2015 UK general election rodeo round up
Although many—myself included—like to feel the Green Party were just the environmentally sound but probably wasted not-quite protest vote, with the general election drawing nearer, Tory Flashman having used their non-invitation as an excuse to put off TV debate (dailymail.co.uk) and quizzically being put forward as the “Ukip of the left” with Labour lead falling as Greens hit 20-year high in Guardian/ICM poll (theguardian.com), The Telegraph, politically Tory in modern times, now thought it opportune to pull their turnip with examination of those manifesto policies which ironically are the only thing many do not read when deciding where to put their X.
Drugs, brothels, al-Qaeda and the Beyoncé tax: the Green Party plan for Britain (telegraph.co.uk).
“The party is often dubbed the ‘Ukip of the left’. But an examination of the party’s core priorities—in a document called Policies for a Sustainable Society, set at the party’s annual conference—reveals they are far more radical in their aims than Nigel Farage’s outfit.”
No suprise there for an excuse for some soil throwing with UKIP more likely to form a coalition with the Tories if it, as it likely will, comes to that.
“In the short term, a Green administration would impose a string of new taxes, ramp up public spending to unprecedented levels and decriminalise drugs, brothels and membership of terrorist groups.”
Crikey! There’ll be a lot more going on down the allotment then, and a lot more being buried under it in an arms cache.
“Critics call the party’s adherents ‘watermelons’—green on the outside, deepest red on the inside.”
Blimey! They’ve got old Uncle Joe Stalin in a growbag ready to sprout as a hammer and sickle waving fifth columnist triffid then. Who knew!
“While their rivals recognise more trade, more innovation, more competition and more globalisation as an engine for prosperity for everyone on the planet, the Greens argue it is nothing more than a race to the bottom that has made the poor poorer, the rich richer, and pillaged the environment.”
Well, arguments that may seem to fit into the economic recession filled window garden plant pot, but…
“The party’s manifesto argues for zero, or even negative growth and falling levels of personal consumption. Britain would be in permanent recession; families would become materially poorer each year. After centuries of growing global connectivity, the Greens want to see greater national self-reliance.”
Which may indeed be a little self-reliantly inconvenient considering we had to borrow a Yankee plane the other week to search for a frequently returning rogue Russian sub (dailymail.co.uk) threatening to pop a bare chested Vladimir Putin on the Isle of Mull to scare Scotland’s the UK’s self-reliant sheep.
“The flagship policy is an unconditional, non-withdrawable income of £71 a week for everyone living in Britain ‘as a right of citizenship’, regardless of wealth or whether they are seeking work.”
Which certainly made Secretary of State for Work Iain Duncan Smith choke on his brussels but, you know…
“Benefits and the tax-free personal allowance will be abolished, and top-ups given for people with children or disabilities, or to pay rent and mortgages. No-one will see a reduction in benefits, and most will see a substantial increase. Parents will be entitled to two years’ paid leave from work. The policy will enable people to ‘choose their own types and patterns of work’, and will allow people to take up ‘personally satisfying and socially useful work’.”
The last of which I’m certainly all for. It’s all sounding so nice in theory, but can such noble socialism work?
“It will cost somewhere between £240-280 billion a year—more than double the current health budget, and ten times the defence budget.”
And a few parts may not may stoke well for those with a beard and pipe who thought they were Greens:
“The trade and cultivation of cannabis will be decriminalised under Green policy, along with possession of Class A and B drugs for personal use. Anti-rave laws would be scrapped. Higher taxes will be brought in on alcohol and tobacco, and a complete alcohol advertising ban imposed. All elements of the sex industry will be decriminalised, and prostitutes could no longer be discriminated against in child custody cases.”
And Fox News will have a field day with claims that South Woodham Ferrers is full of signed up members of al-Qaeda and Tooting’s folk clubs full of sub paying IRA:
“Merely being a member of al-Qaeda, the IRA and other currently proscribed terrorist groups will no longer be a criminal offence under Green plans, and instead a Green Government should seek to ‘address desperate motivations that lie behind many atrocities labelled ‘terrorist’,’ the policy book states.”
