The report has been compiled by the Industry Taskforce for Peak Oil and Energy Security.

This is a group of private British companies whose members include Sir Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Ian Marchant (Scottish and Southern Energy), Brian Souter (Stagecoach), and Philip Dilley (Arup).

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MEP warmly welcomed the report. She said today:

"We shouldn't have to rely on business leaders to be ahead of the government on issues like this, because government should be well ahead of the game. But this report is very welcome, and I can guarantee that Greens who get elected in the coming general election will work very hard to make sure views like this are given the consideration they deserve in parliament."

Dr Lucas, the South East England MEP tipped by recent YouGov and ICM polls to be on course to win the Brighton Pavilion seat in the coming general election, added:

"The Green Party has been warning for decades of the need to future-proof our economy. We need a massive expansion in several sectors, not least renewable energy production and public transport, if we're to make sure our economy is stable, secure and resilient. And only the government has the capacity to organise the development of our economy on this scale.

"That's another reason why we need Green MPs at Westminster - to take the lead both in recognising the dangers posed by challenges like peak oil and in bringing forward the viable practical solutions."

Caroline Lucas said this morning: "It's frankly shocking to hear that there are seven times fewer Black or Black British Caribbeans at Oxford than there are on average at other universities.

"In order for Oxford to reach the national average, it would have to recruit 44% more students from BME backgrounds."

Elite universities outside London "must try harder," report shows

The new findings show that London-based universities belonging to the prestigious Russell Group, including the London School of Economics, Kings College London, Imperial and University College London continue to be the best-performing institutions for numbers of BME students.

But outside London, of these 20 top institutions, only Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Warwick are attracting good proportions of ethnic minority students.

Caroline Lucas, who is tipped by pollsters to become the first UK Green MP in the coming general election (2), continued:

"On the whole the UK is doing quite well, as the proportion of ethnic minority students is rising broadly in proportion with the growth of the 18-24-year-old ethnic minority population.

"But it's simply unacceptable that most of the more prestigious universities are recruiting too few members of ethnic minorities."

She added:

"If there is an issue with members of ethnic minorities not meeting entrance standards, then this suggests there's a problem lower down in the education system, with fewer pupils from minority backgrounds being supported to reach their potential. Here's where I think the Green Party's approach would be important, for instance making class sizes smaller and making sure pupils get the most appropriate support for their individual learning needs. This would mean more money for education, but it's absolutely essential for the future of our society that we make that investment."

--

Notes

1. Analysis of the Higher Education Statistics Agency's (HESA) Student Record for 1995/96 and 2007/08 and the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey for the same years, reported by PA 3.2.10 at 2:45:51 AM.

Mac Cafferty, in advance of his speech, said:

"Blair never had the evidence. He never had UN approval. He never had this country's approval. He never had the support of his own party. And, while Blair and his cronies waged war on the people of Iraq, they also waged war on all of us. Under New Labour, we have a quarter of the world's CCTV. We have the most atrocious detention period in the so-called free world. And when 56 people died on London's Underground and hundreds more were maimed on 7th July 2005, Blair's war came home, and his bloody handprints were all over the bomb scenes."

"The illegal invasion and war in Iraq are an outrage to anyone who values human rights. There is endless misery in Iraq -- the flattening of Fallujah, with bombs weighing thousands of pounds, the extensive use of white phosphorous, the maiming of children who will grow up hating the West because we bombed them. Iraq is littered to this day, with unexploded cluster bombs, an economy in tatters, racism and bigotry on the increase."

"Iraqis deserve the right to a healthy environment and the right to self-determination. Our politicians must be challenged when they insist on continuing with the morally bankrupt military project in Iraq. We must resist the further erosion of our civil liberties. Most of all, we demand a progressive foreign policy. We demand a different Middle East - one where people and our planet are put first."

Jones said: "The Mayor made a clear commitment to Londoners in his election manifesto to personally take charge of the police authority. He has now gone back on his word, realising that being both Mayor and chair of the MPA is just too much for one person to do properly. It was an ill thought out promise, and one that showed his lack of experience."

She continued: "What does this say about the Tory plans for elected Mayors, with regard to who will control the police?" (1)

"The Met are facing difficult times ahead, with budgets being cut in all areas. The chair of the MPA needs to take the time to understand this complex organisation to provide effective leadership."

