Green Party's 'unapologetic, socialist broadcast'

[treelover]

Sixty people attended the first Brighton Left Unity meeting inc some of the key Occupy Sussex students

Brighton Left Unity held its first meeting on the evening of the 18th April in central Brighton. Around sixty people showed up, a lively and exciting mix of experienced activists, students from the Sussex occupation, other students, trades union members and local people of all ages and backgrounds. It was immediately clear that this was not a single campaign group, nor a meeting only for seasoned party workers, but a very open, hospitable environment in which everyone was encouraged to share their thoughts and views regardless whether they had any experience of activism or political work. There were no dominant voices and no members from already existing political groups tried to steer discussion down narrow partisan channels. Lots of people in the room contributed to the conversation and everyone was heard with respect.


Greens I know in my area are fuming about this new left formation.
http://leftunity.org/left-unity-has-to-be-fun-if-it-is-going-to-be-serious/

 

[joevsimp]

More than Labour?

At least there is a parliamentary party making these arguments. The 'centre' is not going to shift leftwards on its own.

4th parties will do very well indeed in 2015. This lot know where their voters are.

ukip will do very well, I'm a bit nervous about these elections

2009 was a reasonably good year for us, lots of second places in counties where we don't yet have a presence as well as a fair few wins,

this time around, we are, as I've said, trying to outflank Labour from the left and I'm not quite sure how its going to pan out

 

[DotCommunist]

More than Labour?

At least there is a parliamentary party making these arguments. The 'centre' is not going to shift leftwards on its own.

4th parties will do very well indeed in 2015. This lot know where their voters are.

oh labour lost my trust ages ago, I exercised my franchise first for Tony and we all know how much he did for the proleteriat.

The greens though....they say stuff that sounds OK but I know they are plotting enforced veganism or something.

Left of labour alternatives in this country are not too good atm. I'd go Respect if it wasn't for the fact that Galloway.

Inevitably in the coming locals I'll vote for the latest trot-union lashup tusc if its ivory appendage has reached my town

 

[tangerinedream]

I distrust the greens as well, but the idea of public ownership of utilities and services and taxes for corporations/financial institutions is the kind of simple message the left needs. The left desperately needs a simple and coherent message delivered by someone who isn't a crook. I've never voted for them before (I normally vote for what ever the most mental left wing party is and there weren't any last time) but given the options I'm likely to have on my ballot paper, thus far, that's the only party I'm likely to vote for unless something new appears or labour reanimate Clem Atlee or make Dennis Skinner leader. I don't really want to vote green, but they are really good locally and like I say, what's my choice otherwise other than spoiling the ballot paper?

 

[joevsimp]

The greens though....they say stuff that sounds OK but I know they are plotting enforced veganism or something.

it was noted at the leadership elections we had last year that we replaced a veggie and a vegan with two meat eaters

 

[DotCommunist]

elect me


no


ELECT ME OR BE GORED

Ok ok, you can be elected

 

[ymu]

ukip will do very well, I'm a bit nervous about these elections

2009 was a reasonably good year for us, lots of second places in counties where we don't yet have a presence as well as a fair few wins,

this time around, we are, as I've said, trying to outflank Labour from the left and I'm not quite sure how its going to pan out

I think the best strategy would be to unite around getting as many 4th party seats as possible. UKIP, Green, Respect, plus SNP and Plaid, maybe NHA, and some indies. Vote for whichever one can win in your area.

UKIP's probably (?) not going to win anywhere where a leftish party might have a shot anyway. And it makes fuck all difference which bums are in which seats anyway.

Would make for an interesting parliament, and otherwise we're just permanently jumping from frying pan to fire and back again, moaning that there is no one else to vote for. There will be a lot of 4th parties in with a shout, and calling for people to vote tactically against the big three would probaby be quite popular, left, right and centre.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

I think the best strategy would be to unite around getting as many 4th party seats as possible. UKIP, Green, Respect, plus SNP and Plaid, maybe NHA, and some indies. Vote for whichever one can win in your area.

