Greens lead in FoE challenge

Friends of the Earth have a campaign to get folk to write to their Parliamentary candidates about the failures to discuss the environment - they have also just given the thumbs up to the Green party's manifesto - see here.

FoE are giving the political parties until April 22nd - two weeks from polling day - to give the environment the attention it deserves in this campaign. The big TV debate didn't do anything to further that - no questions on the environment and no attempts to bring it up either. Include the fact that FoE are still waiting to hear what Gordon Brown and David Cameron have to say in response to their letter that over 8000 people co-signed, then it's a pretty sorry story. It is made worse by the failures of candidates to sign up to the FoE pledge.

FoE are asking for your best and most creative idea for how we should issue the party leaders a wake-up call on 22 April? Submit your idea: http://election.foe.co.uk/TheChallenge

Why is this deadline, and this challenge, necessary? Well FoE say: "The parties have made it necessary. Take a look at our scorecard for the pledges so far - not particularly impressive from Labour and the Tories, is it? Especially when compared to the Greens, who have far fewer candidates."

Cllr. Darren Johnson AM and Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Lewisham Deptford commented in response to the 'big debate': Nick Clegg's appearance last night has at least demonstrated that there are more than two parties out there. But imagine if Green Party leader Caroline Lucas had been involved. Fresh from her latest triumph on Question Time, Caroline would have taken all three of them to task - and provided a real alternative. On safeguarding our public services, on tackling climate change and on creating new jobs. This is the first general election where pollsters, pundits and the bookies are predicting a breakthrough for the Greens and it's important that people hear from more than Labour/Conservatives and Lib Dems."