Is social mobility good?

Yes, social mobility is good, its fallen a lot and we should be doing something to improve it but we should reward that which contributes to moral and not just material worth. In this instance I agree with, no, no, not Nick but...the third approach to justice, that of virtue ethics, associated with Aristotle. The virtue ethicist would want to ask whether a socially mobile world rewards certain kinds of ability more than others. For example, someone with skills in banking or sales can do pretty well in a market society such as ours. But someone with skills as an artist or a mother may well find it hard to make ends meet.

Further, the virtue ethicist asks, does a socially mobile world actually undermine certain roles that are great goods - such as the arts or being a mother?

These things contribute to the common good. They are part of any just, flourishing society. And yet, social mobility may sideline them by not appreciating them.

This is not to say that a virtue ethics approach is against mobility.

What it would suggest, though, is that a good society needs to have ways of rewarding individuals that contribute things of moral, not just material, worth.

That might be a society which funds the arts, encourages the humanities as well as sciences, and doesn't forget that what goes on in the home matters at least as much as what goes on in the marketplace.

BBC News - Is social mobility good?

Broadcaster Andrew Neil says the meritocracy - in politics at least - is grinding to a halt. Today's MPs increasingly come from privileged stock. His documentary Posh and Posher is on BBC Two, 26 Jan at 2100 GMT

Andrew Neil on the narrow political elite

Petition : The Big Save Our Parks Petition

Please click on the title above or the link after the petition wording to sign up. I'm happy for Neighbourhood Partnerships to take decisions on green spaces provided local people are fully informed and involved in them at all times.

“We, the undersigned, call on Bristol City Council to reconsider the proposed land sales as part of the Parks & Area Green Spaces Strategy. We consider the consultation process undertaken by the Cabinet to be flawed and by signing this petition, we want the Cabinet Councillors and officers to hear our concerns. Neighbourhood Partnerships should decide on any green space disposals in their area - making sure local people are involved in the decision making, unlike the decisions taken so far by Cabinet. We support continued investment in green spaces but not at the price of selling off the green lungs of our City.We understand that, under new rules, petitions with 3,500 or more signatures will be debated at Full Council. The 20-year green space strategy is so important to Bristol and will affect communities for many years to come, so we believe it is right for all Councillors and the public to have their say at a meeting of the Council."

Background Information
Under recently adopted rules governing petitions, the Authority is obliged to bring a matter to Full Council where an issue attracts 3,500 signatures from people who live, work or study in the city.Once this trigger point is reached, petition organisers can advise Council Officers that they wish to take up this opportunity for debate at the next available meeting.We hope that by getting enough signatures from across the city that we can call for a debate at the March Council meeting and SAVE OUR PARKS.

Petition : The Big Save Our Parks Petition

Foresight Report: Urgent action needed on global hunger

A UK government-commissioned study into food security has called for urgent action to avert global hunger.

The Foresight Report on Food and Farming Futures says the current system is unsustainable and will fail to end hunger unless radically redesigned.

It is the first study across a range of disciplines deemed to have put such fears on a firm analytical footing.
The report is the culmination of a two-year study, involving 400 experts from 35 countries.

According to the government's chief scientific adviser, Professor Sir John Beddington [pictured], the study provides compelling evidence for governments to act now...

BBC News - Report: Urgent action needed to avert global hunger

Kick sexism out of football

Sexism should be kicked out of football and I'm fed up of hearing people make excuses for it. Sexism should be treated as seriously as racism, homophobia and other forms of unfair discrimination. Organisations need to ensure that they have adopted and are enforcing effective policies and procedures. They should be developing and encouraging a culture of respect and equality throughout the game, in boardrooms and out, from respect for rules, referees and assistants, to fans, and viewers... Great to see that Kenny Dalglish and Rio Ferdinand have spoken out against discrimination. It may be that dinosaurs like Andy Gray, Richard Keys (pictured) and their ilk need kicking out...

Sky Sports duo Andy Gray and Richard Keys have been stood down from Monday's game between Bolton and Chelsea after their comments about a female official.
Believing their microphones were off, Keys and Gray agreed that Sian Massey and other female assistant referees "did not know the offside rule".
The remarks were made before Saturday's match between Wolves and Liverpool.
Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: "Their comments were totally unacceptable."
Keys and Gray have been the face of Sky Sports football coverage since the satellite broadcaster started showing English top-flight matches in 1992.
Speaking ahead of the game, Keys added: "Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her."
Gray quipped: "Women don't know the offside rule."
...Host Keys and pundit Gray also discussed comments made by Brady in the Sun newspaper on Saturday about the levels of sexism in football.
"See charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Yeah. Do me a favour love," stated Keys.

For further details click links below.

BBC Sport - Football - Sky discipline Andy Gray & Richard Keys over comments

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9371000/9371476.stm

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/222856-football-pundit-gray-is-sorry-for-sexist-jibe/

BBC - Richard Black's Earth Watch: H for 'human': The missing climate link?

Governments reliance on technical solutions alone to cut carbon pollution causing climate change is doomed to failure. Technical progress tends to be straight line whereas environmental impacts are growing on an accelerating upward curve (geometrically, exponentially) - one thus cant keep pace with the other. Social, economic, political, behavioural and technical changes are needed in a coherent combination to cut carbon emssions to a level we can sustain. This includes: not thinking that issues can be summed up by a simple equation; tackling multiple causes through joined up thinking; and changing the attitude to wealth that currently dominates in particular.

As many commentators have pointed out down the years, virtually all the hopes expressed by governments in terms of reducing carbon emissions ultimately hang on technology.

It stems from the famous IPAT equation:
Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology

...sometimes expressed as...

Impact = Population x GDP/capita x Impact/GDP

BBC - Richard Black's Earth Watch: H for 'human': The missing climate link?

BBC News - Survey finds opposition to privatisation of forests

A [large] majority of the public opposes plans to sell some of England's forests, a survey suggests.
Three-quarters of the 2,000 polled by YouGov for the 38 Degrees pressure group said they were against the plans.
Ministers want to transfer power from the Forestry Commission, which owns 18% of woodlands, to the private sector...

BBC News - Survey finds opposition to privatisation of forests

BBC News - A Point of View: Has our relationship with nature changed?

Interesting article and good to see Alain de Botton writing on this topic. Several aspects of it I dont agree with though eg this statement, "Nature doesn't remind us that we are small, but rather provides chilling, awesome evidence of our size and strength". He vastly overrates the power and influence of human beings - yes the evidence is that we can and are having a big impact on our planet but in the full scheme of things we are a blip, dust in the wind in fact.

BBC News - A Point of View: Has our relationship with nature changed?

M Shed price tag rises yet again

M Shed - m for more Money, more Madness, more Mismanagement, more Muck up...feel free to suggest more M words fitting this situation....my partner has just suggested Mishandled, Mayem, Moronic,
Mis-spent and Massive-cuts-elsewhere...

