29th June 2006

Local Green Party politicians will be following the example of their national counterparts this weekend when they join in with the massive protests against the G8 conference at Gleneagles.

Cllr Sid Phelps, who represents St Mary's Ward on the City Council, will be travelling to Edinburgh to join the massive Make Poverty History march on Saturday July 2nd. The campaign, which seeks to increase aid to the developing world, cancel worldwide debt, and reform global trade rules, has already received support from the Green Party of England and Wales.

Cllr Matt Sellwood will be taking part in the blockade of Faslane nuclear base on Monday July 4th, along with Green Party MEP for the South East, and former Oxfordshire County Councillor, Dr Caroline Lucas, and Green MSPs Mark Ballard and Chris Balance - all of whom will be risking arrest to shut down the nuclear base for the day.

Caroline Lucas, who is Co-President of the European Parliament Cross-Party Peace Initiatives Group, said:

"The G8 leaders meeting in Scotland cannot hope to persuade states as Iran and North Korea to abandon their nuclear ambitions whilst they maintain their own nuclear arsenals: and I will keep protesting about Trident until it has been scrapped. Military expenditure and nuclear research not only diverts funds from educational, healthcare and social welfare programmes, it also defines bilateral relationships between nations and provides the means for the world’s many conflicts, which represent the greatest cause of extreme poverty and threat to sustainable development."

Cllr Matt Sellwood will then be joining in with the 'International Day of Action for the Climate', which is aimed to draw attention to the drastic need for action on climate change. Cllr Sellwood commented:

"Here in Oxford the Green Party has made dealing with climate change one of its highest political priorities, and is pushing for radical policies on renewable energy, pollution mitigation and energy efficiency. I am going to Scotland to support the global movement of which the Green Party is a vital part, and to put pressure on politicians such as Tony Blair to finally live up to their rhetoric on these important issues."

For more information on Caroline Lucas' activities during the G8, please contact Ben on 01273 671946, 07973 823358 or at benduncan@greenmeps.org.uk