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Why the Green Party is shit

Some fall out from that Sunday Politics interview in relation to Basic Income - which was at the heart of fucking up the figures - turns out the CIT, from whom the Greens had previously been taking advice on this, have now turned around and said the numbers are all wrong! woops

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/27/green-party-citizens-income-policy-hits-poor

The Citizen’s Income Trust (CIT), which has given advice to the Green party and been repeatedly cited by the Greens, has modelled its scheme and discovered it would mean 35.15% of households would be losers, with many of the biggest losers among the poorest households.
The trust’s research shows that for the two lowest disposable income deciles, more than one-fifth would suffer income losses of more than 10%, something one of the most leftwing parties in the election is unlikely to want to advocate.

Malcolm Torry, director of the CIT, a small charitable research body, said: “I am not sure the Green party has yet taken on our new research or the need to retain a means-tested element. We have only just published the new work.”
The criticisms of the scheme, as well as doubts about costings, have led the Greens to make a tactical retreat, with the party’s leader, Natalie Bennett, saying detailed costings for the policy will not be available in the manifesto in March.

She faced a difficult time when interviewed by Andrew Neil on the BBC’s Sunday Politics on the subject, repeatedly arguing that any extra cost would be covered by reductions in the administration of welfare.

Citizen’s income is an unconditional, non-withdrawable income for every individual, including children, given as a right of citizenship. The idea has won support in the past on both sides of the Atlantic from left and right, and was until 1996 a Liberal Democrat policy. It was finally rejected as utopian.

It replaces personal tax allowances, and most means-tested benefits including jobseeker’s allowance, child benefit, the basic state pension and tax credits.
The CIT, the charitable body that has done most to promote the policy in the UK, admits after modelling its proposal with the help of the Euromod model at the University of Essex that the complexity of the current welfare system has led to a major design flaw being revealed, including a big hit on the poor.

Writing in the latest issue of the CIT’s newsletter, Torry states: “It is a pity that such a large number of households with low disposable incomes suffer such large losses on the implementation of what otherwise looks like a useful and revenue-neutral scheme.
“But unfortunately, with that number of large losses, the scheme would be impossible for a government to implement, and we ought to look for an alternative.”

However, Torry argues almost regardless of the level at which the citizen’s income is set, the poor cannot be compensated for withdrawal of both the personal tax allowance and means-tested benefits without the scheme becoming too expensive.
In a bid to make the scheme more palatable, the trust has looked at retaining the central principle of a non-contributory scheme and the abolition of the personal tax allowance, but retaining other means-tested benefits such as tax credits, so depriving the scheme of the simplicity and administrative savings once promised.

The revised scheme hits the rich hardest, but also requires a substantial increase in the basic rate of tax to 30%, as well as lifting national insurance to 12% of all income. The scheme still costs £24bn.
Alternatively, the trust has looked at cutting the value of citizen’s income from £75 a week to just £50 a week, much closer to the value of a personal tax allowance.
Torry told the Guardian that citizen’s income still has substantial advantages since even under this scheme it replaces a proportion of means-tested and other benefits, and total marginal deduction rates would be greatly reduced.

The amounts of means-tested benefits received would be reduced through citizen’s income being taken into account when calculating benefits.
In addition, for many households the reduction would offer the option of adding additional hours of employment and so escaping from means-testing.
A Green party spokesman said: “The citizen’s income is one of the items the manifesto working group are looking at. The Green party manifesto will be launched at some point in March.”

--
 
Some fall out from that Sunday Politics interview in relation to Basic Income - which was at the heart of fucking up the figures - turns out the CIT, from whom the Greens had previously been taking advice on this, have now turned around and said the numbers are all wrong! woops
The amounts of means-tested benefits received would be reduced through citizen’s income being taken into account when calculating benefits.
In addition, for many households the reduction would offer the option of adding additional hours of employment and so escaping from means-testing.
A Green party spokesman said: “The citizen’s income is one of the items the manifesto working group are looking at. The Green party manifesto will be launched at some point in March.”