The price tag for Bristol City Council's flagship museum M Shed has gone up again – to £27 million.
"Unforeseen construction costs" have added a further £570,000 to the cost of the much delayed project, in the latest in a series of overspends.
It now means the museum will cost 42 per cent more than it was going to four years ago.
The council hopes to fund the extra cost with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, but if that isn't successful council tax payers may have to foot the bill...

Bristol City Council's flagship museum M Shed up to £27 million

Plot 6 - a breakthrough? | Cabinet Councillor Hopkins confirms a proper transport hub

This has all been prompted by the excellent, persistent campaigning of Stockwood's Green Party Campaigner Peter Goodwin and work on the council by Green Party Councillor for Southville Tess Green. We must hold Councillor Hopkins and his Lib Dems to the words he has spoken on Radio Bristol.

Campaigners in Bristol are giving a guarded welcome to hints that Plot 6, at Temple Meads, could become the city's core transport hub.

In a BBC Radio Bristol interview on Wednesday, the city's executive member for Transport, Gary Hopkins, showed unexpected enthusiasm for the Green Party policy, which has previously been shunned by other politicians. Answering questions from presenter Steve Le Fevre, Cllr Hopkins confirmed that so far as the council is concerned, Plot 6 is definitely going to become a transport hub, bringing huge potential benefits...

Plot 6 - a breakthrough? News

BBC News - Labour loses vote to stop scrapping of EMA grants

Education Maintenance Allowances should not be scrapped! They enable many young people to continue their education, which is good for them and our society. Its already targeted at those families who have less income and is not a large sum of money! Very bad decision by the Coalition Govt to go ahead with getting rid of them.
BBC News - Labour loses vote to stop scrapping of EMA grants

Campaigning earlier on EMAs Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP said :

"Scrapping EMA is one of the most damaging things this government could do. It would destroy the aspirations of so many young people, by wrecking their chances of further education."

"Scrapping EMA is the equivalent to a huge income tax rise for the families in question"

Green Party education spokesperson Rachel Fryer commented:

"The EMA helps to make further education accessible to the most vulnerable young people. There is evidence that it has reduced the number of young people not in employment, education or training, and has improved attendance and punctuality.

"This is yet another cut which will affect the poorest people in our society and widen the gap between rich and poor. Saving EMA is an important stepping stone towards a fairer and more equal society.

"Anyone whose children will no longer get EMA will have to find that extra cash themselves. If you take a parent earning £25,000 a year for example, whose child currently gets £20 a week EMA, for the parent to replace that £20 is the equivalent of more than a 20% increase in the parent's income tax."

A BRISTOL political expert says another General Election could be held later this year.

Nuts! Wild nuts in fact!

A BRISTOL political expert says another General Election could be held later this year.

Mabinogogiblog: Debating Lansley's NHS reforms on Bristol Radio

Well said Dr Richard Lawson!!

...I said that this is a major step towards privatising the NHS, because GPs will be required to put out to tender. It will cost £3 billion, which is stupid in a time of austerity. And that change should come bottom-up, not top-down. And I said that people should get out on the streets if they want to keep an NHS...

Mabinogogiblog: Debating Lansley's NHS reforms on Bristol Radio

BBC - Democracy Live - What is happening in the House of Lords?

Abuse of the system sufficient to bring them into disrepute I'd say! How dare the unelected, unrepresentative House of Lords act in a way, especially by time-wasting 'talking out', that may prevent the people having a referendum on a new, fairer voting system. Beneficiaries of the current undemocratic system they certainly are. The sooner the House of Lords is replaced by a properly constituted and elected second chamber the better.

BBC - Democracy Live - What is happening in the House of Lords?

BBC - Richard Black's Earth Watch: Summit misses the 'C-word'

...On the other hand, if world governments do decide in coming years that they're seriously concerned enough about climate change to initiate a full-scale transition to renewables-based generation, a massive investment in renewables manufacturing and deployment now could prove to be a good long-term move...

Indeed Richard Black. They should follow the best quality evidence - and that says invest, invest, invest in efficiency and renewables now, its best for both the economy and the environment!!

BBC - Richard Black's Earth Watch: Summit misses the 'C-word'

BBC News - UK unemployment total rises further

Fat bonuses for bankers who, with the help of Labour and Tory politicians, help form a UK and world capitalist economy that went into a crisis that's far from over - and a coalition government that is taking us even further down the capitalist road. Not only do we have rising inflation but the capitalist 'genius' is also bringing simultaneous high and rising unemployment (not to mention inequality, resource depletion, pollution, waste, falling quality of life...). Get these people out of power!

UK unemployment rose by 49,000 to almost 2.5 million in the three months to the end of November, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.
One in five 16 to 24-year-olds are now out of work, after a rise of 32,000 to 951,000 without jobs, the highest figure since records began in 1992...

BBC News - UK unemployment total rises further

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12224423 on inflation worries for families

Oppose forest flogging: Petition and Early Day Motion

Please sign the 38 degrees petition opposing plans to flog our forests.
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests#petition
The government is planning a massive sell off of our national forests. They could be auctioned and fenced off, run down, logged or turned into golf courses and holiday villages. We can't let that happen. We need to stop these plans. National treasures like the The Forest of Dean [pictured], Sherwood Forest and The New Forest could be sold off. Once they are gone, they will be lost forever. A huge petition will force the government to rethink its plans. If we can prove how strongly the public are against this, they will have to back down. Please sign the petition now.Find out more: Visit the save our forests action centre to find out more about the forest sell off and download campaign leaflets and posters.

Copied below is Green Party MP Caroline Lucas' motion to the House of Commons opposing the sell-off of the country's forests...No Bristol MPs are signed up...

UK Parliament - Early Day Motions By Details

EDM 1199

FORESTRY COMMISSION REDUCTIONS IN EXPENDITURE

Lucas, Caroline

That this House is alarmed at the 25 per cent. cut to the Forestry Commission announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review; opposes plans to sell off parts of the Public Forest Estate in England which could result in 30 million trees being cut down and job losses in England and Scotland; notes that the Forestry Commission in England manages 258,000 hectares of public forest, employing 856 people; further notes that the Commission manages the highest number of sites of special scientific interest, with 99 per cent. of these in favourable or recovering condition; regards forests as a priceless carbon storage resource and essential to the Government's efforts to achieve climate change mitigation targets; is concerned that education courses and public health programmes would be inhibited by the sale of public forests; acknowledges that public rights of way are lost under private ownership of former Forestry Commission land; furthernotes that at 9 per cent. the level of forestation in England is one of the lowest in Europe and that 69 per cent. of forest is already privately-owned; further notes that hits on the Forestry Commission Trades Union's website increased by 560 per cent. to 80,000 per month after this cut was announced; and calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to amend the Public Bodies Bill [Lords] to remove this threat to forests.

Organic milk has 'less harmful fats' than traditional variety | Mail Online

So its healthier for us - and the animals are looked after better and its better for the environment.

