I Wanted to Go Out and Change the World but I Couldn't Find a Babysitter

by Christine McLaughlin

I've just got back from some election hustings at Acre Hall Primary School in Flixton.  The hustings are going on till 9.30 but I had to leave after an hour because my three year-old was creating a fuss.  It made me wonder whether the problem of finding evening childcare is the reason why fewer women than men are involved in politics.  I say fewer are involved but I suppose I mean fewer are visible or elected.  Following the Leader's Debate last week, so many of my friends remarked on their overwhelming impression of politics as a man's game.  Depressingly, the most high profile women in the current General Election campaign are the wives of politicians.

What is the solution?  For a start, I'd love the chance to go to a child-friendly hustings event. If anyone wants to organise one, please get in touch and I'll be there, whenever it is.  All you need is a large room, a weekend afternoon, and a space at the back for toys, crafts and other activities to occupy tomorrow's voters. 

My immediate solution is to just turn up everywhere I need to go with my child in tow.  I must admit I thought twice about attending tonight's hustings.  Then I decided to go because parents with young children should be able to engage with the democratic process and if there aren't any facilities for that then we should all just keep turning up at these things until people expect that and accomodate us.

Trafford Greens have organised some events with parents in mind, including a Baby Disco this coming Sunday.  More information can be found here.  It gives parents with young children the opportunity to find out more about the Green Party and how they can get involved without having to undertake the difficult task of finding a babysitter.

I'm so glad to have the opportunity to vote for a party that includes women on an equal footing (it feels odd to type that sentence in 2010, but we women are still a long way from full representation in our elected bodies).  Our brilliant leader Caroline Lucas is an inspirational politician who has a real chance of securing a first seat for the Green Party in Brighton and Hove.

Another female politician, Labour candidate Kate Green, reminded me of how lucky I am to be able to vote for my chosen party.  Due to what I assume is some sort of administrative incompetence on the part of Labour's election agent, there won't be a Labour candidate in Kate's ward so she can't vote for her own party.  I did wonder whether Green might vote Green, but she explained she would be spoiling her ballot paper (i.e. writing on it that she would like to vote Labour but would not be able to). 

This reminded me that I used to spoil my ballot paper in the days before the Green Party was able to field candidates in my local ward or constituency.  The choice then was between Labour and Conservative.  I'm so pleased now to have the chance to vote for a real alternative to endless airport expansion, illegal wars and ever increasing defence budgets.

Trafford Greens' candidate Margaret Westbrook is a candidate who cares about the local community and will fight for the future of our planet.  Give her a chance, and your vote on 6th May and she won't let you down.

Vote Green on 6th May 2010

by Christine McLaughlin

Caroline Lucas has launched the Green Party manifesto for 6th May 2010 (and beyond).  You can dowload the whole manifesto from here and read what the BBC has to say about it here. You can find out more about Trafford Green Party's policies here.
Have you met our  Margaret Westbrook out and about in Trafford?  Along with other Trafford Greens she's been out and about, meeting the voters and passing the message on that there is an alternative to more of the same.  Margaret has also attended a question and answer session in Flixton and will be attending another one on Wednesday 22nd April at Acre Hall Primary School.  Margaret is standing in Stretford and Urmston as the General Election candidate and in Longford Ward in the local elections.  You can find out more about all Trafford Green candidates here. 
As well as stalls and door step canvassing, we have organised Green Drinks and for people with young children, a Baby Disco.  You can find out more by visiting the events page of our website here.

Finally, you only have until Monday 20th April to register to vote so if you're in any doubt about whether you will be able to vote, please visit About My Vote and when you've done that, use your vote wisely: vote Green on 6th May 2010.

Switch off for Earth Hour

by Christine McLaughlin

The WWF wants 1 billion people to switch off their lights tomorrow for an hour from 8.30pm.  This brilliant idea is designed to get people thinking about reducing their carbon footprint.  Now in its fourth year, however, the event is in danger of becoming an annual ritual that allows people to think they are doing 'something' to prevent the impending climate chaos without actually taking effective action. 
The only way we can hope to avert disaster on a global scale is by acting immediately on a personal and political level.  Our homes, offices and places of leisure are flooding the environment with toxic emissions.  We all need to take responsibility for the future.  We all know how to reduce our environmental footprint with simple steps such as turning down the thermostat, recycling more, buying fewer clothes, conserving water or eating less meat, so why not choose to mark Earth Hour with one or two resolutions that will make a difference to the Earth and its inhabitants?
Politically, the only choice for our communities and our planet is the Green Party.  We stand for social justice and environmental responsibility.  Our policies are innovative and dynamic: find out more about them here.  Vote Margaret Westbrook in Trafford for a greener future.

