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Caroline's bulletin - August 2011

Posted by Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton, Pavilion, at 16:25, Tue 6 September 2011:

BRIGHTON PAVILION BULLETIN Update on the recent Parliamentary work of Caroline Lucas MP

August 2011

Riots

MPs were recalled to the House of Commons on August 11th to debate the week’s riots in London, Manchester, Birmingham and elsewhere. I was shocked and horrified to see the level of violence unfolding on our streets, and it was terrible to see the livelihoods people had built up over so many years destroyed in a matter of moments.

I issued this initial statement as follows:

The Green Party rejects and condemns the horrendous violence, arson and looting that we have seen on our streets in recent days. But we must also seek to understand why this happened to prevent these events being repeated.

If we stop at denunciations and crackdowns, nothing will be learned about why sections of our own population feel they can riot, loot and treat their neighbours and communities so appallingly. The bigger picture has to be considered. It's a fact that Britain is deeply unequal. Last year, London's richest people were worth 273 times more than its poorest.

Given the growing evidence, from the Scarman report onwards, that increasing inequality had a role to play in at least some of the rioting, the Government must commit to an impact assessment of further policies to establish if they are likely to exacerbate inequality.

Furthermore, if individuals are defined as consumers rather than citizens, there is danger that those who cannot afford to consume feel they have no stake in their community and become more likely to turn against it.

The Prime Minister has said this is 'not about poverty but about culture.' But it is about both. It is about inequality and culture, and how dangerous it is when you combine growing inequality with a culture which puts consumerism above citizenship.

I was encouraged that violence did not break out in Brighton and Hove and appreciate the role that the local police and local communities played in this.

During the parliamentary debate I condemned the violence and asked the Prime Minister to ensure that any response is based on an understanding of the social context in which the riots broke out, including increasing social inequality.

You can read a further statement on the wider issues of policing, sentencing and support for young people in particular on my website.

Media Ownership

Hundreds of constituents lobbied me about the News International scandal and to urge me to oppose the coropration’s bid to take control of BSkyB.

This is something I raised with Ministers many months ago and, in the light of new revelations about the extent of phone hacking at News of the World, I immediately wrote to Ofcom, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports to insist that they not let any take over go ahead – and that News International’s fitness to operate a broadcasting licence here in the UK be reviewed.

I also used the opportunity to highlight the urgent need for changes to the rules governing media ownership. In particular I have called on the Government bring forward legislation that would prevent any further concentration of media ownership and, at the same time, take practical steps to support more locally owned and accountable media in this country.

One of the many questions raised by this affair is about the dangers of politicising the police so during a parliamentary debate about News International I put the following to the Prime Minister:

Will the Prime Minister immediately put on hold his plans to introduce elected police commissioners while we learn the lessons of the last few weeks? We should reflect on the risks of things being swept under the carpet if we put someone whose political fortunes depend on the success of the force in sole charge of trying to hold them to account.

His response was very disappointing. Whilst I want to see police reform, I disagree that elected Police Commissioners, who will inevitably be influenced in their decision making by political considerations, is the way forward.

Train Fares

Over the summer the Government has announced that train fares will rise by an average of 12%. As a member of Brighton commuters and regular on the service to London, I am very mindful of the impact this will have on many of the city’s residents.

I also see firsthand how crowded the trains are between the city and the capital, and in July joined a Fair Fares protest to launch a national petition against unfair rail fares.

Rail passengers in this country already pay some of the highest fares in Europe, and under successive Governments, we've seen public transport fares increase while services have failed to improve. This is something I have lobbied Ministers about extensively and I have also tabled a number of parliamentary questions.

Trains are absolutely crucial to our economy, for creating a greener and more sustainable transport network, and for reducing inequality through improving the mobility of those on lower incomes. Yet for many, travelling by train has already become an expensive luxury.

The Government must urgently recognise that these relentless price hikes are having a serious effect on people's quality of life, and focus investment now to deliver affordable train travel for all.

Animal Protection

I have been campaigning against culling badgers as a means of controlling bovine TB for many years now. Badgers have long been blamed for the disease spreading amongst cattle but in fact field studies suggest the causes are far more complex – and that culling badgers will not eradicate the disease.

Instead I want to see greater investment in a vaccine and a focus on less intensive cattle farming. The Government, sadly, announced in July that it was pressing ahead with a cull pilot in South West England, despite massive public opposition and a lack of scientific evidence that this would help. I have been working with a range of animal protection groups to argue against this policy and will continue to do so.

In July I also took part in a photo stunt designed to raise awareness of the new European Directive on animal testing, which the UK needs to adopt. It is doing so without any parliamentary debate or vote. I have been supporting work by campaign groups such as the National Anti Vivisection Society to lobby for MPs to have a say in this important issue and to be able to argue for the UK to keep strong protection measures in place. I joined campaigners to hand in a petition to Downing Street about this too.

In my last bulletin I reported that MPs had voted against the continued use of wild animals in circuses and that the Government was showing signs of respecting this vote.

Things have moved on and recent communications from DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) indicate that in fact they will persist with their licensing policy and are continuing to argue that a ban on wild animals in circuses would be illegal. This is nonsense and I am keeping up pressure on Ministers.