Organic milk has 'less harmful fats' than traditional variety Mail Online

BBC - BBC One Programmes - Human Planet

Human Planet is an awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, heart-stopping landmark series that marvels at mankind's incredible relationship with nature in the world today.
Uniquely in the animal kingdom, humans have managed to adapt and thrive in every environment on Earth. Each episode takes you to the extremes of our planet: the arctic, mountains, oceans, jungles, grasslands, deserts, rivers and even the urban jungle. Here you will meet people who survive by building complex, exciting and often mutually beneficial relationships with their animal neighbours and the hostile elements of the natural world...

BBC - BBC One Programmes - Human Planet

Climate Change Denial » THE INGENIOUS WAYS WE AVOID BELIEVING IN CLIMATE CHANGE- A VIDEO PRESENTATION

Climate Change Denial » THE INGENIOUS WAYS WE AVOID BELIEVING IN CLIMATE CHANGE- A VIDEO PRESENTATION

...accessible (and hopefully entertaining) summary of current research into the psychology of climate change- in particular the key question explored by this [George Marshall's] blog: why it is so hard to accept ?

The Big Fish Fight - Channel4 - 4Food

Help ease the pressure on our seas and swap your cod, tuna and salmon for more sustainable mackerel, herring, sardine and others [click picture to enlarge list of 20 examples] - they are very tasty, healthy eating too. Ask your chippie if they will try offering mackerel...Find out more here: The Big Fish Fight - Channel4 - 4Food
Channel 4's top chefs join forces in the Big Fish Fight championing sustainable seafood and celebrating lesser known delicacies of the deep.

Hugh's Fish Fight

Around half of the fish caught by fishermen in the North Sea are unnecessarily thrown back into the ocean dead.

Join the fish fight here

http://www.fishfight.net/

The problem is that in a mixed fishery where many different fish live together, fishermen cannot control the species that they catch. Fishing for one species often means catching another, and if people don’t want them or fishermen are not allowed to land them, the only option is to throw them overboard. The vast majority of these discarded fish will die.

Because discards are not monitored, it is difficult to know exactly how many fish are being thrown away. The EU estimates that in the North Sea, discards are between 40% and 60% of the total catch. Many of these fish are species that have fallen out of fashion: we can help to prevent their discard just by rediscovering our taste for them.

Others are prime cod, haddock, plaice and other popular food species that are “over-quota”. The quota system is intended to protect fish stocks by setting limits on how many fish of a certain species should be caught. Fishermen are not allowed to land any over-quota fish; if they accidentally catch them – which they can’t help but do - there is no choice but to throw them overboard before they reach the docks.

THE SOLUTIONs
We need to diversify our fish eating habits, and we need to change policy so that it works for fish, fishermen and consumers.

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which is the political framework for the quota system, is currently being reformed for 2012. Scientists and environmental groups have suggested a number of ways that that the policy can work to protect fish stocks. Some details of these can be found on our solutions page.
Re-writing the Common Fisheries Policy is going to be an enormously complicated business, and unfortunately there is no one easy solution to ending discards. Many people agree that the answer will lie in a combination of different ideas and policies.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Sign up to the campaign on the sign up page. You will be writing directly to policy makers in Europe to let them know that the unnecessary and unethical discarding of perfectly good fish must stop. We can make a difference. If enough people sign up to the campaign, they have to listen to us. We aim to get 250,000 signatures by summer 2011.
• Write to your MP to ask them to support the Fish Fight Early Day Motion.
• Expand the selection of fish that you eat by trying some of the lesser-known species of local fish currently being discarded as trash. In the UK, cod, salmon and tuna account for more than 50% of the fish that we consume, and tasty, exciting and nutritious fish such as flounder, dab, coley and pouting are overlooked and thrown away.
• Spread the word, tell all of your friends and family about Hugh's Fish Fight and get them to sign the campaign too.Together we can stop this ridiculous carnage. Join Hugh’s Fish Fight now!

Thanks very much,

Hugh's Fish Fight - Half of all fish caught in the North Sea is thrown back overboard dead

Environment Agency - Viridor Waste Management Ltd

Comments on the application for a permit for waste incineration due in soon...

Environment Agency - Viridor Waste Management Ltd

Name of applicant: Viridor Waste Management Ltd. Application number: EA/EPR/GP3834HY/A001 Type of regulated facility: Disposal of waste by Incineration. Address of regulated facility: Severn Road Resource Recovery Centre, Severn Road, Bristol, Avon BS11 0YU

The Environment Agency has received an application for an environmental permit under the Regulations from Viridor Waste Management Ltd.

The Environment Agency must decide whether to grant or refuse the application. If it grants the application, it must decide what conditions should be included in the permit.

Your chance to comment - Any comments should be made in writing by 09 February 2010

Council's shaky evidence for green sell-off revealed | News

Copy of Bristol Green Party press release on green spaces issues. Well done to all Greens, Stockwood's Pete Goodwin and Southville's Cllr Tess Green [pictured] in particular, for their ongoing campaigning against green spaces flogging and exposing poor decision making on it.

Council's shaky evidence for green sell-off revealed News

Key Green Space documents have been released - months after consultation ended!

10 weeks after Bristol City Council closed its consultation on controversial plans to sell off so-called 'low-value' green spaces, documents showing how they were chosen have been revealed. The decision to sell was confirmed last week in the face of opposition from many individuals and groups and from Green, Labour and Conservative councillors.

The documents come in a delayed response to a Freedom of Information request from Stockwood resident Pete Goodwin, and have been placed on line on the "What Do They Know?" website .

Southville's Green Party councillor Tess Green commented:
"A quick look at some of the sites shows just how weak some of the recommendations were; there are too many assumptions made, evidence is disregarded, and public opinion seems to be something to be overcome, not to be weighed up as part of the decision."

"What we're left with is an over-hasty decision bulldozed through on the flimsiest of evidence, that will lose much valued green space without any great benefit to the remaining parks. If only the other parties had listened to the Greens before they agreed this disastrous strategy to pay for park improvements. People who value these spaces will now have to defend them using the planning process, or other legal moves."

Her fellow Green Mr Goodwin, who had put up a case against selling the Stockwood sites, added
"With no way of knowing why particular sites were judged as low value, it was very difficult to challenge the plans. That's why I lodged the Freedom of Information request. The information should have been made public much earlier, certainly in time for the decisions in council. The legal deadline was November 19, and the documents themselves date from summer of 2009, but it's only been released now. There can't be any excuse for that delay"

"It appears that a few Parks officers were set impossible targets, then had to cope with the massive public reaction to their proposals while still following a political mandate. The whole exercise has been a travesty."

ENDS

Contact:
Pete Goodwin, 01275 543280
Cllr Tess Green, 0117 377 2070

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Horizon, 2010-2011, What is One Degree?