Maggie, Maggie, Maggie! In, in , in!

by Christine McLaughlin
Last night I watched Margaret Westbrook make an excellent impression at a question and answer session for all of Stretford and Urmston's parliamentary candidates at Shawe Hall, Flixton.  The evening had been organised by a prayer group who felt angry about the main parties' increasing alienation from ordinary people.  It was a useful opportunity to hear what the other candidates had to say for themselves.  Besides Margaret there were five others:

Smooth-talking Steve Cooke for the Lib Dems had obviously spent a long time swotting up on his own party's policies (well, I assume this is the case; I had forgotten the Lib Dems existed until last night so I cannot say how accurate he was) but made himself look a tad foolish when he incorrectly claimed the Green Party had a policy of 'telling you you can only have one child' and comparing us to the Chinese government!  This  crass remark made the audience wonder whether there was any substance behind his style and I'm afraid the answer's probably not. 
Stephen Farnham for UKIP was standing in for the party's actual candidate who was too busy to come and talk to the electorate (still at least he wasn't in prison like this UKIP MEP).  I loved listening to Stephen: some would call his performance faltering, others would say quirky, but either way his offerings to the discussion provided welcome comic relief.  When asked what his party had done for the environment, Stephen replied, "I put my recycling bins out when required."  Knowing me, Stephen Farnham, Knowing you the electorate.  Aha.
Mega Tesco fan Alex Williams had quite a few things to say, I'm sure, but I'm afraid I kept drifting off whenever he spoke, indeed at one point I was shocked to realise I had inadvertently applauded something he had said which I hadn't listened to.  It's probably a key Tory strategy these days: bore the electorate into a stupor and they might vote for you by accident.  There was a ripple of suppressed laughter, however, when Alex - who, by the way, lives in Hale, some 10 miles away from the site of the Mega Tesco development he eagerly supports - stated the need to 'build a manufacturing industry' in the UK.  Like the one your party systematically dismantled the last time they were in power, Alex? 
Labour's Kate Green came across as an assured political orator, having clearly attended the Gordon Brown School of Very Precise Enunciation.  She spoke of the need to invest in youth employment (well the war her party dragged us into certainly took a few youngsters out of the dole queue) and agreed with many of Margaret Westbrook's points about the need to campaign against the Mega Tesco in Gorse Hill and protect local businesses.  Just as I was warming to her, however, she made a massive blunder by claiming that inequalities had not risen under the current Labour administration.  Yes, the former chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, who describes herself on her own website as "a longstanding campaigner against poverty and inequality" claims that inequalities haven't increased under our current Labour government.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Kate's got her facts wrong:

So it is fair to say that youth unemployment and income inequality have risen under Labour, and that, on a very narrow, and potentially uninformative, measure, the incomes of households with the lowest incomes are now lower than they were in 1996-97. But, although the performance of the last Conservative government is not necessarily a guide to a potential future administration, the record on youth unemployment was no better, and on poverty and inequality considerably worse, in the Thatcher and Major administrations than under Blair and Brown.

Is the Institute for Fiscal Studies in some way biased?  Not according to Kate's leader, Gordon Brown:

"As every government finds sometimes to its cost, [IFS is] an institution that is rigorous in research, proudly impartial and objective in analysis, forward-looking in the causes it adopts and fiercely independent - yielding to no-one, friend or foe, on its way."

Alongside the above assortment of political desperados, Margaret Westbrook could only be described as the voice of reason.  Margaret spoke about her work in the community, having helped set up a family centre in Partington, working with vulnerable people at the Citizens Advice Bureau for many years,  campaigning to improve Longford Park and championing local businesses as a principal campaigner in the fight against the Mega Tesco threatened to engulf Gorse Hill and Stretford.  She explained various innovative Green Party policies, including the Green New Deal, the Robin Hood tax and the non-means tested Citizen's Pension of £170 per week. 
More details of Green Party policy can be found here and more about Margaret here.  You can find out more about Trafford Green Party here and follow Margaret on Twitter. 
Finally, we'll be knocking on doors and canvassing support in neighbourhood centres across Stretford and Urmston, so if you see us, please stop and answer our 2 minute survey.  And if you care about the planet, about social justice and about local communities, please vote Green.