--
I'm picturing the scenes of panic in Green Party HQ as the reality of this situation has hit.

They're going to have every last line of their policy documents poured over for anything that's not fully costed and thought out now aren't they, they'll get ripped to shreds if they've not done better checks on their policies than that.

Wait til the press get hold of the idea of taking the ability to basically end the practice of fractional reserve banking and take all money creation back into the hands of the bank of england, or similar. If Bennett can't even attempt a defence of the citizens income, she's going to get absolutely trashed on that policy if I'm remembering it right.
 
Wait til the press get hold of the idea of taking the ability to basically end the practice of fractional reserve banking and take all money creation back into the hands of the bank of england, or similar. If Bennett can't even attempt a defence of the citizens income, she's going to get absolutely trashed on that policy if I'm remembering it right.

Not sure if the press will bother with that one. But yes, it was certainly in their policy statements as of a few weeks ago.
 
I'm picturing the scenes of panic in Green Party HQ as the reality of this situation has hit.
i did hear that there was an element of sting about the interview, in that it was meant to be on something else and the nature of the grilling was brought up at the very last minute, but whatever the truth of that for the Greens its probably good that this happened sooner rather than later and they can be better prepared in the future. Whatever anyone thinks of the Greens it would be nice to see them at least making convincing cases for alternative politics rather than reinforce views of a loony left.

Im pretty sure Andrew was right about the overly high expectations from raising the highest rate of income tax too
 
As I mentioned elsewhere (the polling thread iirc) I’m flip-flopping in my voting intentions between the Greens, Labour and “an other party” (will Class War stand here? will a British “Syriza" appear?). Not so long ago I was all for voting Labour tactically in my semi-marginal Tory seat. I was quite happy to to denounce the Greens as “shit” (as seen higher up the thread). But as the three party system seems under more threat than ever before, and as the Greens may yet join UKIP,the SNP etc. in this post General Election “new order” I’m starting to reconsider.



I’ve always loved elections, despite my utterly cynical, anarchistic, rejection of them as a vehicle for change. I love the ritual, the ceremony, the procession of unseated bigwigs, the “sport” of it. And as such I finding myself wanting to join in. Years of spoiling and abstention have been somewhat unsatisfying in this regard.



Certainly the so-called “Green surge” is having an impact upon my voting intentions. Looking at opinion polls and projected shares, and the lovely coloured maps of the country and my constituency and fanciful notion that everything’s gone green, I am worried that I might succumb to the temptation of voting Green in May. Yet, still despite all the hype, the best possible outcome down here in the South East is the occasional island of Red in amongst the sea of blue.



Monday (or Tuesday?) this week saw the electioneering and party posturing of the rival Labour and Green candidates here in East Reading crescendo with a live twitter feed of the “full council meeting”. Some confusion for us in virtual audience I’m sure as both Labour and Green councillors laid into the Tories for not backing lowering the voting age to 16, although I’m not sure why this was being discussed in Reading council to begin with but still…anyway the Tories response that many young people aren’t working and therefore not “contributing” was clearly a demonstration, even at this local level of the contempt with hold they unproductive “thieves” like us. The Greens and Labour loved it, denouncing it on their twitter feeds with a vehemence perhaps more suited to condign a murder or something, yet this Red-Green tag team was hardly the perfect kiss as they’ve been going at each other over the issue of who gets to claim credit for some very tame acts of guerrilla gardening in Redlands - flowers etc. planted at the base of lampposts (seriously!). It seems the Greens’ strategy to move out of their exile in the m/c hippy sub-culture is too embrace the kind of hyper-localism that the Lib Dems were famous for before the shellshock of their electoral collapse hit their activists. I’m all in favour of “dog shit politics” but the Greens mustn’t take their eyes of off the bigger picture - the state of the nation surely plays a big role in GE voting patterns?