"Boris Johnson has not really been involved from the beginning, and perhaps feels it is time to stop pretending."

--

Notes to Editors

1) www.planningresource.co.uk

An amendment to the Local Transport Act of 2008 which came into force this month enables local governments to create Quality Contract Schemes. Such provisions allow authorities the power to instate London style quality control over service provision including fares, timings and routes.

Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party, said: "Greens welcome amendments to the law that allow for Quality Contract Schemes. We must make sure buses are a financially viable alternative to cars. While such provisions give local authorities a fantastic opportunity to move ahead with plans to reduce fares, the current government has done little to make buses an attractive option.

"In the past decade the cost of motoring has fallen by 13% in real terms whilst bus fares have risen by 17%, and funding for buses is poor compared to many of our European neighbours. In addition 53% of people would take the bus to work if the service was better [1]. Cutting bus fares is a sure fire way of easing congestion and pollution on city roads. The QCS's present a real chance to make this happen."

However the optimism over QCS's may be short lived. Exponents of the scheme have warned that local authorities must act quickly after reports surfaced that a Conservative government would repeal the part of the act that allows for QCS's in favour of a more competitive bus industry.

A spokesperson for the CBT (Campaign for Better Transport) said:

"Shadow Transport minister Stephen Hammond wants to scrap Quality Contracts. We advise Quality Contracts should thus be quickly approved, and that the Department should play an active role in encouraging and supporting local transport authorities who want to use these new powers. Currently bus services in the UK receive some of the lowest funding in Europe. A better funded and attractive bus system would do a good deal to lower carbon emissions and create more pleasant city environments."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

[1] Figure of 53% taken from Department of Transport report, which can be found at

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/trsnstatsatt/earlierreports/attitudestobustravel

"Kraft's debt almost tripled to $18.54 billion in the two years between 2006 and 2008. We are worried that Kraft will service that debt as it has previously -- Kraft has sacked 60,000 workers to pay for its profits in the last 10 years. The Green Party is deeply concerned that a successful, independent UK company, whose products are loved all over the world, has become the latest victim to the ever-growing Kraft brand."

Caroline Lucas added that: "The jobs at Cadbury's are being lost in Birmingham, a city that is still recovering from the Rover shutdown, as well as Ford and Land Rover job cuts. Investment in a Green New Deal would cushion the effect of these job losses in a time of deep recession."

Phelim Mac Cafferty, joint International coordinator for the Green Party, stated: "Of the approx £12 billion offer, Kraft is borrowing £7 billion.[2] Again, the myopia of the City has taken precedence, and the lives of thousands of workers have been sidelined in this process. Kraft is a giant company - with giant debt and a record of under-performance, while Cadbury's makes world-beating confectionery, and it is independent."

Notes to Editors

[1] http://www.unitetheunion.com/pdf/017-Kraft

[2] http://www.unitetheunion.com/campaigns/

Caroline Lucas has welcomed today's announcement by the Crown Estate that the wind farm proposed to be built off the Sussex coast will go ahead. One of 9 proposed sites being decided on this week, the ‘Hastings wind farm' development will be built offshore between Brighton and Newhaven. It will be made up of 100 turbines which together could provide up to 500 MW of electricity, enough power for 250,000 households (1).

Lucas said, "It is encouraging to see progress finally being made on offshore wind. But the efforts must not stop there.

"The UK gets less of its energy from renewable sources than almost any other EU country, and is one of the highest greenhouse gas emitters as a result. What we need is an energy infrastructure overhaul, with massive investment in diverse renewable sources to slash emissions. Energy efficiency is also crucial; a huge impact could be made with policies which truly help people cut their energy use. Providing free insulation for all homes - as we would do - is the sort of action we need right now."

Crucially, projects like the Hastings wind farm can also aid economic regeneration. The government estimates, that if all 9 projects being considered this week were given the go-ahead, 60,000 jobs could be created (2).

She continued,

"But these new jobs must be created in the UK rather than exported. Over 90% of the €2bn earmarked for the London Array wind farm - the world's largest - is being spent abroad (3). This demonstrates the government's failure to match its rhetoric on green jobs with action, as did its spectacular failure over Vestas. Renewable energy infrastructure will continue to be produced abroad unless the government starts supporting green industries here. Rather than allowing plants like Vestas to close, the government should be investing massively to support these new industries."