The Waiting Game

by Christine McLaughlin

The NoMegaTesco in Stretford campaign has caught the attention of various media outlets. Campaigners are waiting for Tesco's planning application, which appears to have been delayed.

Following a well attended demo at the town hall last week, the campaign was prominently featured in the Manchester Evening News, the Stretford and Urmston Messenger and the Trafford Metro News.

BBC Radio Manchester interviewed the campaign's Laura Harris (scroll to 5 minutes 35 seconds in), whilst Channel M interviewed Margaret Westbrook. The campaign was also featured on The Politics Show (feature starts 33 mins, 30 seconds in)and North West tonight (feature starts 12 minutes 50 seconds in).

You can find the group on Facebook but do check the campaign website for regular updates.

Once the planning application is received we will have three weeks to object to the proposals. Objections will mainly take the form of letters to the council's planning department, setting out exactly why this development is not welcome in Streford.

The Campaign Gets off the Ground

by Margaret Westbrook

Last night’s meeting of the No MegaTesco campaign was quite well attended with different offers of help! We understand Tesco’s Planning Application is likely to arrive this Thursday and so time is short! We have set up some working groups in order to present a co-ordinated front to the public and to start the research for our submission.

Our next general working group will be on Monday 19th at 7.30pm in Gorse Hill – venue yet to be confirmed. Everyone who wants to join the campaign iis welcome.

We need:

Offers of money for the campaign.
Those with time to deliver leaflets to parades of shops and streets.
Everyone to talk to neighbours and friends about the campaign.
Signatures on the petition.
As many people as possible to write individual letters of objection; once
the application is received and we know the details there will be pointers
for you on our blog.

KEEP INFORMED! GET INVOLVED!
See http://NoMegaTesco.blogspot.com or contact Margaret on 0161 865 6064

Meeting Against the Mega Tesco: Monday 28th September 2009

by Christine McLaughlin

I just got back from a fairly animated meeting against the proposed Mega Tesco in Gorse Hill, chaired by Margaret Westbrook. Most of the people in attendance had come from the immediate locality, but there were also quite a few people from Old Trafford and Stretford, plus the odd Chorltonian and one Urmstonian (me!).

Tesco's application for planning permission is expected to be submitted by the end of next week. There will follow a three week consultation exercise, during which time we must make our objections known. As Debbie Clarkefrom the Unicorn Grocery pointed out, no one is going to ask us our views, and consultation merely means the council is obliged to put up notices around the site of the proposed development as well as advertising the application in the local press.

Bernie from Kirkby Residents Action Group (KRAG)had quite a tale to tell about Tesco's bid to 'redevelop' Kirkby. He told us about arrogant councillors who failed to canvas the views of their constituents, MPs who 'couldn't remember' attending pivotal meetings and 500 residents turning out for a KRAG meeting to organise against the proposals to turn Kirby into a Tescopolis.

He told us about KRAG's vehicle convoy bringing the quiet Merseyside town to a standstill, about the public enquiry the government had initiated in July 2007 and about the massive cost of legal representation (KRAG was quoted £25,000: in the end they represented themselves).

He advised us that the best way to gather evidence for a public enquiry (although we are currently very far away from that) is letter writing, petitions and testimonials.

Knowsley Council had packaged a massive, centrally located Tesco and a new stadium for Everton with a capacity of 55,000 - in a town whose population numbers only 40,000 as a major regeneration opportunity for Kirkby. Tesco want to build their store on a greenbelt site that was previously earmarked for a new school, the building of which has been quietly shelved by Knowsley Council.

Education turned out to be a link between KRAG's campaign and ours, as it turns out that the land Tesco need to buy in order to build their 140,000 square foot store (that's nearly three times the size of Morrison's in Chorlton) is owned by Stretford High. The land is not for sale but Trafford Council are planning to close both Stretford High and Lostock College in order to build a new, £30 million Academy. As soon as Stretford High closes, the land reverts to the local authority who will then sell it off to Tesco.

