my favorite volunteer

I got this email today from a new Barnet Greens volunteer in my constituency.
"I was a Labour voter, but to be honest Jeremy Corbyn's links with Sinn Fein  and Ken Livingston's Rabid Anti- semitism. I have been ecologically conscious since a child and I wish to stay true to my Beliefs."

Green Councillors: we're voting 'remain'

Green Party press release
For immediate release – Tuesday 14 June 2016 
Green Party councillors overwhelming in support of remaining in the EU
Green councillors almost unanimously concur that only voting remain will deliver a fairer, safer, and greener Britain
A survey of Green Party councillors has found that an overwhelming 98.7% of Green councillors who responded to a poll support a ‘remain’ vote ahead of the EU referendum.
The fresh findings underline how the Green Party is the political party most committed to staying in Europe.
Greens operate on the underpinning belief that Europeans flourish when we work together on the shared problems we face. The Green Party’s three MEPs – Jean Lambert, Molly Scott Cato and Keith Taylor – are part of the fifty-strong Greens/EFA group.
Natalie Bennett is in Bristol today campaigning for a vote to remain in the Greens' south-west stronghold. Natalie will be joined by some of the Greens' eleven councillors who wrote an open letter today spelling out why they are all voting remain.
As part of the survey, Green councillors spoke out about their chief reasons for backing ‘remain’. Many stressed that we can only maintain and improve environmental protections and tackle climate change by working together across borders, and the direct benefits of EU membership to their local areas.
Caroline Russell, Highbury East Ward councillor, and recently elected London Assembly member, said:
“Cutting ourselves adrift from the EU makes no sense in a global economy with a world facing the serious threats of climate change and environmental degradation. The prospect of ‘going it alone’ is very scary.”
Denise Craghill, Green councillor for Guildhall Ward, York, said:
"Collaboration at EU level is crucial for helping us tackle climate change - as a councillor with hundreds of ward residents flooded out of their homes on Boxing Day, this is especially important to me. These people are understandably scared of flooding happening again and, as well as better flood defences and land management, they want to see us tackling the underlying cause – climate change. We must have European wide cooperation and a seat at the table to do this effectively.”
Jonathan Chilvers, Green councillor for Leamington Brunswick ward, said:
“For hundreds of years until 1945, European countries were at war with each other. We've had peace for 70 years and the EU has contributed significantly to that. Now, when we have a disagreement with European neighbours, we can go and argue with them with words not weapons. Those negotiating channels have taken decades to build up. Peace is a fragile thing. Why throw that away just because we don't agree with everything in the EU?”
Simon Pickering, Chair of Environment Committee, Stroud Council, said:
“As Chair of the local council Environment Committee, I know that air pollution legislation has helped reduce the incidence of lungs disease in young and old alike. The powerful European wildlife legislation has allowed the council to protect the green spaces between and around our market town.”
David Raby, Green councillor for Town Close, Norwich, said:
“The EU is thus far the most effective instrument for building unity among the peoples of Europe on a basis of peace, democracy and social and environmental justice. While it has many faults, to leave would be to embolden the forces of reaction in this country and across the continent. We have to stay in order to work with others to strengthen democracy and justice.”
Ruthi Brandt, Green councillor for Carfax, Oxford, said:
“Across the EU, voices with a hate-filled agenda are getting stronger. But people advocating solidarity and care for our fellow humans are also making their voices heard. Leaving the EU will strengthen the former. Staying will strengthen the latter.”
ends

Jonaline Lucaslet and other potentially good candidates for leader

Nominations have opened for leadership.
Only one or 2 candidates have confirmed, which you may have seen in a small Guardian article.
I haven't yet signed up to their campaign or nominated anyone officially.
My current preference for leader, if they step up and nominate themselves is, in rough order:
Esther Obiri-Darko
Tom Beckett
Siobhan MacMahon
Shahrar and Amelia
Bartley and Lucas
Alan for Deputy

Esther could well be the next Tooting MP.  Having canvassed for her, she has a great team, and deserves a lot more media coverage than she is currently getting.  I don't believe that she should be disqualified, just for not holding elected office.  People like what she has to say and she is united with a range of Green Party groups on local, regional and national levels.  Esther has also appeared in our video about the Green Party's vision for staying in Europe.

Tom Becket
The Green Party's central office is a bit of a power-house having rapidly grown to do the necessary work of admin.  However there is always a danger that the central office will run rings around our democratic structures.  Tom always goes through the proper channels, whether it's discipline or policies like the £10 living wage and saving our media sector.
Let's face it we love Tom Beckett really.  He has experience of running the party as CEO, through the 2014 and 2015 General Election happenings.  He's a natural born leader, physically fit for the job of traipsing around the country.  He showed real leadership qualities during the governance review, though he has obviously been criticised for being a man.  We can't help this but the back-clash itself would be very constructive to turn us into the party of the future.  I think Tom would make an excellent leader at this stage because he's the face of the Green Surge.  Tom understands the priority of supporting local grassroots members but he's also good at extracting money from them, and doing all this in a professional manner.  Definitely one to watch.  I would nominate someone else from the office but I know some people prefer to work behind the scenes.

