the Head, we were allowed into a side room with the promise that we could meet the young people after the Tory meeting. The head teacher, was very helpful, but had little control over arrangements for the 'private hire' of a room in the school premises. We were horrified at the high degree of police presence and the fact that our promised discussion with the young people had been hijacked and turned into a one party PR event for the Tories with no opportunity for legitimate debate.

I tried to tackle the Dave Duo on this when they came out of the building (a friendly journalist had lent me a mike), but they had clearly been made aware of my intention and dived into their car (whilst a policeman held me back) as if they were in some sort of danger. Obviously even they realise they have a lot to hide. So much for civil liberties!

After the 'dignitaries' had departed the Youth Assembly came to meet us. We had a great discussion about what had just happened: they could see this was unfair - 'That’s not democracy!' said one representative.