The Green Party's general election campaign will prioritise public spending on job-creation projects to help tackle the recession as well as dramatically reducing CO2 emissions and strongly promote the Greens' agenda of "fighting for a fairer society."

"Good News for Local Economy"

Lucas, tipped by pollsters to win the Brighton Pavilion seat in the coming general election, concluded:

"This is extremely good news, both for local energy supplies and for the local economy. The "Hastings" wind farm could produce enough power for 250,000 households, as well as creating thousands of new jobs. I'm particularly delighted that local company Searoc will be deeply involved as a partner organisation, underlining the huge potential of Brighton and Hove as a Greentech centre."

1. http://www.heartsussex.co.uk/Article.asp?id=1236222
2. http://www.newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=3400§ion=Wind
3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/03/manufacturing-sector-slams-darling-claim-government-supports-green-jobs

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8440589.stm

Caroline Lucas MEP and Green Party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion added: “One year on from the bombardment, we demand justice for the war crimes committed on the people of Gaza.

“Israel must be subject to the Geneva Convention concerning the rights of individuals and communities, in the same way that other states are.. The resort to ‘collective punishment’ in defiance of those requirements is completely unacceptable. While we condemn the actions of the Israeli Defence Force, we also condemn the Hamas qassam rocket attacks: Greens firmly believe that there cannot be a resolution based on the use of violence.”  

Phelim Mac Cafferty joint International Coordinator of the Green Party stated: “One year on from the start of Operation Cast Lead, it is clear that the Israeli Defence Force believes it can act with impunity, committing what the UN described as war crimes in the bombing of the United Nations school in the Jabaliya Refugee Camp.(1) Over 40 died in the attack on the school which was packed with hundreds of people who had been ordered out of their homes with Israeli Defence Force leaflet drops and loudspeakers, in what the UN described a 'complete absence of accountability.' The Israeli action has been completely counterproductive to the prospects for peace."

 Throughout Operation Cast Lead:

--Israel refused to act on the instructions of the UN Council which requested that it stop its bombardment;

--The explicitly illegal bombing of built-up areas with white phosphorous was widespread;

--Such significant damage was caused to the infrastructure of Gaza, that Green MEPs, Jean Lambert and Caroline Lucas, wrote to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK calling on the Israeli Government to refund the EU for its investment in the Gazan infrastructure.

 “Gaza is a country where the poverty rate stands at 76% and the unemployment rate at 45%.(2) Geographically, it’s about the size of the Isle of Man except with a population of 1.5million where over half are aged under 15.  

Phelim concluded: “The Green Party demands an immediate lifting of the blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel which has caused a humanitarian crisis with food, fuel and medicine being blocked now since June 2007. (3) There is no military solution to the Middle East conflict. Peace is the common need of all people in the region but will only be sustained when there is justice felt by both Palestine and Israel.”

Caroline Lucas, an experienced campaigner on sustainable food and farming, has led a campaign in the European Parliament for a Commission investigation into supermarket dominance, in response to increasing concern over the practices of major food retailers - calling for tough new rules to protect producers, small businesses, rural economies and the environment.

Commenting on Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert's proposal for a supermarket ombudsman, Caroline Lucas said:

"It's good to see that the Tories are finally recognising that something must be done about the EU's destructive supermarket monopolies. The amount of power wielded by the big supermarkets is simply unacceptable and threatens the future of our agriculture industry.

"But while the Tory proposal is a step in the right direction, the plans revealed so far don't show any sign that a new regulatory body would have real power to challenge the big business practices that dominate food retail.

"In particular, the ombudsman must have the power to be proactive, demanding documentations from the superstores showing how much they pay and how much they charge. We know from our research at EU level that the system won't work if it relies on farmers to come forward, since many have become so dependent on supermarkets for their survival that they dare not speak out against them for fear of being delisted."

She continued: "Moreover, without a commitment to fundamentally changing the system of supermarket monopolies, a supermarket ombudsman would be likely to be toothless. As long as supermarkets are allowed to engage in price wars, they will continue to lower the prices they are prepared to pay for produce, and the profit margins for farmers in the UK will become increasingly untenable.