Comedian Ben Miller returns to his roots as a physicist to try to answer a deceptively simple question: what is one degree of temperature?
His quest takes him to the frontiers of current science as he meets researchers working on the hottest and coldest temperatures in the universe, and to a lab where he experiences some of the strangest effects of quantum physics - a place where super-cooled liquids simply pass through solid glass. Plus, Ben installs his very own Met office weather station at home.
Ben's investigations in this personal and passionate film highlight the importance of measurement and accuracy in the 21st century.

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Horizon, 2010-2011, What is One Degree?

Say NO to Legal Aid Cuts Petition

Please sign

Say NO to Legal Aid Cuts Petition

Target: Ministry of Justice, Government

Web site: http://www.bdac.org.uk

Background (Preamble):

The Government proposes to make cuts to Legal Aid. These cuts will severely reduce the availibility of free legal advice in debt, welfare benefits, employment, housing and immigration law. Research has shown that free advice not only helps 1/2 million of the most vulnerable in society each year but also saves the tax payers money in the long term (every £1.00 invested in Legal Aid provides a societal saving of at least £2.98). The removal of this advice will have a negative impact on society at a time when the demand for free legal advice has never been higher.

Petition:
We, the undersigned, request the Government do not reduce the provision of free legal advice in debt, welfare benefits, employment, housing and immigration law by independant advice agencies.

New beginnings?

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.” said Seneca, the stoic Roman philosopher, in the mid-1st century AD.

In this new year of a new decade can we begin the green society and bring to an end an age we can’t in any case maintain for much longer? This would mean putting the concept of sustainable development into action in place of just signing up to the concept, speaking warm words about it but carrying on essentially with business as usual!

Its long been put about that sustainable development is a slippery concept, hard to define fully and properly, not well understood. But is it really? I think many people have a decent general grasp that it’s about achieving a balance, giving as well as taking and ensuring a decent future for generations to come ie not more and more jam, for some, today but an ongoing availability and decent supply of jam, fairly shared.

The features of sustainable development are good sense and not rocket science. It’s clearly not a good idea to be wasteful, yet one bag in every three bags of food bought in the UK ends up being thrown out, many buildings rapidly leak heat and we still don’t make products to last. Efficiency must replace waste.

It’s irresponsible to rapidly squander resources, especially those whose supplies are limited or those that require careful, sensitive management if they are to remain available. Yet we remain hooked on high use of oil, coal and natural gas, build over the limited supply of green spaces and take from forests, soils and seas faster than resources are naturally replaced. Renewability must replace squandering.

Sustainable development means assessing progress through the health and wellbeing of people and their environment. Yet we continue to pollute on a scale that causes human sickness and environmental imbalance and we retain increasing the flow of money as the number one political and socio-economic aim despite coalition government warm words and research into assessing wellbeing. We must live within environmental limits and set new social and economic goals.

I assume no-one wants to see growing dependence and poor community development. Yet we see power centralised, local character and variety eroding, goods and services imported and many jobs exported and we encourage other regions and countries to do likewise, so they suffer dependence and sagging spirit too. Strong local communities need to be built.

Waste, resource squandering, pollution, money for a few before health and wellbeing, weakening community, means people and environments in this generation and those to come, the world over, are not getting their dues. Fairness is inseparable from sustainable development – in fact all the features of sustainable development are interrelated so solving problems and taking opportunities requires joined up thinking.

Enacting and practicing the required combination of behavioural and technological changes on the required scale, at all levels of societies, across the globe, in the face of entrenched vested interests, takes leadership we are just not getting however.

Illogical and unreasonable Cllr Hopkins

Those campaigning to save their local green spaces from being flogged certainly wont be thinking that their concerns are 'facile', though Knowle's Cllr Hopkins does (see quote below from today's Post). But we've come not to expect reason and logic from Cllr Hopkins and the Lib Dems on this. The consultations have, as very large numbers of people agree, been rubbish. The planned sell-off is a dud even on its own money raising terms because its very far short of its target - and not all income gained would be spent on parks and green spaces or in the localities that lose spaces in any case. As for buying more land than is sold: most will find this idea ludicrous and unbelievable at this time of huge spending cuts - and spending money undermines the amount available to spend on improving green space quality and access. Since Cllr Hopkins Lib Dems would be buying existing green spaces that are limited in supply the total green space of all kinds in Bristol will decrease as flogging proceeds and so people will lose the valuable functions their green spaces provide.

Liberal Democrats on the city council have used their majority to block an attempt to reconsider selling off parks and green spaces....

...The executive member responsible for the scheme, Gary Hopkins (Lib Dem, Knowle), rubbished any criticism of either the consultation or the plan.
He said: "It is facile to concentrate on things being flogged off.
"We know not everyone is going to be happy about every decision but that is what we are there for – to make those decisions strategically.
"Lots of people do want a large number of things in their parks but all of that costs money and it can't be magicked out of thin air."
Mr Hopkins said the council would also acquire more new land than it sold off...

Lib Dems Bristol City Council green spaces rethink

Stirrings in the Forest of Dean (Jonathon Porritt)

HOOF (as in Hands Off Our Forest – the Forest in question being the Forest of Dean) organised a Rally on Monday to drum up support for its campaign against the possible sale of the Forest. It was an inspiring occasion – around 3000 people from within and beyond the Forest, single-mindedly intent on doing everything in their power to de-rail the Government’s Privatisation proposals...

Stirrings in the Forest of Dean (Jonathon Porritt)

Stockwood Pete: Green Space "Call-in" and an FoI Failure

Apalling council failures overseen by this Lib Dem administration...

Stockwood Pete: Green Space "Call-in" and an FoI Failure

BBC News - US oil spill: 'Bad management' led to BP disaster

Shouldn't have been drilling in this deep water location to begin with but both BP and the US Govt were happy with this. Should use joined up, systems thinking to run their business. Oil as a finite, non-renewable, polluting but very useful and valuable resource should only be used minimally and highly efficiently - all legislation, regulation, control and international agreement should be geared to achieving this.

BBC News - US oil spill: 'Bad management' led to BP disaster

Supermarkets relentless growth

Excellent letter in todays Post from Gil Osman, copied below.

ACCORDING to recent BBC research, the big four supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons) are expanding at an alarming rate.

In the last two years, planning authorities have granted permission for at least 480 new supermarket stores in England. It is argued that this will give more choice to local shoppers – but will it? Unfortunately, many councils are persuaded to give planning permission, because of the financial benefit to themselves. Often an agreement is made, whereby the store has to build a community resource, or provide funds for such a venture, in order to gain planning permission to build a store. Thus the council does not have to pay for such facilities. In this age of recession councils will be even more tempted.

Supermarkets can attract many shoppers with the lure of lower prices (and even more so in a recession). Local traders cannot compete with such huge organisations, which buy in vast bulk at cheap prices. Therefore it leads to forced closure, which, in turn, leads to less choice and variety in an area. The independent High Street shop has been a feature of villages, towns and cities for generations and helps to form the character of an area. Napoleon called us a nation of shopkeepers, in a derogatory way, but, surely, the small trader is a tribute to British enterprise and individuality.

