Are we really all Green now?

A couple of letters in this weeks Stroud News and Journal had a go at Greens - my response is below although I suspect with the next day being elections it may not get printed. Papers are not obliged to stop printing letters but many local papers do at election times because of the enormous pressure from political parties to get their views across and respond to points being raised.

Photo: Stroud today already sorting out delivery of Polling Station paraphenalia.

Stopping the political discussion is strange as this is just the time that many local people get a bit more interested in what is going on around them. I would hate an editors job at election time!

Greens give the warmest welcome to moves by other parties to green themselves. Liz Peters says all parties are now 'green' (Letters 25/04/07), but there is 'green' and 'green'. Nationally we see Tories and Labour both supporting more road building, doubling airports, Trident, the war in Iraq and nuclear power and even blocking EU Environmental legislation. Scottish Friends of the Earth this month said Tories have the least firm commitment to environmental policies and that only Greens have policies to address the issues.

However the elections should not be about national politics. In terms of 'green' the District's Tory administration along with Council Officers are to be given enormous credit for the new Environment strategy which they consulted over in an exemplar fashion. The fact that they were willing to take on board Green party and others recommendations is hugely welcomed and democracy at it's best. However without Greens on the Council it would not be the policy it is now. Furthermore the challenges are still ahead.

We need more Greens to ensure the policies are delivered and continually improved: this is only the first small step to taking seriously the threat of climate change and dwindling oil supplies.

Sadly there still seems to be a lack of urgency and understanding about what we face. Other parties need to realise this is not 'just' the environment we are talking, about this is about our economic future, social justice and much more. Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Green party

Stroud District councillor for the Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill ward