"It has been clear for decades that the industrialised food system, driven in part by the ‘pile ‘em high' supermarket ethos, is completely unsustainable. It wreaks havoc on the natural world, harms local economies and small scale producers - and puts us at an ever increasing risk of food insecurity."

Dr Lucas's 2007 Written Declaration (like an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons) calling for a European Commission investigation into the dominance of the big supermarkets gained overwhelming support from fellow MEPs.

The film uses animation and graphics, plus a short direct message from the candidate, Adrian Ramsay, who is one of thirteen Green councillors on Norwich City Council. The film recognises that the battle for who runs the country will be between Labour and the Conservatives, but maintains that each individual constituency is a separate, unique contest and Norwich South will provide one of the most interesting battles.

It suggests that the Greens provide the strongest challenge to the sitting MP, New Labour's former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. The Greens have beaten all the other parties in local elections across the constituency in 2007, 2008 and 2009. If people vote the same way at the General Election Mr. Clarke will lose his seat to the Greens.

The film concludes that one more Labour, Conservative or Lib-Dem MP will hardly be noticed in the House of Commons, but electing a Green MP for Norwich would provide the fresh, distinctive voice that the city, and Parliament, so desperately need.

Adrian Ramsay said: "Any successful election campaign in the 21st century has to use a variety of methods. We are leafleting and speaking to residents on the doorstep as always but I think this video will provide another useful way for us to communicate with Norwich residents.

"I'm very pleased with the video. I think it's visually very impressive. I hope it is shared and watched by Norwich residents repeatedly between now and the General Election."

The Greens' remarks followed media reports that Npower had rushed out 12 million unsolicited low-energy lightbulbs in time to avoid a new ban on doing so, and despite government advice that many unsolicited bulbs would never be used (1).

Npower was facing a fine of more than £40 million, or 10 per cent of its turnover, if it failed to meet its target for home energy-saving improvements under the carbon emissions reduction target scheme.

A Green Party spokesperson told the BBC's One O'Clock News today:

"It's time energy companies really started taking their responsbilities seriously. Dodges like this are inexcusable.

"Scientists say the effects of climate change are already causing 300,000 premature deaths worldwide every year, plus around $125bn of economic damage. Energy companies are in a very special position in that they can make a huge difference."

He added:

"Having said that, governments are in an even more responsible position, and the Labour government has seldom set a very good example. It's hypocritical of the government to criticise Npower when its own targets for the Copenhagen summit were so inadequate."

Note

1. See Ben Webster, The Times, 2.1.10: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6973577.ece.

Instead of a political and economic culture where bankers' bonuses are seen as fair play, we need real and lasting change. Labour is planning to waste billions on renewing Trident, introducing ID cards and building new roads. Greens want money spent creating vital new jobs in public transport, green energy, affordable housing and care for older people. This year, Greens will continue to push for a ‘Living Wage' - to ensure low-income workers earn enough to provide for themselves and their families. Greens in parish councils, in local authorities, at London City Hall, or in the European Parliament, will continue to challenge discrimination, celebrate diversity and uphold human rights.

One of the real dividing lines this year will be over public services. Greens want public services that are local and easy to access. Furthermore, the middle of a severe recession is not the time to be making cuts. We think it's unfair that public money is wasted on botched privatisation schemes, and that quality of care suffers when hospitals and surgeries are treated like businesses rather than public services. The Royal Mail needs to remain as a public service -- publicly owned and publicly accountable.

The failure of Copenhagen means that we need redoubled efforts in 2010 to reach a real agreement. World leaders produced an empty accord which was not fair, not ambitious and not legally binding. More than anything, we need to change the discourse around acting to prevent climate chaos, by highlighting the huge number of benefits which action will bring - the millions of new jobs in energy efficiency and renewables, the warmer homes and better transport.

In Brighton in 2010, which represents the Green Party's best opportunity for a Westminster breakthrough, the chances of finding a decent job are in severe decline. Under a Labour Government, with a Conservative-run council, the number of people on Job Seekers' Allowance in Brighton and Hove has risen 80% in the last 18 months. Brighton has been failed by the current political class.

I want to become an MP who will stand up for the city, not someone who talks the talk, but toes the party line when it comes to the vote. A proudly independent place deserves an independent voice.