The closure of any small shop leaves our High Streets depleted and, eventually, leads to a loss of identity. 12,000 independent shops went out of business last year.

In their search for ever more cheaper products, the Big Four seem to have scant regard for many concerns.

The farmer who cannot afford to accept the wholesale price offered by the supermarket goes out of business. Question marks hang over the sources of some of the clothing offered so cheaply by the Big Four

And what of quality? Cheapness and quantity triumph here. Mass-produced food, using vast quantities of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is often tasteless when compared to organic produce, or that produced by the local allotment-holder. The effects of imbibing the residues of these chemicals have yet to be seen. And standardisation has reduced variety (take apples and potatoes, for example).

And what of animal welfare? The generality of people have demonstrated their abhorrence of intensive farming methods with their boycott of the battery-produced egg (at least Sainsbury's has banned these).

Yet, I do not doubt that the Big Four will buy milk from the huge factory dairy being proposed in Leicestershire – if it gets planning permission. Like battery chickens, these cows will spend their whole lives inside huge sheds, never placing their feet on a green field. The entrepreneur behind this enterprise has the effrontery to state on television that cows don't belong in fields anymore! It's like a Victorian factory-owner stating: 'Workers (i.e. men, women and children) don't belong in villages anymore!' And, of course, the small dairy farmer will not be able to compete and will go out of business.

Tesco made £3.4 billion profit last year. It cannot possibly make such a profit on its cheaper ranges, which suggests its customers are paying over the odds on other items. But, once in a supermarket, most people will buy everything there. After all, it's so convenient!!!

Gil Osman
Shirehampton
Bristol

Stockwood Pete: Plot 6 revisited

A council truly tuned in to creating a quality integrated and sustainable transport system in Bristol would surely be lobbying hard for a proper transport hub??

A very timely question has been raised about Plot 6 - the wasted space alongside Temple Meads station. "Is this a suitable moment to renew the pressure on using Plot 6 for a more convenient Coach Station and Transport Hub? "

Good point. Plot 6 is in the joint ownership of Network Rail and development agency SWRDA - but their plans to cover this key site with another uninspiring development of offices, flats, and retail have stagnated - and now SWRDA is to close its doors, and its wallet, by March 2012.

Stockwood Pete: Plot 6 revisited

Planet Bristol: Peter Madden: green city, green stadium...

Keep up Peter Madden, keep up Forum for the Future - I've been putting this idea to Bristol City FC since the beginning of the consultation process on stadium designs! And I've given them the same examples. If I was involved in talks between Bristol City and the Town Green supporters in Ashton Vale a first class stadium built to the very highest sustainable, green design standards would be something I would want to see on offer. I'd also like to see some guarantees about keeping the surrounding area green and on no further developments in this area. There are always going to be issues about why any green land at all should be taken up - and also the poor transport links in the location proposed BUT as I've said before the offer of a top notch green stadium design and surroundings would be some compensation and would certainly have its attractions for me. Having said all this I'm not someone who lives in Ashton Vale.

Planet Bristol: Peter Madden

So, what of this could a new stadium incorporate? Open green space – if not for grazing livestock, then at least for walking dogs, running and playing, or free events.

Could the stadium make a positive environmental contribution? Could it be carbon neutral, through generating its own clean energy? Could it enhance biodiversity, through areas protected for wildlife and a 'green roof' with plants growing on it? Could traffic problems be lessened by making tickets cheaper if people walk or use the park and ride?

There are educational possibilities, too. If it was a state-of-the-art environmental stadium, facilities could be used to engage City supporters and other Bristolians – as well as visiting fans – on green issues, further multiplying the positive impacts.

Other clubs are doing this. Ipswich Town went carbon neutral. And lowly Dartford FC built the UK's first sustainable stadium from renewable timber with a grass roof and sunk two metres below ground level to reduce noise and light pollution.

So, why shouldn't Bristol have the greenest major football stadium in the country, a beautiful building that shows what can be done, is useful to the local community as well as the fans, which provides the benefits of a village green and has a zero environmental footprint?

Knowle West regeneration | This is Bristol

Good report in the Post on plans to demolish many homes in Knowle West under the banner 'regeneration' (extract below*) - showing that with few exceptions the buildings are not defective. Reminds me of a quote in Robert Goodman's After the Planners (1972). He describes a placard from 1967 which said,

No war declared
No storm had flared
No sudden bomb so cruel
Just a need for land
A greedy hand
And a sign that said "urban renewal"

Goodman believed that the interests of communities in cities were ignored and suppressed. The fundamental theme of "After the Planners" is the notion that planning and architecture are not ends in themselves, but instead exist to meet the needs of real people. Huge-scale urban construction projects, invariably serve to trivialise the importance of the individual in the urban landscape (more here). I hope that the community of Knowle West is not ignored and in particular that the 'greedy hand' rferred to on the placard is absent from the regeneration plans.

Knowle West regeneration This is Bristol

*Only one out of 192 homes threatened with demolition as part of the Knowle West regeneration scheme has any major defect, it has been revealed.
The council is considering five options on the Knowle West Regeneration plan, which could see up to 1,000 homes demolished as part of a £1 billion investment scheme.
Public consultation carried out earlier this year has shown that the majority of people in the area prefer the residents' own option of infilling the estate with new homes.
Residents have obtained a stock report on the condition of properties in the Inns Court area...

Happy New Year??

So, its not going to be a 'happy new year' then! The Coalition Govt say they believe in measuring the progress of society via wellbeing and happiness but have no policies likley to improve either of these. I have to say that I agree with the general view of the TUCs Brendan Barber here - he's also probably right to say, "It's hard to pick out the unkindest cut of all, but a top contender must be the 10% cut in housing benefit that kicks in after someone has been unemployed for more than a year."

BBC News - Union leader says 2011 will be 'horrible' year

The TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, has said 2011 would be a "horrible" year of cuts. In his New Year message the union boss claimed there would be cuts in jobs and real cuts in living standards.

He added the year could also be a tough one for the government, which may face further angry protests.

Meanwhile, another union leader, Mark Serwotka of the Public and Commercial Services Union said strikes next year were "inevitable".

"The more of us that stand together against the cuts, the more problems we can create. Unless you look like you want a fight, they won't negotiate," he told the Times newspaper, predicting that the disruption would begin in the spring. "The Government has to see we are serious."

The TUC's Mr Barber said a demonstration in London in March against spending cuts looked like being one of the biggest events his union had ever organised.

In his New Year message, he said: "It's hard to pick out the unkindest cut of all, but a top contender must be the 10% cut in housing benefit that kicks in after someone has been unemployed for more than a year."