This election raises the prospect of another coalition, perhaps some sort of a bizarre love triangle between the Greens, Labour and the SNP? The Greens in this scenario are going to come under intense scrutiny. Their record in local government and in coalition suggests (and this is the kindest interpretation) that they will quickly abandon any policies born of true faith and be enthusiastically “pragmatic” and “realistic”. I can have some sympathy with this, out of power it is too easy for conspiraloons and other personalities who perhaps consider themselves touched by the hand of god or something (the David Ickes, plenty of whom remain in the GPEW no doubt).



But in doing so, they risk “doing a Clegg” having a fine time in a close run election this year, only to collapse following their collaboration with a neoliberal administration and be replaced by a different protest vote next time round. And round we go again to what? 2020? will we get a “Syriza” to run. 2015’s Green vote is going to be very interesting for now, and the future.
 
As I mentioned elsewhere (the polling thread iirc) I’m flip-flopping in my voting intentions between the Greens, Labour and “an other party” (will Class War stand here? will a British “Syriza" appear?). Not so long ago I was all for voting Labour tactically in my semi-marginal Tory seat. I was quite happy to to denounce the Greens as “shit” (as seen higher up the thread). But as the three party system seems under more threat than ever before, and as the Greens may yet join UKIP,the SNP etc. in this post General Election “new order” I’m starting to reconsider.

I’ve always loved elections, despite my utterly cynical, anarchistic, rejection of them as a vehicle for change. I love the ritual, the ceremony, the procession of unseated bigwigs, the “sport” of it. And as such I finding myself wanting to join in. Years of spoiling and abstention have been somewhat unsatisfying in this regard.

Certainly the so-called “Green surge” is having an impact upon my voting intentions. Looking at opinion polls and projected shares, and the lovely coloured maps of the country and my constituency and fanciful notion that everything’s gone green, I am worried that I might succumb to the temptation of voting Green in May. Yet, still despite all the hype, the best possible outcome down here in the South East is the occasional island of Red in amongst the sea of blue.

(or Tuesday?) this week saw the electioneering and party posturing of the rival Labour and Green candidates here in East Reading crescendo with a live twitter feed of the “full council meeting”. Some confusion for us in virtual audience I’m sure as both Labour and Green councillors laid into the Tories for not backing lowering the voting age to 16, although I’m not sure why this was being discussed in Reading council to begin with but still…anyway the Tories response that many young people aren’t working and therefore not “contributing” was clearly a demonstration, even at this local level of the contempt with hold they unproductive “thieves” like us. The Greens and Labour loved it, denouncing it on their twitter feeds with a vehemence perhaps more suited to condign a murder or something, yet this Red-Green tag team was hardly the perfect kiss as they’ve been going at each other over the issue of who gets to claim credit for some very tame acts of guerrilla gardening in Redlands - flowers etc. planted at the base of lampposts (seriously!). It seems the Greens’ strategy to move out of their exile in the m/c hippy sub-culture is too embrace the kind of hyper-localism that the Lib Dems were famous for before the shellshock of their electoral collapse hit their activists. I’m all in favour of “dog shit politics” but the Greens mustn’t take their eyes of off the bigger picture - the state of the nation surely plays a big role in GE voting patterns?

This election raises the prospect of another coalition, perhaps some sort of a bizarre love triangle between the Greens, Labour and the SNP? The Greens in this scenario are going to come under intense scrutiny. Their record in local government and in coalition suggests (and this is the kindest interpretation) that they will quickly abandon any policies born of true faith and be enthusiastically “pragmatic” and “realistic”. I can have some sympathy with this, out of power it is too easy for conspiraloons and other personalities who perhaps consider themselves touched by the hand of god or something (the David Ickes, plenty of whom remain in the GPEW no doubt).

But in doing so, they risk “doing a Clegg” having a fine time in a close run election this year, only to collapse following their collaboration with a neoliberal administration and be replaced by a different protest vote next time round. And round we go again to what? 2020? will we get a “Syriza” to run. 2015’s Green vote is going to be very interesting for now, and the future.

some interesting points.

