News & Views
Your end-of-week update
On with the news!
Politics: writing in the Guardian, environmentalist George Monbiot writes a hugely positive piece in which he says our best hope lies with the Green party. He writes: “Keir Starmer’s party appears to wear betrayal as a badge of honour.” He lists some of the policies that distinguish us from Labour and says Greens “are the only party that has a chance of winning seats in this election that is not beholden to oligarchic power. Its new manifesto offers us everything a genuine Labour party, fit for the 21st century, should be promising.”
Politics: in an editorial, the Independent says, “the two main parties would do well to follow more of the Greens’ example – not only in their clarity about the climate crisis, but also their fiscal frankness. The fundamental problem for both parties seeking to form a national government is that they insist their plans for public expenditure over the next few years are realistic, when they are not.”
Conflict: The climate cost of the first two years of Russia’s war on Ukraine was greater than the annual greenhouse gas emissions generated individually by 175 countries, exacerbating the global climate emergency in addition to the mounting death toll and widespread destruction, research reveals. War is pretty much the most destructive and harmful activity humans engage in.
Finances: more than half of full-time students are working long hours in jobs to support themselves at university, spending nearly two days a week in paid employment during term time, owing to the cost of living crisis.
NHS: Labour’s manifesto sees an “unprecedented slowdown” in NHS finances. Co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: “This Labour Party manifesto is a diagnosis of doom for our NHS and other frontline services. Labour has today promised investment of just 1.1% increase according to the Nuffield Trust, an “unprecedented slowdown in NHS finances.” Greens understand the severity of the crisis the NHS faces and have a plan to nurse it back to health. We are proposing a £50bn investment per year by 2030 alongside an additional £20bn capital investment fund. Our frontline services can’t keep limping on without real investment from real tax reform.”
Politics: at least 12 pledges in the Labour election manifesto were previously proposed by the Conservatives, inews (£) analysis has found.
Politics: abuse of female election candidates is becoming worse, say candidates, activists and charities.
Environment: every major English water company has reported data suggesting they’ve discharged raw sewage when the weather is dry - a practice which is potentially illegal, BBC News reports.
Conflict: Israeli tanks rolled into the western part of Rafah on Thursday as the city came under intense helicopter, drone and artillery fire in what residents described as one of the worst bombardments of the area so far.
Politics: “Utter bastards are hugely excited by the Tory manifesto” [satire]
Environment: “10 Conservative government climate and nature blunders”
Conflict: “UN finds more evidence of sexual violence committed by the IDF against men, women and children in Gaza”
Politics: “Give New York To The Mormons” [satire]
Politics: “When The Powerful Control Public Opinion, Elections Aren't Real”
Promoted by Karl Drinkwater (Green Party) at The Gate, Keppoch Street, Cardiff CF24 3JW.
"The climate cost of the first two years of Russia’s war on Ukraine was greater than the annual greenhouse gas emissions generated individually by 175 countries, exacerbating the global climate emergency in addition to the mounting death toll and widespread destruction, research reveals. War is pretty much the most destructive and harmful activity humans engage in."
Wow! And that doesn't even include Israel's genocide in Gaza.
We need peace.