The Times reported senior union figures would meet at a TUC meeting early in the New Year to discuss their response to the cuts.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/

Also see this comment from Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/31/dilemma-of-labours-opposition

Forensic Science Service cuts are criminal - mirror.co.uk

Here's yet another example of a serious lack of respect for science from Government:

Forensic Science Service cuts are criminal - mirror.co.uk

I've posted on this issue before, including saying, 'It strikes me that this Government is doing well in continuing the trend of successive Governments in not following the best available scientific advice and taking action of the type, scale and speed that the evidence suggests. Just off the top of my head in addition to the badger culling issue there is also: drugs and their classification; climate change; over-fishing...The grasp of science, scientific issues and their interrelationship with socio-economic and environmental factors in Parliament, in political circles generally and in the media is, with few exceptions, pretty poor.'

More on this issue:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11989225

Illogical and incoherent Cllr Rogers...

Cllr Dr Jon Rogers [pictured] says, ‘We are determined to see the quality, quantity and accessibility of our parks and open spaces improve all across the city in the next 20 years’ (‘Land sell-off is right’, Post, Letters Dec 27). But hang on this man has, along with all Lib Dem and other councillors except the Greens, said it’s the right thing to do to plan to sell many acres of Bristol’s parks and green spaces over the next 20 years! That’s a decrease not the ‘quantity...improved’ that he claims he wants to see. As for improving accessibility to green spaces, well it’s self-evident that you make it more difficult to achieve this if you plan to sell some of them off and allow building over them. It’s worrying in the extreme to see such a lack of logic and coherence from Cllr Rogers. It was always illogical, inconsistent and incoherent to plan to sell-off chunks of our parks and green spaces whilst saying you are committed to health, wildlife, climate change and economic policies that require protecting and increasing green spaces.

Cllr Rogers contact details on the Bristol City Council website are:
email - jon.rogers@bristol.gov.uk , or telephone (0117) 914 2558, if you want to get in touch to set him straight.

BBC News - 'Big four' supermarkets get 577 stores agreed, BBC finds

BBC research has found at least 577 UK supermarkets were approved in the past two years, with campaigners concerned at the growth of the 'big four' stores.
Planning authorities gave Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons permission for at least 480 stores in England in the two years to 1 November.
Campaigners say the stores are putting independent traders out of business...

BBC News - 'Big four' supermarkets get 577 stores agreed, BBC finds

Cain on Culture - The King’s Speech: does it live up to expectations?

Apparently the answer to Cain's querstion is yes this film does - great perfomances, gripping and emotionally engaging. Saw Ed Balls commenting on this film and saw him in a new and refreshing light.

Cain on Culture - The King’s Speech: does it live up to expectations?

...The film begins and ends with a key public speech given by the King (in the first the Duke of York), both of them utterly compelling but for quite different reasons. The first is jaw-droppingly humiliating for Bertie. The second is nothing short of a triumph and hugely moving. You realise just how much you’ve invested in his journey when you’ve been crying tears of pride for its entire length.

So try and put aside the weight of expectation and see this film as soon as you can. Not only is it terrific but you’ll leave the cinema feeling something quite rare – that your capacity for compassion has greatly benefitted.

http://www.stammering.org/

Mabinogogiblog: A quick review of the state of our home planet

This a great way to paint a vivid picture of what's going on - well worth a look (click on the image on Dr Lawsons site to see the image in full) and a think...and more.

Mabinogogiblog: A quick review of the state of our home planet

BBC News - Poorest pupils '55 times less likely to go to Oxbridge'

No surprise at all that there is huge inequality and unfairness in our education system (and beyond) but this study puts figures on it. Shows the abject failure of the Blair and Brown Labour Governments, despite claims that their aim was a more equal society. Coalition Govt policies are likely to be inadequate and ineffective at tackling this issue despite claims of being 'radical' - they may even make the problem worse! Do you trust former members of the socially exclusive Oxford University student dining club* like PM David Cameron, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Chancellor George Osbourne to cut inequality? See the Bullingdon Club* photos - inequality goes right through to the Cabinet!

Pupils on free school meals are 55 times less likely to go to Cambridge or Oxford than those from private schools, the Sutton Trust has said.
The charity said it feared rising fees and the axing of a support programme would make it harder for poor students to get into England's top universities.
It also raised concerns about proposed measures to widen participation...

BBC News - Poorest pupils '55 times less likely to go to Oxbridge'

Why you wouldn’t want to be Mark Harper MP (Jonathon Porritt)

On flogging the forest and the right of recall.

Mark Harper is a Tory MP for the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. He’s also a Junior Minister – for Constitutional Reform. He’s also in the process of engineering his own political extinction at the next General Election...

...And here’s a wonderful irony. The Government has mooted the idea of introducing a ‘right of recall’ for constituents who have lost all faith in their MP. As Junior Minister for Constitutional Reform, Mark Harper will be responsible for bringing forward this proposal – and would almost certainly be the first MP to be evicted from the House of Commons as a consequence of it...

Why you wouldn’t want to be Mark Harper MP (Jonathon Porritt)

BBC News - How Helsinki airport deals with snow and ice

Interesting perspective on one aspect of dealing with snowy weather from Helsinki - basically they expect a lot of snow and very low temperatures; they are more prepared, with more staff and equipment types and numbers; our snow is wetter and ice problems are more likely; Helsinki airport does not have to handle as many flights as Heathrow...If this kind of weather is likely to occur in the UK more frequently then we have to be more prepared and perhaps change our attitude to travel intensive lifestyles.

...It looks as though there will be another snowy winter, like last year's, says Anika Kala, a spokesperson for the airport. But she says she's relaxed because the airport is "well prepared".

The preparation consists of good equipment, extra winter staff, and a choice of three runways.

While one runway is being cleared of snow or ice, the other two are open for business.

Snow storage
In exceptional circumstances, two runways may be closed. It takes a rare combination of heavy snow and high wind to close all three - as happened, briefly, seven years ago.

What about the equipment?

"We have 250 vehicles of different kinds," says Ms Kala.

"We have sweepers, snow ploughs, vehicles that blow snow from the runways, and friction testers that check the surface is fit for use."

The snow is removed to a special storage area within the airport perimeter. When that fills up, it is taken to other facilities outside.

Last winter 7,000 truckloads were carted off the runways, apron and taxi-ing areas.

Temperatures in Helsinki can drop to -25C - but Ms Kala explains that a good hard frost is much easier to deal with than a temperature of zero or -1C.

"When it's zero degrees, it's moist and there will be ice," she says....

She acknowledges that there is a big difference between Helsinki, which has a total of 600 landings and take-offs per day on its three runways, and Heathrow which has twice as many - on two runways - and five times as many passengers to deal with.

Running a big airport like Heathrow - which is privately owned by BAA - would be a bigger operation than running state-owned Helsinki airport.

But the principles for dealing with snow and ice, Ms Kala suggests, are probably the same.

BBC News - How Helsinki airport deals with snow and ice

Liar, Liar for Xmas No.1

Captain Ska's anti-cuts, anti-coalition government song Liar Liar is out on sale this week with ambitions to make it to Christmas number one. Clips of George Osborne, David Cameron and Nick Clegg saying 'we are all in this together' are mixed onto a ska backing claiming "he’s a liar, liar, you can’t trust him, no, no, no."