Other parliamentary work

One of the best ways for me to raise the concerns you have is via parliamentary questions and Early Day Motions, so I have been making good use of these opportunities. You can read all the tabled questions to which I have received replies here and also keep up to date with the EDMs I have tabled, sponsored and signed here.

In July I asked questions on a range of topics including the use of drones in Afghanistan, work capability assessments, the Government’s policy on sexuality based asylum claims, collecting data about heroin overdoses by ex offenders, motorway speed limits, national planning policy guidelines and nuclear power, the panel set up to consider the future of Britain’s woodlands and forests, regional cooperation in the provision of gypsy and traveller sites, and Libya. All these were in response to enquiries from constituents.

On the last day before Parliament goes into recess backbench MPs can enter a ballot to speak on a subject of their choice. I was selected to talk about drugs policy reform, specifically calling for drugs policy to be the responsibility of the Department for Health, rather than the Home Office, thus ensuring a focus on treatment and rehabilitation rather than punishing addicts.

I am a patron of Environmental Protection UK, a national group based in Brighton, so was delighted to join them for the parliamentary launch of their new Healthy Air Campaign. This is focussed on the need to improve air quality. I also responded to the Government’s air quality consultation this month.

Climate Change remains one of the main topics I am lobbied about my constituents and in July I was on a panel alongside the Government Minister, Greg Barker, to discuss the UK’s response. This was organised by the TUC (Trades Union Congress) and was an opportunity for me to argue for much tougher action nationally as well as highlight the work being done by businesses and the council locally.

I have spoken too at a number of events, including the launch of a new report on tax havens, one about banking reform, a public meeting about fracking (the extraction of shale gas under high pressure) and a reception to mark 10 years of the campaign to boycott Israeli goods.

I am also pressing ahead with my efforts to ‘green’ the parliamentary estate and met with key staff members in July to talk with them about reducing Westminster’s carbon footprint.

Constituents have contacted me about a wide range of issues which I have followed up the Government Ministers, including food waste in our local hospitals, school places, job losses at HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs), the conditions in slaughter houses, a woman’s right to choose, Government’s support for global child vaccination programmes, local bowling club facilities and the regulation of psychotherapy.

Constituency Work

One of the highlights of this last month has been Brighton and Hove PRIDE. I was on board a Green float for some of the time and enjoyed meeting people celebrating hard won LGBT rights – as well as reflecting on the need to continue to fight for equality.

I also took part in a day of action to oppose attacks on teachers’ pensions, joining a picket line in the morning and then speaking at a rally in Hove Town Hall.

Meetings locally have included with Fareshare (a local charity that distributes ‘waste’ food donated by supermarkets and other retailers), the regional office of the Environment Agency, Mosaic (a black and mixed family parentage group), the Community Land Trust about innovative housing models for the city, and our local Tourism Alliance. I also met with the Director of Albion in the Community for a tour of the Falmer Stadium and to learn more about their excellent community outreach programme.

Constituents continue to raise concerns with me about traveller encampments. I visited one site in August and continue to work with local councillors to try and develop a long term viable policy that reflects the need to balance the rights of everyone living in our city.

It was a pleasure to visit Dorothy Stringer High School’s 5th Annual Environmental Fayre and to also speak at an event celebrating their school council, to help launch FabLab Brighton and Hove, and to visit Mears Housing, a social housing provider in the city. I also became the 5,000th member of East Sussex Credit Union – you can read more about that on my website.

Contacting me

If you are a local resident and want help with case work, or to find out more about my activities locally, please contact me at the office of Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Media Centre 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL. Tel: 01273 201 130. Email: brightonoffice@parliament.uk

If you want to know more about my parliamentary work, please get in touch at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Tel: 020 7219 7025. Email: caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk

If you want to receive this bulletin automatically by email please send a message to caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk putting ‘email bulletin’ as the subject. Your details will not be passed on to any third party and will only be used to send you news bulletins every two months and the occasional additional update.

Media Highlights

During the months of July and August, I secured coverage in a number of print, broadcast and online media titles. The Brighton Argus covered my views on the Lewes Road grant, air quality, rail fare rises, the proposed badger cull and cuts to Sussex Police, and also ran a letter on drugs policy. The Brighton based Latest magazine interviewed me for a photo story.

The Daily Mirror referenced my decision not to cross a picket line during the public sector strike, and the Daily Telegraph highlighted recent work on tax evasion and avoidance in an article about offshore tax havens. It also ran an article from me on the green economy as part of its Age of Energy series.

I appeared on a faith programme on BBC Sussex and Surrey radio, and featured in a BBC News online article as part of an end of term report for MPs. I was voted the ‘Best All Rounder’ in the Total Politics End of Year Awards 2011 and was interviewed by the Huffington Post as part of its UK launch.

In the Guardian, I was quoted in articles about fracking and a public interest campaign organised by Compass – also covered by Politics.co.uk – and my online Environment blog for this period looked at the issues of solar energy and air quality.

I co authored an article with Jenny Jones on the aftermath of the August riots, which was published by Comment is Free. I was also quoted in a story in the Observer about population.