There are signs that people are beginning to agree with us. A recent general election ICM poll in Brighton Pavilion showed that the Greens have 35% of the vote (with Labour in third place on 25%, the Tories second on 27%and LibDems on 11%). Nearly two thirds of Labour and Libdem supporters in the Brighton poll said they would be prepared to back the Greens to stop the Tories.

I hope that, by the middle of the year, we will see Green success in Brighton Pavilion, and in our other two target constituencies, Norwich South and Lewisham Deptford. Let's seize the moment of history and ensure we deliver the fresh Green approach our political system so badly needs.

Headline results

1. The Greens have the greatest support with 35% of the constituency's voters followed by the Conservatives on 27%, Labour on 25% and LibDems on 11%.1

2. Almost two thirds (63%) of Labour and Lib Dem voters in the sample said that they would be likely to switch their vote to the Greens if that party was best placed to stop a Conservative win. 37% said they were very likely and 26% said they were quite likely to switch their vote in that situation.2
______________

Green candidate Caroline Lucas has a significant lead over the other parties' candidates in Brighton Pavilion constituency, according to the first publicly released standard-size constituency opinion poll of local voters.

If repeated at the general election with a similar turn out, the result would see the Greens winning their first parliamentary seat, taking the constituency from Labour with a majority of almost 3,500 over the Conservatives.3

The telephone poll of 533 voters adjusted to match the local electorate's profile and undertaken by ICM Research's Government and Social Unit between 16 - 21 December 2009, suggests the Greens enjoy a 10 point lead over Labour and an 8 point lead over the Conservatives in the constituency.1

Paul Steedman, National General Election Campaign Director for the Green Party, said, "Besides pointing to the prospect of electing the country's first Green Party MP, this opinion poll supports what we have been hearing from voters when we've talked to them on the door steps.

"We only need a 7% swing from Labour to Greens to win the seat. This opinion poll suggests we are on target to achieve this.

"It gives tactical voters a clear message - only a vote for the Green Party can stop the Conservatives in Brighton Pavilion.

"The ICM poll shows that Labour are trailing in third place - behind the Greens by 10 points and the Conservatives by 2 points. The Tories are still behind the Greens by 8 points.

"Remember, this was a Labour seat in 2005. The significant shift demonstrates that where voters have the chance to see Greens in action, where they get elected and as local councillors and work hard for residents, as we do here in Brighton or in other parts of the country such as Lewisham and Norwich, they like what they get.

"The poll also suggests that almost two thirds of Labour and Lib Dem voters would be likely to back the Greens if we were in a position to stop a Tory win in this constituency. This isn't surprising news to us either - we know the voters of Brighton to be as savvy as you'll find anywhere in the country.

"Caroline has already shown her dedication to the people of Brighton as their representative in the European Parliament for over ten years. She will bring all her experience to stand up for them in Westminster."

Candidate Caroline Lucas said, "Brighton is a special place and its voters are impatient for a fresh, independent voice to represent them in Westminster.

"I believe I am offering them that.

"Taken with the other indicators such as the bookies making the Greens favourites, this poll should help to reassure wavering Labour and Lib Dem supporters that a Green vote in Brighton Pavilion is the best way to stop the Tories.

"If elected, I promise to honour the trust that voters have placed in me and provide Brighton with the fresh, independent voice its people want and deserve."

Methodology

*ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 533 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 16-21st December 2009. Interviews were conducted across the political constituency of Brighton Pavilion and the results have been weighted to the profile of all Brighton Pavilion adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

Electoral background
The Green vote has increased at every election since 1997. In 2001 candidate Keith Taylor won 9.3% of the vote. Then in 2005 he more than doubled the vote to 22% putting the party within a whisker of second place and in pole position for a 2010 win. Full 2005 results are below. Since then the Greens have out-polled all the other parties in Brighton pavilion constituency - including in the May 2007 local elections and beating all the other parties city-wide in the euro-elections in June 2009.

POLL QUESTIONS
(1). Q. Labour, the Conservatives, the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats and other parties will fight a new election in 2010 in your area. If there were a general election tomorrow which party do you think you would vote for?