Siobhan joined the Green Party stating, in her jokey style, that she wanted to be leader.  As a Young Greens fast-streamer who went on to lead the 30 under 30 programme, she would be well-placed to be the youngest party leader in history.  A true champion of the down trodden, an intersectional feminist but not in favour of defining the Young Greens as eco-socialist, she's our Northern powerhouse and best friends with the former secretary of Nottingham Young Greens, who I think is on the party's national executive as Equality & Diversity Officer (jobshare) , since joining the scheme together.  Siobhan is really good at getting stuck in, after she replaced Ash uncontested at the Young Greens Convention in Manchester.  Her leaflet was really cute, printed in font size 5 on little A6 bits of paper.  She was a member of Barnet Greens briefly but didn't stand in 2014.
here is a typical tweet:
I'd suggest you re-elect Chaz for E & D.  GPEx elections take place at the same time but I think Chaz has another year in her 2 year term.

Shahrar and Amelia
They haven't confirmed anything yet but as co-deputies they would make natural leaders and allow an open field for people to stand for deputy, who aren't going to risk standing against the former leader and Brighton MP's formidable campaign.  No one expected Natalie Bennett or Jeremy Corbyn to win, no one expected the Green Party's Sian and Caroline to beat UKIP and Pidgeon in London.  There is considerable back-clash against the idea of Caroline Lucas centralising even more power than she already has in the party, so depending what they decide to stand for, how the campaign goes, I would definitely support the deputy leaders.  Shahrar is our neighbour here in Brent Cross, we're up against it and he has been there for us in West Hendon against Barratts destruction of council housing.  He was key in the GLA campaign which we wouldn't have won if it weren't for outer London activists like us, so I urge you to vote for Shahrar.
All have good TV experience and are well-placed to take on the challenge of "the most important job in the green party" (that's a Natalie quote)

Carothan Lucaly
I have spoken many times about the job-share idea.  It's in the constitution and I predicted the possibility.
Caroline was the reason I voted Green and ultimately helped her get elected in Brighton.  I first met Caroline at Green Party conference in SOAS.  I brought along an Israeli and a local Jewish friend.  I told them about Caroline and they said why don't you shake her hand?  So I asked her.  She said to the other suits hanging around near her, "he's easlily satisfied".  This is my observation of how people treat her, largely uncritical support.
Here's Adele amidst a stream of retweets: "Brilliant news. I'm delighted. Caroline Lucas to stand for Green party leadership as job share"
At that SOAS conference, Sian Berry doing media work was on the executive, with Caroline's beaming face on the website.  We were in the stalls area and came across the PSC (Palestine) My Israeli friend started a conversation criticising their map and so on.  I didn't catch the whole thing but we were asked to leave, I think by Kathy, Caroline's number 2.  We got ourselves ready to leave and it was home time anyway.  However I remember that Caroline Lucas remembered me from the handshake, and said "he's alright".  So Caroline herself basically washed her hands of any potential exclusion of me and my Jewish / Israeli crowd.  That was the conference that Caroline chaired a packed PSC fringe and the Green Conference passed our International Policy chapter in due course.
Jonathan too has been involved with Israel, visiting in 1999.  Rumours that he's been right wing are greatly exhaggerated, he responded directly on the discussion list, that he is in fact a member of GreenLeft already.  He stood in Lambeth and I believe that if the party decide on this job-share, Caroline's International experience combined with Jonathan's radical theology expertise (see his piece on bright green) will make the most diverse leadership team we've ever had.

Deputy Leader
Alan Borgars is the only one who's declared, quite early, he's standing for deputy.  he's got a manifesto on his blog.  Like anyone getting stuck into politics he's had controversies, but I think that makes him very well placed to do the work of building the Green Party.  He is good on disability and would lead us through the review of our policies on diversity, disability, and what his liberation group calls "nero diversity".  Anyone who's met him will be impressed at his brilliant mind which is far more capable than me at tackling the Governance review that will take place during the next term of leadership.  He is a decent team player and evangelist for best-practice.  Though a student himself he's more involved with the wider party structures than anyone else you'd see from the Young Greens.

RON - I accept that I don't know everyone especially in places like Liverpool.  I look forward to seeing the full slate of candidates when it's confirmed next month.

If there are co-leaders there will be only one deputy leader.  It's a paid position now.

The current deputies may wish to carry on, if it is best for the party.

Campaigns Co-ordinator
I am really pleased with the incumbent who stepped up after Howard resigned.

Trade Union Liaison.
It looks like we could get a Fire Fighter on GPEx which is cool, he's also involved with Another Europe Is Possible

Media co-ordinator
This looks like the 3-way jobshare.  They are wonderful and will be key in ensuring a fair, positive campaign ensues.

Finance co-ordinator
it's a bit odd how this is framed but I will probably be re-electing Emma.  I've never met her but it's important to have consistency, and so on.

Young Greens co-chairs
These are ex-officio and older members who aren't students don't have a say in who represents the YGs on GPEx

Elections co-ordinator
We get through these.  Various people could do the job but I think there is a desperate need for a rural voice.  We did well in the 2016 local elections around the countryside and we need someone who can promote the county council stuff in 2017.  I think the position should be absorbed into a list of general executive committee members.