UKIP's probably (?) not going to win anywhere where a leftish party might have a shot anyway. And it makes fuck all difference which bums are in which seats anyway.

Would make for an interesting parliament, and otherwise we're just permanently jumping from frying pan to fire and back again, moaning that there is no one else to vote for. There will be a lot of 4th parties in with a shout, and calling for people to vote tactically against the big three would probaby be quite popular, left, right and centre.

Are you advocating a vote for UKIP?

 

[joevsimp]

there's a ward in Castle Bromwich that used to have a BNP cllr and now has a Green one, there's a couple of County divisions in Essex and Suffolk that could be interesting if UKIP have a proper surge

 

[J Ed]

I think the best strategy would be to unite around getting as many 4th party seats as possible. UKIP, Green, Respect, plus SNP and Plaid, maybe NHA, and some indies. Vote for whichever one can win in your area.

UKIP's probably (?) not going to win anywhere where a leftish party might have a shot anyway. And it makes fuck all difference which bums are in which seats anyway.

Would make for an interesting parliament, and otherwise we're just permanently jumping from frying pan to fire and back again, moaning that there is no one else to vote for. There will be a lot of 4th parties in with a shout, and calling for people to vote tactically against the big three would probaby be quite popular, left, right and centre.

I could never bring myself to vote for UKIP or Respect. :/

 

[J Ed]

In 2011 The indignados in Spain were pushing a similar electoral strategy (of voting for minority parties) and in the short term the main beneficiaries of it were the PP but in the long run it looks like the UPyD, a neoliberal centre-left party that backs austerity, will do well out of it. I don't think it's a good option.

 

[ymu]

Are you advocating a vote for UKIP?

I'm advocating an anti-Tory (blue, yellow or red) tactical vote. What that vote is depends in your constituency.

Or have we got a new left party all ready to smash it?

 

[ymu]

I could never bring myself to vote for UKIP or Respect. :/

I have never been able to bring myself to vote at all. Oh, apart from that first election where you kinda have to. Tactical anti-Tory (1992). You can guess the rest. There was no other choice and it was a marginal, all right.

Obviously, a half-hearted effort would be pointless. But if the country could unite around getting rid of all three main parties in one go, that would be quite cool.

Or, you know, at least put the shits up them a bit.

Or the frying pan fire thing, if that's your bag.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

I'm advocating an anti-Tory (blue, yellow or red) tactical vote. What that vote is depends in your constituency.

Or have we got a new left party all ready to smash it?

So your tactical voting idea would include voting UKIP where they're best placed to beat the Tories then?

 

[Maurice Picarda]

The manifesto I want Labour to have.

It would be the most cloying suicide note in history.

"The green economy, not the fossil fuel economy". What does the woman mean?

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I think the best strategy would be to unite around getting as many 4th party seats as possible. UKIP, Green, Respect, plus SNP and Plaid, maybe NHA, and some indies.

Would make for an interesting parliament

.

Italy may get by with a completely dysfunctional parliament, but only because the black and grey economies are about eight times the size of the formal one.

Here, what you suggest would be quite grim. Worse than the current coalition.

 

[Favelado]

It would be the most cloying suicide note in history.

"The green economy, not the fossil fuel economy". What does the woman mean?

I'd like all the green stuff cut out. It was the rest that was good.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I'd like all the green stuff cut out. It was the rest that was good.

I'll try and find you a BNP broadcast with all the rather embarrassing stuff about immigrants taken out. You'd like that, too.

 

[Favelado]

I'll try and find you a BNP broadcast with all the rather embarrassing stuff about immigrants taken out. You'd like that, too.

I promise you I wouldn't. I'm just having a look at their manifesto and even if they were handing out the free tellies and mansions of yore to immigrants they wouldn't appeal to me one bit. I love the Greens' social and economic policies.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

I'll try and find you a BNP broadcast with all the rather embarrassing stuff about immigrants taken out. You'd like that, too.