%
Green Party 35 (+13)
Conservative 27 (+3)
Labour 25 (-10)
Liberal Democrat/Liberal 11 (-6)
UK Independence Party (UKIP) 1
Other 1

(2) Tactical voting propensity among Labour and LibDem voters
Q. If it seemed that the Green Party were best placed to stop a Conservative win in the local area, how likely would you be to switch your vote to the Green Party?
Base: All respondents likely to vote Labour or Liberal Democrat

%
I would be very likely to switch my vote 37
I would be quite likely to switch my vote 26
I would not be very likely to switch my vote 17
I would not be at all likely to switch my vote 16
Don't know 4

(3) Based on the 2005 results, the Greens only need a 7% swing from Labour to win the seat. Full 2005 results at the end of this release.
Factoring the same 64% turnout in Brighton Pavilion as the 2005 general election - electorate in 2005 Electorate: 68,182
Brighton Pavilion Constituency 2005 Result General Election
David Lepper Labour 15,427 35.4 -13.3
Mike Weatherley Conservative 10,397 23.9 -1.2
Keith Taylor Green 9,571 22.0 +12.7
Hazel Thorpe Liberal Democrat 7,171 16.5 +3.4
Kimberley Crisp-Comotto UK Independence Party 508 1.2 +0.3
Tony Greenstein Alliance for Green Socialism 188 0.4 +0.4
Ian Fyvie Socialist Labour Party 152 0.3 -1.1
Christopher Rooke Independent 122 0.3 +0.3
Keith Jago Independent 42 0.1 +0.1
Majority 5,030 11.5
Turnout 43,578 64.0 +5.5

A party spokesperson said:

"We think the BBC has a legal and moral obligation to include different viewpoints, and obviously this should include the Green Party as we have a strong track record of public support.

"The Greens have a distinctive line on a range of issues, not least the economy, and the public have a right to hear what choices are on offer - especially as the big three parties are peas in the same pod."

The Green Party is routinely accorded broadcast media coverage under broadcasters' rules regarding fairness and balance at election times, on the basis of the party's thirty-year history and the fact that it consistently shows a reasonable degree of support amongst the electorate. As well as two MEPs and two members of the London Assembly, the Greens have hundreds of local councillors in city, district and parish councils around England and Wales, and their sister party the Scottish Greens are represented in the Scottish Parliament.

It would seem a step backwards to introduce a new element of political media coverage, in the form of a televised leaders debate, only to restrict it to three parties that share very similar policies, said the spokesperson.

The decision was announced today that the BBC, ITV and Sky will broadcast the leader debates, hosted by David Dimbleby, Alastair Stewart and Adam Boulton respectively.

The latest to make the change is former Norwich city Labour councillor Graeme Gee.

Adrian Ramsay said:

"I am delighted to have Graeme Gee as the tenth former councillor of another party backing my campaign. This shows that we are getting more support from former Labour and Lib-Dem supporters all the time. They want a fresh voice for Norwich and I'm pleased to have their help in my campaign to defeat Charles Clarke and get a Green MP for Norwich South."

"I know that many people who've become dissatisfied with the direction that politics has taken are finding a new home in the Green Party."

Graeme Gee said:

"I left the Labour Party because it had lost its soul, direction, principles and energy. Years later it was the dynamics of the Green Party that expressed these and that's why I joined them. It's also why I look forward to working with them, hopefully to get a Green MP in Norwich South and a Green Council."

Others now backing Adrian Ramsay's Green Party campaign in Norwich South are former Norwich Labour councillors Andy Pearmain, Bryan Heading, Susan Curran, Derek Pardey and Andy Panes. Former Norwich Lib-Dem councillors giving active support are Paul McAlenan, Vicky Hopkins, Simon Richardson and Dawn Castle-Green. All ten live in the Norwich South constituency.

Paul McAlenan believes that the election of a Green MP for the UK would have a far more positive impact than re-electing Charles Clarke or one extra person on the Lib-Dem benches. Paul said:

"Local election results show that the Green Party can win here. The next General Election will be an opportunity for Norwich South residents to make history by electing a Green to Parliament. I urge Norwich residents to put aside their usual political allegiances and unite behind Adrian. He would not only be a tireless advocate of solutions to environmental challenges, but, judging by his local work, would also be a committed constituency MP."

Caroline Lucas said today: "World leaders have failed us, producing nothing but an empty accord which is not fair, not ambitious and not legally binding."