It seems that Trafford Council want to give the money they receive from Tesco to Lancashire County Cricket Ground to redevelop the ground, without consulting local residents or looking into other avenues for funding. Whether they have chosen to gamble with the education of thousands of children in order to fulfil this objective, I cannot say.

Zoe Power of Trafford Green Party had done some research among local business people and reported that some were so anxious about the impact Tesco's development could have on their livelihood that they were already planning to sell up.

Debbie Clarke from the Unicorn Grocery had researched the area Tesco say they plan to serve (a ten minute radius by car) and had found that this would reach as far as Sale, Salford and the city centre. She pointed out that increased traffic would make every day like a match day in an already congested area. She reminded us that the council had turned down a planning application from Tesco for an 80,000 square foot store three years ago on the basis that it would have a detrimental effect on other retailers in areas such as Stretford, Chorlton and Hulme. She pointed out that National Planning Guidelines insist that our existing high streets should be protected and promoted, but that 50 small shops and businesses are closing every week. Tesco say they will bring 600 jobs to Gorse Hill but don't mention how many of these will be part time, minimum wage and insecurely contracted, nor how many jobs will be lost in the surrounding areas.

Finally we looked at how we could campaign. Margaret suggested we talk to as many people as possible; sign the petition; write individual letters of objection; attend the planning committee when the relevant meeting takes place and more immediately, attend for another meeting next Monday, 5th October at 7.30pm, again at Gorse Hill United Church -entrance on Wesley Street just off A56/ Chester Road in Gorse Hill, postcode M32 0GL. Everyone is welcome at this meeting to plan our campaign, so please come along and contact us for more information. Let's get going and show Tesco and Trafford Council we are in for the long haul.

Earth Hour Approaches

by Christine McLaughlin

Tomorrow the World Wildlife Fund wants one billion people to turn their lights off for an hour in a bid to raise awareness about climate change. Earth Hour is a brilliantly inclusive concept: switching off one’s lights for an hour is very achievable, so it’s a great way to engage people in the global movement against the slow demise of our planet.

Trafford Green Party’s European elections candidate, Margaret Westbrook, has been contacting various businesses in the area to ask whether they will participate in Earth Hour. Manchester United and the Imperial War Museum North are two notable participants among many others.

Some of the young people I teach have written to the Trafford Centre to tell them about Earth Hour; in the process we came across the Trafford Centre blog which revealed they have recently changed to energy saving LED lights. These use a fraction of the energy produced by the old style sodium lighting. They also represent a willingness on the part of the business community to cut back on carbon emissions.

One of my students remarked that there should be an Earth Hour every week and it does seem very possible that something bigger will grow out of this. The World Wildlife Fund is using Earth Hour to launch a campaign for a new global deal. In December 2009, governments will be gathering at the UN CLimate Summmit in Copenhagen to come up with new targets to replace those under the existing Kyoto Protocol. Taking part in Earth Hour is a way of showing our leaders that we want them to make the right choices in Copenhagen. Voting Green in the European elections on June 4th is another.

AN ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC THEORY TO THATCHERISM?

by Margaret Westbrook, Trafford Green Party 2009 European Elections Candidate

As part of my strategy for recovering from my hip replacement operation two and a half weeks ago, I aimed to attend the Green Party conference this weekend in Blackpool. I made it yesterday for a few hours in the afternoon and so achieved what I had hoped! However, what I didn’t expect was to find a thought-through economic strategy as a replacement to Thatcherism.

Some of you who are reading this will, like me, have lived through the development of the horrific economic theory of Thatcherism in 1970s and its rolling out since then…Clearly the situation we now face across the globe is the result of the excesses of this economic theory,

At conference we Greens were addressed by a young Canadian, Dan O’Neill, who is the European Director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy. His theory accords with our green view – and although in one sense nothing new for us, it now has a title which can be accepted in economic theory circles.

I chatted with Dan informally afterwards and discovered that he is undertaking a higher degree in Leeds at present. I asked Dan whether Obama had shown any interest in Steady State. Apparently he has been invited to a large gathering designed to inform the president some many months away …

So, who knows. this theory with all its green credentials may begin to inform international thinking …Let’s hope its not too late for the planet and let’s keep on working to get change as soon as possible on whatever level we can operate….but watch this space www.steadystate.org and remember you encountered these ideas first with the Greens!