Proceeds from the single will go to causes helping those affected by the cuts, including the homeless charity Crisis, Disability Alliance, Women's Health Matters and False Economy - a cuts campaign site supported by UNISON.

Liar Liar is the number one reggae song on iTunes, at number 59 in the downloads chart - and it might just knock Simon Cowell off the top of the charts.

From 79p to download from: iTunes Tesco entertainment Shockhound Mog.com also: eMusic Napster Thumbplay

Ask your friends and colleagues to download it too – just send them a link to this page, or share it via email, facebook, or twitter: action.unison.org.uk/xmasno1

UNISON News The public service union Liar, Liar for Xmas No.1

Talks between town green and new stadium sides

Its a good thing for both sides to talk issues through. Polarisation and vilification that has occurred during the debate has hindered rational consideration. I watch with interest to see what is proposed, by whom, and what the final outcome is.

A DOOR has finally opened which could break the deadlock over Bristol City building a new stadium at Ashton Vale.

Poll: 56% support the alternative vote

The campaign to reform Britain’s voting system has been boosted by a new opinion poll showing that a majority of the public supports change.
An ICM Research survey for the Electoral Reform Society found that 56 per cent of people favour the alternative vote (AV), in which voters rank candidates in order of preference, while only 44 per cent want to retain the existing first-past-the-post system...

Clegg to be sidelined from his pet project - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

Spending cuts 'will see rise in absolute child poverty' | Politics | The Guardian

If we were genuinely all 'in this together' our government would not be enacting policies that will push more and more children into both absolute and relative poverty. Those who 'have the broadest shoulders' as the Coalition Govt have put it are supposed to be 'taking the biggest load' - clearly they aren't! See this Guardian report on an authoritative study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies,

The government's radical programme to slash spending will see the first rise in absolute child poverty for 15 years, with almost 200,000 children pushed into penury, according to an analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

Tax changes introduced by the coalition government will, the leading independent fiscal thinktank finds, increase absolute poverty by 200,000 children and 200,000 working-age adults in 2012-13.

Cuts to housing benefit alone will force a further 100,000 children into poverty.
In the next three years the IFS says average incomes are forecast to stagnate and this, coupled with deep cuts in welfare, will see a rise in relative poverty for children and working-age adults of 800,000 and a rise in absolute poverty for the same group of 900,000.

The institute directly challenges the government's claim that the impact of the budget would have no effect on child poverty...

Spending cuts 'will see rise in absolute child poverty' Politics The Guardian

FIFA vs International Olympic Committee rules

Was going to write a piece about FIFA vs IOC rules, following the corruption allegations against FIFA and the farce of taking the Wold Cup to Russia in 2018 and in particular Qatar in 2022. However, I see that the BBCs James Pearce has already done a good job on this issue.

BBC - James Pearce: Fifa should learn from IOC

...Wide-ranging reform at Fifa is unlikely to happen in the short term. But even if Blatter wants to nudge his organisation gently on to a path of greater transparency, then he could do a lot worse than follow the IOC's example. Look at how the IOC reformed its voting system after the Salt Lake City scandal. In particular, there was one major change that dramatically lessened the opportunities for corruption.

If you are an IOC member, you are no longer allowed to visit any candidate cities without permission. Instead, the IOC members are told to form their opinions from the official technical report. Yes, in Olympic circles technical reports are actually read, unlike the Fifa ones that appear to have been ignored. A city that had been branded "high risk" in the way that Qatar was by Fifa would be very unlikely to win an IOC vote.

In contrast, the 24 members of Fifa's executive committee were able to travel the world for free during the contests for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. If one of them fancied a weekend in London with his wife, then all he needed to do was pick up a phone or click his fingers and it was all laid on. A five-star hotel, limousine, hospitality at the Premier League game of his choice... The bid teams had no choice but to pander to the voters' every need. These lucky men were wined and dined in destinations stretching from Moscow to Sydney, via New York, Tokyo, Seoul and many other of the world's great cities.

The IOC put a stop to all this. The rules for Olympic voters are now far tighter.
If Fifa voters are banned from travelling to the bidding countries, it would not be enough to make the process appear clean but it would at least be an important first step....

Unanswered green spaces questions

Bristol City Council due to decide on sell off plan despite unresolved questions

TODAY the city council's cabinet is due to decide on a plan to sell off up to 64 parks and green spaces, despite a string of unresolved questions on the controversial scheme.

Poor economics, poor politics

Unemployment is up by 35,000 to 2.5 million. At the same time inflation has risen to a six month high of 3.3%. More unemployment and more inflation is forecast in 2011 as the cuts in public spending and the VAT rise make their damaging economic and social impacts. Its crazy not to be stimulating key parts of the economy at this time - very poor economics from the Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition. Despite this situation Labour leader Ed Miliband only asked very briefly about the economy in today's questions to the Prime Minister. Ed and his team are weak on the economy, weak on defending Labour's record and the need for economic stimulus and weak on political strategy and tactics.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11998364 on unemployment
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11996631 on inflation.

Despite cuts, Bristol City Council offers deputy job for £120k a year

The council should scrap this idea, not employ anyone in this role - and save £240,000 over two years. We are all supposed to be 'in it together'. You can afford to employ six people on £20,000 on two year contracts with this money - or keep a library open for the same period...Very bad choice Bristol City Council.

BRISTOL City Council is advertising for a new deputy chief executive on a salary of more than £120,000-a-year – at a time when the council is in the grip of the biggest cuts in its history. [salary alone for the two yr contract is £240,000 - there may be other costs involved]

The council is shedding hundreds of jobs and has had a freeze on vacancies to try to balance the civic books.

The advert says: "We have recently reviewed our senior management team and are looking for a new deputy chief executive to join us initially for the next two years...

Opposition to green space sell-off plans overwhelming

MORE than 15,000 people have signed petitions against Bristol City Council's plan to sell of green spaces – but not a single person appears to have signed any petition in support.

BBC News - Lollipop patrols axed by council

What! Lollipop patrols protect our kids and in any case cost only a very small amount of money. Lollipop men and women aren't exactly overpaid - get rid of the Chief Executives on extortion salaries and stop using all those consultants that cost a fortune instead! I hope this suggestion is not made in Bristol or elsewhere.

BBC News - Lollipop patrols axed by council

With councils in England facing big cuts to their funding from central government, some jobs and services are likely to be axed.
The need to save money has led to Suffolk County Council to propose getting rid of its lollipop men and women to save £174,000, a move that's upset some parents.

Localism

I'm all for spreading out and sharing power much more. There is far too much power in central government and in other large organisations - including councils - and not nearly enough in the hands of local people, local communities and those served by large organisations. But does the government's Localism Bill give real power to the people and in all respects? An Elected Mayor puts an awful lot of power in to hands of one person for instance. Government claim to be giving more power to local councils - but at the same time they are disempowering them by cutting the money they get by 27% over four years! I welcome any genuine shift of power but money has to go with it.