I'm still sceptical about the ability of the Greens to actually put their plans to save the world in motion anytime soon though ;)
 
i did hear that there was an element of sting about the interview, in that it was meant to be on something else and the nature of the grilling was brought up at the very last minute, but whatever the truth of that for the Greens its probably good that this happened sooner rather than later and they can be better prepared in the future. Whatever anyone thinks of the Greens it would be nice to see them at least making convincing cases for alternative politics rather than reinforce views of a loony left.

Im pretty sure Andrew was right about the overly high expectations from raising the highest rate of income tax too
Where did you hear that from - bullshiting defensive greens? Andrew Neil does that. It's what he does. It's all that he does. It's all that he's done for 40+ years. The idea tat they were ambushed is ludicrous.

And no, don't speak for me - the last thing i want to see is the greens presenting convincing cases for stuff they don't believe in and will not deliver on.
 
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Suzanne Moore in the The Guardian, doing her own 'Why the Green Party is Shit'. The columnist's 'we' does my head in - it's a device repeated across the Guardian, & it grates.

What is missing from the Greens is the actual thing I want from a progressive party. It’s the economy, stupid. A theory of class analysis, an understanding of the mechanics of redistribution and a sense of connection, not with plants but the very poorest.
 
Suzanne Moore in the The Guardian, doing her own 'Why the Green Party is Shit'. The columnist's 'we' does my head in - it's a device repeated across the Guardian, & it grates.
Sounds like she might have been reading TCF..
The rise of the Green party concerns me because it remains fundamentally a bourgeois party, with no organisational links to the working class and no real heart for emancipatory struggle. I’m not talking here about specific policy stances, which range form the sensible (citizen’s income) to the downright stupid (opposing water fluoridation). I’m talking about what makes Greens tick, and it’s not the emancipatory ideal and the re-embedding of worker-consumer duality that make me tick.
 
Sounds like she might have been reading TCF..

"As a Labour person, ontologically secure in my loyalty to the Labour party because of what I have internalised about it, the rise of the Greens obviously concerns me". I'd never heard of TCF before. Is it the kind of blog that columnists trawl for material? (that question's unlikely to get an answer unless a columnist weighs in)
 
On policy scrutiny, there's a huge amount to scrutinise - the number of links in http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/ are numerous. Clicking on one of them as an example - workers' rights at http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/wr.html and you have over 9,000 words alone. Thus it makes it easy for a presenter to get researchers to dig something up, put it to an unsuspecting senior party rep and say 'Well it says it on your website'.

It's a double-edged sword. On one side, the mainstream media are talking about the Greens' policies. On the other, it's relatively straight-forward for an experienced operator as Andrew Neil is, to catch them out. From what I've seen on his daytime politics programmes, Andrew Neil is one of the toughest of interviewers to come up against, giving everyone a hard time.

I think it'll be just as interesting (if not more interesting) to see how many extra council seats the Greens get. At a local news level, council seats mean new political faces from outside the traditional parties being a source of different political opinions. That combined with councillor allowances means that additional resources can be directed towards local parties. The spread of seats may also be an indication of where they concentrate national party resources in the future.

Finally, they have a big spring conference in early March in Liverpool - one where they've had to change to an even bigger venue (with over 1,000 seats) to accommodate demand for places. (See http://bright-green.org/england-wal...nce-forced-to-change-venue-due-to-greensurge/). Which policies will change as a result of new members and the inevitable increase in media scrutiny? Which ones will they hold firm on? Interesting times.
 
As I mentioned elsewhere (the polling thread iirc) I’m flip-flopping in my voting intentions between the Greens, Labour and “an other party” (will Class War stand here? will a British “Syriza" appear?). Not so long ago I was all for voting Labour tactically in my semi-marginal Tory seat. I was quite happy to to denounce the Greens as “shit” (as seen higher up the thread). But as the three party system seems under more threat than ever before, and as the Greens may yet join UKIP,the SNP etc. in this post General Election “new order” I’m starting to reconsider.