You're a bit daft

 

[thedockerslad]

Sixty people attended the first Brighton Left Unity meeting inc some of the key Occupy Sussex students

Brighton Left Unity held its first meeting on the evening of the 18th April in central Brighton. Around sixty people showed up, a lively and exciting mix of experienced activists, students from the Sussex occupation, other students, trades union members and local people of all ages and backgrounds. It was immediately clear that this was not a single campaign group, nor a meeting only for seasoned party workers, but a very open, hospitable environment in which everyone was encouraged to share their thoughts and views regardless whether they had any experience of activism or political work. There were no dominant voices and no members from already existing political groups tried to steer discussion down narrow partisan channels. Lots of people in the room contributed to the conversation and everyone was heard with respect.


Greens I know in my area are fuming about this new left formation.
http://leftunity.org/left-unity-has-to-be-fun-if-it-is-going-to-be-serious/

Everyone heard with a tinge of Respect, and furious Green Party members. Oh my it's like a trots paradise.

 

[DotCommunist]

I'll try and find you a BNP broadcast with all the rather embarrassing stuff about immigrants taken out. You'd like that, too.

strasserites they are not. Anyone would think it was you with the glass eye. Two glas eyes. And unable to read braile. And politically illiterate.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

You're a bit daft

www.bnp. org.uk/policies/economics

(*ed: no links to the BNP please)

It's not entirely dissimilar. Anti-globalist, anti-banker and bailout, huge campaign of renationalisation.

Main point was that if you take out the single issue stuff from a single issue party manifesto, you'll be left with a few unachievable crowd-pleasers that any of them could adopt.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I love the Greens' social and economic policies.

Perhaps you can explain the "green economy", then.

 

[Favelado]

---

It's not entirely dissimilar. Anti-globalist, anti-banker and bailout, huge campaign of renationalisation.

Also hanging and sex-offenders having their nadgers lopped off and that kind of thing though.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

Also hanging and sex-offenders having their nadgers lopped off and that kind of thing though.

and women back into the kitchens and baby making, and put the gays back into the closet etc

 

[tangerinedream]

Italy may get by with a completely dysfunctional parliament, but only because the black and grey economies are about eight times the size of the formal one.

Here, what you suggest would be quite grim. Worse than the current coalition.

So who are you advocating I vote for? Last time the choice was something like, the big 3 plus ukip and bnp. I can't be certain about the last one, possibly the bnp was a local election. None of the big 3 represent my beliefs about state owned services/utilities the other two I'd rather get run over than vote for. Surely I should vote for the nearest fit ideologically to my core belief, not simply vote labour because once upon a time they nationalised something. Or do I have to vote for whoever will win as long as its not the Tories? How is the state of the debate ever going to improve if the desire for genuine left ideas, such as wide scale nationalisation are not given support at the ballot box? No credible party will ever support them unless they become electorally credible. No left party will ever gain traction unless those ideas are seen to be worthy of media attention. I can't see how they will become credible ideas in the view of the mainstream without people en masse making a stand to say, fuck it, I'm voting for it. Labour are not worthy of support. They've had two years to do anything, something and so far I can't think of a single thing that excites me a tiny little bit about the current Labour Party. Voting labour is just a vote for centre right status quo. I don't especially want to vote green, but like I say? Persuade me otherwise.

 

[IC3D]

I'd like all the members of the SWP join the Greens, theres plenty of decent people there that could really achieve something positive and make the Green Party firmly left

 

[Maurice Picarda]

Also hanging and sex-offenders having their nadgers lopped off and that kind of thing though.

and women back into the kitchens and baby making, and put the gays back into the closet etc

Okay, perhaps the BNP aren't just a single-issue group of nutters. They have rather a lot of issues. But the fantasy economic panaceas remain the stock-in-trade of comedy parties.

 

[two sheds]

I'd like all the green stuff cut out. It was the rest that was good.

So you'd like the greens more if they believed in fucking up the environment like the rest of them?