BBC News - Councils to see grants cuts by average 4.4% - Pickles

The Localism Bill's measures are expected to include:

*Giving local people and organisations the right to buy community assets like shops, pubs and libraries. If a council decides to sell a property community organisations will get extra time to develop their bid.
*Communities can question how services - such as children's centres, care homes and transport - are being run and potentially take them over.
*More power for local people to overrule planning decisions, decide where new homes should go and protect green spaces.
*Powers to create directly elected mayors in 12 cities
*Powers for people to approve or veto "excessive" council tax rises

Lib Dem and Labour Hypocrites

Knowle Councillor Gary Hopkins has been hypocritical by saying he values green spaces whilst also deciding to flog many of them. However, it’s very rich indeed for Labour’s Dawn Primarolo to criticise him ('Gary got it all wrong', Post 13 Dec) because Labour were running the council when the green spaces plans were drafted and then adopted (2007 and 2008)! She is now jumping on the green bandwagon. I would remind her, as the person who has lead the Green Party’s consistent, principled and practical opposition to green spaces flogging, that I lobbied and petitioned the then Labour Cabinet running Bristol very hard indeed – and not a single Labour Cabinet member or Councillor would do anything to oppose the plans. In fact they argued strongly in favour of selling our green spaces! You can’t trust the protection of green spaces to the Lib Dems, Labour or the Conservatives because they’ve all supported the sell-off policy in the past.
_____________________________________________

Note: In this report ('MP condemns consultation as 'shambles' ', Post, Dec 10) Cllr Hopkins gave some details of the meetings that dealt with green spaces issues in Knowle - including 'The Jungle' (Salcombe Rd Rec). He refers to '...a few people against the principle of the PGSS (green spaces strategy)...'. I was there and I am certainly one of the people he is referring to here. There was zero Labour campaigning to save green spaces whereas the Green Party had a clear policy against sell-off from the start.

No Need for Nuclear

Been looking over this campaign website: No Need for Nuclear

Extract
This is a campaign to stop the building of new nuclear power stations.
All but one UK nuclear power stations are due to close by 2023. We think this generation of nuclear power should be the last.

Nuclear power is not necessary to meet the UK's electricity demand, it is more expensive than renewable alternatives, and is not carbon-neutral.

Action
This is a big campaign ask, since the new coalition Government has already decided that the UK nuclear industry should be allowed to grow. This means we're going to need all the help we can get in order to convince them otherwise. Please visit our activism pages to find out how you can help.

Green Party | Greens offer free membership to students and young people

Join the Green Party here.

In an unprecedented move, the Green Party today offered free membership to people under 30 or in full-time education.

Any student or young person who applies to join the Green Party before 1 January 2011 will pay no subscription for the coming year...

Green Party Greens offer free membership to students and young people

Climate Change Denial » QATAR WORLD CUP 2022: A COLOSSAL WRECK- BOUNDLESS AND BARE.

Guest blogger, Terence Blacker decries the ‘Ozymandian’ stupidity of holding the 2022 World Cup in air conditioned stadiums in Qatar, one of the world’s hottest countries and FIFA’s feeble greenwashing of its stupendously destructive choice of host country.

Climate Change Denial » QATAR WORLD CUP 2022: A COLOSSAL WRECK- BOUNDLESS AND BARE.

AV is much fairer: letter

Great letter on a fairer voting system by Chris Millman in todays Post: AV is much fairer

IN his letter to the Post on December 4, Oliver Tunnah shows little faith in the intelligence of the British electorate, who he thinks will be "befuddled" by the alternative vote (AV) system. But it is he who is confused. He claims "with AV you must vote for a party you don't believe in."

What?

The AV is quite simple. It allows the opportunity to list candidates in order of preference. If only one candidate is acceptable to you, you only list one.

The beauty of the system is that it allows you to vote for the candidate you want, rather then backing the one you think most likely to beat the candidate you don't want. This is the precise opposite of what Mr Tunnah is suggesting.

In May we have an historic chance to scrap outdated first-past-the-post and bring in AV, which is fairer.

Chris Millman, Coombe Dingle.

Local Lib Dem mess; national Lib Dem mess - people should vote Green Party instead

The news on Bristol's green spaces is mostly very depressing isn't it. About three quarters of all sites proposed for sell off by the council, around 48 sites at least I believe, will still be sold, despite very strong objections from multiple directions.

The Lib Dem local position on green spaces is a real mess. Their national position on student tuition fees is also a real mess. They said they believe in the value of green spaces but then agree to sell them off. They said they believed in the abolition of student tuition fees but then agreed to massively increase them.

The Bristol Cabinet still has to meet to agree all that was reported in the Post - I think they might be meeting on the 16 Dec. I suppose they could (and will) be lobbied and a question or two could be put to them.

After that I think many local people in many areas will have to look out for individual land sales proposals and then for planning applications in the event of development proposals. Some might well campaign in the run up to next May to remove any local Cllrs they now object to!!

Green Party | Government must halt its “savage attacks” on UK higher education, say Greens

Good quality Higher Education is one of the key factors to manitain and develop if we are to achieve a sustainable society - but its struggling to survive in places! Education is not a commodity to be bought and sold.

Green Party Government must halt its “savage attacks” on UK higher education, say Greens

Green Party | Greens now the only political party fighting for free education

Green Party Greens now the only political party fighting for free education

Need for urgent action on climate change - but its not forthcoming

I agree whoelheartedly with this excellent letter in todays Post about the need for urgent action on climate change from Oxfam's Roger James - but sadly both he and I are going to be very disappointed with what results from the meeting at Cancun.

T HE weather is very much in our minds at the moment and while it may seem odd to be concerned about man-made global warming while we struggle with the cold, the latest Royal Society research indicates that on present policies we have little chance of avoiding a 2C global temperature rise.

These projections send a powerful reminder why progress at the current international climate change conference in Cancun is more urgent than ever.

A new Oxfam report shows that 21,000 people suffered weather-related deaths during the first nine months of 2010, more than twice the number for the whole of 2009.

This year is on course to experience more extreme-weather events than the ten-year average of 770.

It is also one of the hottest years ever recorded with Pakistan logging 53.7°C – the highest ever in Asia.

Climate change affects us all: The Association of British Insurers tripling by 2050. In the South West such events seem to have become more common.

Building a greener economy is an even more necessary solution in a time of recession.

The poorest communities around the world who are the most vulnerable urgently need funds to adapt to climate change and to build a low carbon economy.

Oxfam South West campaigners are among many thousands of people in this region who have raised these concerns.

The Cancun conference is a real opportunity for the world to decide on an effective response to climate change.

This challenge is also an opportunity for those countries that move fast to prosper in a greener, fairer future.

Roger James, Oxfam South West, Brunswick Square, Bristol