(greenparty.org.uk)
Updated 24th January 2015.
Don’t punish people for joining Islamic State, says Green leader Natalie Bennett (huffingtonpost.co.uk).
“It would not be illegal for people in the United Kingdom to join terrorist organisations such as al Qaida or Islamic State (IS) under the Green Party.”
Oh, rly? On the day in which we learnt they beheaded Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa, you may ask even if they start lopping off people’s heads while they are squirreling hazelnuts at Holland and Barrett’s?
“Natalie Bennett, the Greens’ leader, said people should not be punished for what they think, but those inciting or committing acts of violence would feel the “full extent of the law”.”
Which, considering their plans for a “smaller home defence force” will equate to throwing said hazelnuts at them. What about those that are non-head lopping members but who recruit and raise funds for the head-loppers with investment and fund raising jumble sales? We had an awful lot to say about Irish-Americans that funded and supported the IRA; I bet they will have a few choice words for our Greeness.
“Green Party policy states ‘it should not be a crime simply to belong to an organisation or have sympathy with its aims, though it should be a crime to aid and abet criminal acts or deliberately fund such acts’.”
And what if one with “sympathy” for head-lopping in the name of Allah or knee-capping for Irish republicanism is living next door to you?
Updated 24th January 2015.
Who knew the gentle Greens had grown such a prickly pear! Council house for Queen, say Greens (msn.com).
“The party would remove the royal family from Buckingham Palace, but Green leader Natalie Bennett said she was ‘sure we can find a council house for her’ as a result of their programme to build more.”
If that was really said as acerbically as it sounds, what will be plain-ol’ Liz’s fit for “personally satisfying and socially useful” work interview will have her pulling up weeds at the local garden center right after. Besides dodging sex scandals and filling American gossip columns with the state and stature of HRH The Duchess of Cambridge’s bum, the royal family undoubtedly bring a lot of tourists to London (theatlantic.com), as a visit to its multitudinous gift shops show:
“The British tourism agency has reported that the royal family generates close to 500 million pounds, or about $767 million, every year in tourism revenue, drawing visitors to historic royal sites like the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, and Buckingham Palace. … Tourism is the third-biggest industry in the U.K., the tourism board claims, and supports about 2.6 million jobs—or about one in 12. ”
Likely the Greens will have self-sustaining replacement attractions; Morris dancing, cheese rolling or turnip tossing perhaps. It seems we will hear more of Ms Bennett’s societal pruning soon:
“The party has benefited from a membership surge and the broadcasters have now invited Ms Bennett to take part in two televised debates ahead of the general election in recognition of its popularity—and David Cameron’s insistence that the Greens be included following the decision to let Ukip’s Nigel Farage take part.”
Updated 23rd January 2015.
Televised election debate plans in disarray (telegraph.co.uk).
“The bid to host televised election debates has descended into chaos after the broadcasters were accused of attempting to ‘call David Cameron’s bluff’ by inviting seven parties to take part … [and has] led to a series of other fringe parties, such as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Respect, the Monster Raving Loony Party and even the Cornish Nationalists, demanding access to the debates.”
Yep, you could see that coming.
“George Galloway, the former Labour MP who now is the sole representative of the Respect Party in the Commons, posted on Twitter: ‘Oi—what about me?’”
Indeed, for George “I don’t care what anyone thinks” Galloway, “Respect” and “me” seem inseparably compound. Maybe they should all get a chair, I mean, did we really know what the Greens want? Do we really know what the Cornish Nationalists want besides pasties replacing chicken tikka masala as the British national dish?
I guess it’s musical break time.
Recent/related stories
- David Cameron says anyone criticising Eric Pickles’ letter to Muslims “really has a problem” (Latest Picks 19th January)
- UKIP’s Nigel Farage: doctors and nurses who don’t speak good English should be fired (Latest Picks 5th January)
- Russell Brand called Ukip’s Nigel Farage “A Poundshop Enoch Powell” on Question Time (Latest Picks 12th December 2014)
Share this story