Adrian Ramsay

Greens call for Drax subsidies to be shifted to home insulation scheme

Spread the love
Green Party Co-leader Adrian Ramsay. Wikipedia CC.
Green Party Co-leader Adrian Ramsay. Wikipedia CC.

Green MP and party co-leader Adrian Ramsay has urged the government to divert planned new subsidies for the privately owned wood-burning Drax power station to a national home insulation scheme. 

Adrian Ramsay said “Drax is a green energy scam, burning trees – some imported from ancient forests from as far away as Canada – subsidised by the taxpayer. 

“The billions of pounds worth of subsidies run out in 2027, but the government is expected to try to renew them next week, turning taxpayer money into profits for a private company, instead of using the money to fuel a green energy revolution. 

“Drax has benefitted from over £6 billion in subsidies since 2012 and neither taxpayers nor the environment can afford a penny more. 

“The money should be used to help fund a national scheme of home insulation that would cut people’s energy bills and help to reduce energy use. 

“Green MPs and Peers will be pressing the government to end this subsidy scandal and invest people’s money where it will make a real difference to them.” 

Continue ReadingGreens call for Drax subsidies to be shifted to home insulation scheme

UK Green Party on Donald Trump inauguration: “A dangerous turn toward right-wing populism”

Spread the love
Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, October 2022. Image: Bristol Green Party, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, October 2022. Image: Bristol Green Party, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Green Party Co-Leaders, Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer released a joint statement ahead of President Trump’s inauguration saying: 

“We must stand up for peace and democracy in what will be a dangerous turn toward right-wing populism in the wake of Donald Trump taking office. 

“The antidote to Trump in the US, and the likes of Reform in the UK, is to offer people a real hope for real positive change that will transform their lives.  

“That means a new offer to people beaten down by decades of low wages, insecure work, decimated public services and a realisation that the impact of the climate crisis is all around us in the form of floods, wildfires and a devastating loss of nature. 

“We need the green investment to deliver the jobs of the future – well-paid, meaningful and secure – and we need the UK government to invest properly in schools and the NHS, and stand up for international law and human rights. 

“A greener future is a more just and fairer future.  

“The Green Party is clear – President Trump is a misogynist, a racist, a convicted criminal and, we believe, a fascist.  

“We will be pressing the Labour government to recognise that to defeat fascism, political parties that believe in democratic values must work together to keep the flame of democracy alive and show people that democratic politics can deliver real change.” 

Continue ReadingUK Green Party on Donald Trump inauguration: “A dangerous turn toward right-wing populism”

There is a green elephant in the room with government’s AI plans

Spread the love
Green Party Co-leader Adrian Ramsay. Wikipedia CC.
Green Party Co-leader Adrian Ramsay. Wikipedia CC.

Responding to the news that Government plans for AI to be “mainlined into the veins” of the nation, Green Party Co-Leader, Adrian Ramsay MP, said

“The potential for AI is huge and Greens welcome the potential it holds, especially in research and innovation. However, this plan comes almost exclusively from engagement with industry and investors and does not account for the views of the public, or the people working in our public services, about where AI should or should not be used. If AI is to serve our public services, its uses must instead be driven by the voices of those most affected by this technology development and deployment. This of course has to include addressing concerns around privacy and rights over their information”

“In addition, there is a green elephant in the room with neither government nor business truly addressing the environmental impacts of AI. One estimate said AI-related infrastructure may soon consume six times more water than Denmark, a country of 6 million people. And a request made through ChatGPT consumes 10 times the electricity of a Google Search. Yet the action plan does not address these crucial questions of environmental sustainability, let alone the debate about the relative gains from AI versus these obvious harms.”

Continue ReadingThere is a green elephant in the room with government’s AI plans

Greens say local government reorganisation “steals power away from local people” 

Spread the love
Green Party Co-leader Adrian Ramsay. Wikipedia CC.
Green Party Co-leader Adrian Ramsay MP. Wikipedia CC.

Responding to measures contained within the government’s White Paper on English Devolution, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay MP said: 

“Local democracy is in urgent need of reform but this White Paper does not deliver the real change our local councils need.  

“It steals power away from local people and risks making the real changes required harder to achieve, including building the homes we need, cleaning our rivers, reforming social care and greening our local economies. 

“We should trust local communities to make the right decisions on homes, food, energy, nature and adapting to the climate crisis.  

“Instead, these plans risk moving power away from local councils to huge remote super councils and regional mayors. 

“Devolution must mean real decentralisation of powers and funding so local councils can deliver the improvements to services that their communities need. 

“If we want warmer homes; affordable, reliable accessible public transport, and flood defences that are fit for purpose, we must invest in local democracy. 

“Without power devolved down so that decisions are made closest to where they have the greatest impact, people will grow ever more cynical about politics. 

“Our fragile democracy can’t afford that. 

“We will be pressing for local government to be kept local and made more democratic. 

Continue ReadingGreens say local government reorganisation “steals power away from local people” 

Green Party reaction to government and regulators ‘breaking law’ over sewage spills

Spread the love
Adrian Ramsay MP, Green Party Co-leader. Wikipedia CC.
Adrian Ramsay MP, Green Party Co-leader. Wikipedia CC.

Reacting to news that government and regulators have broken the law by being too lenient on water companies that spill sewage, and on the day Thames Water seeks a £3bn bailout, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay MP said: 

“For too long billions have been leaking out to shareholders instead of going into fixing our broken water system. But it will be water customers who are expected to bail out this failed model of privatisation through steep hikes to water bills.  

“The way to end this fiasco and ensure government and regulators keep within the law is to put failing water companies into special administration and ultimately to bring water back into public ownership.”  

Continue ReadingGreen Party reaction to government and regulators ‘breaking law’ over sewage spills