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10th June 2007 Gordon Brown - Greens protest in Oxford Gordon Brown was criticised by Green Party protesters - including human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell - when he attended a Labour leadership election hustings at Modern Art Oxford today, Sunday 10 June.
Carrying placards emblazoned with the words, “Vote Green, not Brown,” Oxford Green Party councillors and activists condemned Gordon Brown’s “poor record on human rights, social justice and environmental protection.”
The Green Party’s parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, Peter Tatchell, led the protesters, together with the Green candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon, Chris Goodall. They were joined by Oxford Green councillors Craig Simmons, Elise Benjamin, Matt Sellwood and David Williams.
“Brown will continue the Blair agenda. He has backed every Blairite blunder. Brownism is Blairism by another name,” said Mr Tatchell.
“Gordon Brown plans to waste nearly £100 billion on Trident nuclear missiles, ID cards, road building, nuclear power stations, the privatisation of public services, and the continued occupation of Iraq.
“The Green Party would invest this money in affordable energy-saving housing, high quality schools and hospitals, renewable power generation, and cheap, safe and reliable public transport.”
“While the government is making loud green noises, its policies to tackle climate change are weak and contradictory. Carbon emissions have increased since Labour came to power in 1997.
“Gordon Brown is supporting new motorway and airport expansion. He has allowed huge increases in public transport fares, which discourage people from leaving their cars at home.
“Mr Brown imposed the air passenger tax but he is not using it to fund carbon cuts. The money raised by this tax - nearly £2 billion a year - is just disappearing into the exchequer.
“Gordon is one of the architects of Labour’s creeping privatisation of health and education. The Greens believe public services should serve the public, not enrich consultants and private corporations.
“The Chancellor has sanctioned the erosion of precious, hard-won civil liberties. He endorses the right of the police to detain people for up to 28 days without charge; the incarceration of innocent asylum seekers who have fled torture, rape and murder; the ban on protests near parliament without prior police permission; and the deportation of terror suspects to countries where they could face torture.
“Mr Brown has no exit strategy from Iraq and no credible proposals for a negotiated settlement to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The oppression of the Palestinian people is the major cause of violence in the Middle East and acts as a recruiting sergeant for international terrorism. Securing a just settlement is crucial for global peace and stability.
“Climate chaos is the single biggest threat to Britain’s prosperity and security. The Greens are the only party with serious, credible policies to halt global warming.
“It is time for change. The Greens offer a positive, progressive alternative to Labour and Gordon Brown. We are the anti-war party that champions human rights, social justice and environmental protection,” said Mr Tatchell.
Mr Tatchell hopes to make history at the next general election by being elected as Britain’s first Green MP.
Further information: Peter Tatchell – 020 7403 1790
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