I normally write about my local area but I got a bit bored and decided there's a lot more interesting things to write about following green party conference in Birmingham. I've been speaking to Green Party members from all across the country.
Bristol is much hyped as a growing Green strong hold. However, nothing is ever easy in politics, especially the messy business of trying to organise. The hyped human beings in the green group of councillors are proposing a landlord licensing system to the city. The problem is that despite property developers cashing in on high prices, rents are soaring, and housing is not affordable. We need a win on this fast or housing is going to disappear. Rosy from Vice has written eloquently on their website that hidden homelessness is effecting millions of UK citizens.
Meanwhile, the next generation of Young Greens are rising up. Green Seniors have their monthly social tomorrow with a trip to parliament. However with hip replacements, illness, and old age slowing them down, they're very much yesterday's news. They still believe in the Green Party but it's the young and fit who are most active. The Green Party may be slow to grow our number of MP's but we've made things mainstream that really were seen as fringe back in the '80's things like recycling.
By far the most common political background for Green Party supporters is the old Labour Party. I'm proud to be a clause 4 socialist, which means we all have the right to define the economic system we live in. The Green Party has always championed economics that might be called left wing and it's really a whole set of policies that make sense, not just a one issue environmental party. Some right wing elements are concerned about over population but the Green Party has the structures that allow robust debate. Labour's democratic structures were gutted long ago. Even as Left Unity suffer inevitable fractures, the Green Party is a whole ideology with global reach but also deeply local presence.
Lately our messaging has been really professional and much of it has been via the internet. However you might have caught us on the Daily Politics and the One Show today. We also have a big piece in the Telegraph. So there is hope!
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