And lo, the Green leadership election did begin
Caroline Lucas launched her bid for leadership of the Green Party today. Her message is taking shape already - radical politics delivered with a credible and professional touch. Her website sums it up well:
On climate change, scientists tell us that the next 10 years will be critical in terms of whether we have any chance of avoiding the worst of climate chaos. It is still the case that only the Green Party has both the radical policies, and the political commitment, that are so desperately needed to ensure that we do.
And on social justice, we face a country more unequal than it has been for decades. Only the Green Party has coherent alternatives to government policies that are privatising public services, increasing inequalities, and leading to greater violence and exclusion.
That’s the radicalism, both in rhetoric and commitments. Note especially the fusion of traditional environmental politics with ideas of social justice - which first attracted me to the Greens. Lucas will present a radical, intelligent alternative to the current political consensus, and it’d be difficult to question that.
So that’s why she’s standing, I imagine. She’s a Green, and she wants to advance the Green cause. Why should Greens vote for her, though? Time for her own words again:
I am standing for the position of Party Leader because I believe I have the experience to ensure that this new role enables us to fulfil our potential as a Party. Since joining over 20 years ago, I’ve taken every opportunity to promote the Green Party as an articulate and radical voice in British politics, and I am committed to doing all I can to build the Party into a more effective and credible force in British politics.
That breaks down into three major points, one of which we’ve covered: she’s a committed Green, she’s our most competent and experienced politician, and she has an effective vision for the party. All three seem reasonable points. 
There’s little doubt that Caroline means business. The website alone hints at that; the layout is professional, the writing succinct, and the tone to the point. And, of course, her record stares you in the face - it’s good, and much better than most MEPs or minor party politicians. So, she’s hardworking and knows what she’s doing. Can’t see any problem with point two, then.
And the vision? As you’d hope, that’s encapsulated very well in the front-page mini-manifesto. Note the consistent references to a, “leadership team”; neither an egoist’s “What my leadership will do,” nor the slightly unteneble, “All 7000 or so members together, preferably at the same time.” And it’s clear what she hopes for - an, “effective and creidble,” force for radical politics which is, “coherent.” She wants to make radical politics the mainstream - by making sure more Greens are elected, and giving everyone the chance to vote Green. That’s a rather difficult proposition to disagree with, surely?
Caroline Lucas would, I think, make a very good inaugural leader for the Greens. She has an effective strategy, and she knows how to implement it. It’d be bad form to declare myself for a candidate before all the nominations were in - but I’m impressed, and unless anything better comes along, convinced.
Posted in: Democracy, Domestic Politics, Good Policy, Greens
We should work towards a World Wide energy ration with an essential energy proportion being non transferable and any saved from the energy not used in the remainder being marketable by the saver in/from a following financial year.
I suggested this to the japenese Govt and the Speaker of the House of Commons both adopted the idea but the Downing Street Cabal rejected it for the present.