I’ve always loved elections, despite my utterly cynical, anarchistic, rejection of them as a vehicle for change. I love the ritual, the ceremony, the procession of unseated bigwigs, the “sport” of it. And as such I finding myself wanting to join in. Years of spoiling and abstention have been somewhat unsatisfying in this regard.



Certainly the so-called “Green surge” is having an impact upon my voting intentions. Looking at opinion polls and projected shares, and the lovely coloured maps of the country and my constituency and fanciful notion that everything’s gone green, I am worried that I might succumb to the temptation of voting Green in May. Yet, still despite all the hype, the best possible outcome down here in the South East is the occasional island of Red in amongst the sea of blue.



Monday (or Tuesday?) this week saw the electioneering and party posturing of the rival Labour and Green candidates here in East Reading crescendo with a live twitter feed of the “full council meeting”. Some confusion for us in virtual audience I’m sure as both Labour and Green councillors laid into the Tories for not backing lowering the voting age to 16, although I’m not sure why this was being discussed in Reading council to begin with but still…anyway the Tories response that many young people aren’t working and therefore not “contributing” was clearly a demonstration, even at this local level of the contempt with hold they unproductive “thieves” like us. The Greens and Labour loved it, denouncing it on their twitter feeds with a vehemence perhaps more suited to condign a murder or something, yet this Red-Green tag team was hardly the perfect kiss as they’ve been going at each other over the issue of who gets to claim credit for some very tame acts of guerrilla gardening in Redlands - flowers etc. planted at the base of lampposts (seriously!). It seems the Greens’ strategy to move out of their exile in the m/c hippy sub-culture is too embrace the kind of hyper-localism that the Lib Dems were famous for before the shellshock of their electoral collapse hit their activists. I’m all in favour of “dog shit politics” but the Greens mustn’t take their eyes of off the bigger picture - the state of the nation surely plays a big role in GE voting patterns?



This election raises the prospect of another coalition, perhaps some sort of a bizarre love triangle between the Greens, Labour and the SNP? The Greens in this scenario are going to come under intense scrutiny. Their record in local government and in coalition suggests (and this is the kindest interpretation) that they will quickly abandon any policies born of true faith and be enthusiastically “pragmatic” and “realistic”. I can have some sympathy with this, out of power it is too easy for conspiraloons and other personalities who perhaps consider themselves touched by the hand of god or something (the David Ickes, plenty of whom remain in the GPEW no doubt).



But in doing so, they risk “doing a Clegg” having a fine time in a close run election this year, only to collapse following their collaboration with a neoliberal administration and be replaced by a different protest vote next time round. And round we go again to what? 2020? will we get a “Syriza” to run. 2015’s Green vote is going to be very interesting for now, and the future.
Greens are very unlikely to win more than the single MP they have already and may lose that
 
Caroline Lucas does a far better job IMO of defending / explaining the position on citizens income, and immigration policy, and explaining the difference between long term aspirations, and what's going to be in the manifesto for this election.

Around the 30 minute mark here

The greens would be mad to leave both leaders debates to Bennet, rather than having Lucas in there as well IMO.
 
The greens would be mad to leave both leaders debates to Bennet, rather than having Lucas in there as well IMO.

Isn't the clue in the name of the deabte(s)? After all the GP a) sought to have representation in the leaders' debates and b) chose (in their 2007 referendum of the membership) to amend their party constitution to one in which a formal leader would be elected every 2 years.

It's either Bennett or the empty chair really.
 
Isn't the clue in the name of the deabte(s)? After all the GP a) sought to have representation in the leaders' debates and b) chose (in their 2007 referendum of the membership) to amend their party constitution to one in which a formal leader would be elected every 2 years.

It's either Bennett or the empty chair really.
well, there is that to it as well.
 
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