She warned: "Unless real action is urgently taken, we are on course for a global temperature rise well above 2 degrees, putting the future of millions at risk. So we need to keep up the pressure on politicians to agree a swift deadline for a further agreement, based on fairness and containing ambitious, binding targets alongside significant additional funding for poorer countries."

She explained: "The industrialised countries, as those most responsible for the climate crisis, need to do much more. The EU, for example, should show real leadership by offering the unconditional 40 per cent domestic emission cuts by 2020 which the science demands."

"We must change climate discourse to emphasise social benefits of cutting carbon"

Caroline Lucas concluded: "More than anything, we need to change the discourse around acting to prevent climate chaos, by highlighting the huge number of benefits which action will bring - the millions of new jobs in energy efficiency and renewables, the warmer homes and better public transport.

"Politicians shouldn't be afraid of this agenda - they should be actively promoting it."

UK Green MEP Jean Lambert, who is a Member of the European Parliament's cross-party Intergroup on LGBT rights, commented:

"I am profoundly shocked by the parliamentary bill in Uganda, which proposes to introduce the death penalty for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and imprisonment for those who do not denounce others. The proposal in the Ugandan Parliament goes against the most fundamental principles of human rights and democracy. It is indefensible to threaten people's lives on grounds of who they are.

"I welcome the European Parliament's condemnation of the proposed law and call for the EU to take a strong stance on worrying developments elsewhere.
In Rwanda, amendments have been submitted to the penal code with a view to criminalising homosexuality, as well as any activity which could be seen as promoting it."

Jean Lambert MEP recently wrote to the Ugandan High Commission to raise issues of concern with regards to the proposed law, including over human rights and the ability for NGOs to operate in the country.

For the full text of the resolution see:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=RC-B7-02
59/2009&language=EN

"It is with great regret and reluctance that I am standing down as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East. My brain injuries from the Mugabe and Moscow bashings mean that I would not be able to campaign effectively in the general election or do the duties required of an MP, if I was elected," human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell announced today.

"It would not be right for me to seek election if I could not do the job of an MP to the high standards that I want and that Oxford East voters have a right to expect.

"If I was elected, I could manage the parliamentary duties or the constituency work. But my health is not strong enough for me to do both.

"This is huge disappointment and frustration. Oxford East is a target Green seat. In the county elections in June, the Greens were neck-and-neck with the Liberal Democrats as the main challenger to Labour. The European elections saw the Greens win in Oxford East, well ahead of Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories.

"The brain damage caused by Mugabe's thugs in Brussels in 2001 and by neo-Nazis in Moscow in 2007 has been compounded by head injuries in an accident while I was campaigning in Devon in July. A bus on which I was travelling swerved and braked sharply. I was thrown forward, hitting my head on a metal handrail.

"The injuries don't stop me from campaigning but I am slower, make more mistakes, get tired easily and take longer to do things. My memory, concentration, balance and coordination have been adversley affected. I can't campaign at the pace I used to.

"I was selected as the Green Party candidate for Oxford East in April 2007. A month later, I was badly beaten around the head by neo-Nazis during an attempted Gay Pride parade in Moscow.

See here:

http://www.petertatchell.net/international/moscowgayarrests.htm

"This exacerbated the brain damage caused when I was bashed unconscious by President Mugabe's bodyguards in Brussels in 2001, after attempting to make a citizen's arrest of the Zimbabwean leader on charges of torture.

See here:

http://www.petertatchell.net/international/mugabearrest.htm

"Following the Moscow assault, I never rested and recuperated. I carried on campaigning, with a very heavy schedule of commitments in Oxford East. After several months, I was severely exhausted. This stress and exhaustion probably intensified the damage and thwarted my recovery.

"I have postponed making this announcement for several months, in the hope that I might get better and be able to carry on as the Green candidate. Unfortunately, my condition has not improved. If anything, it is worse.

"There is, however, a glimmer of hope for the future. The medical advice is that if I slow down and reduce my workload my condition may improve in a year or so. On the downside, I am unlikely to ever recover fully. Some of the damage is probably permanent.

"I don't regret a thing. Getting a thrashing and brain injuries was not what I had expected or wanted. But I was aware of the risks. Taking risks is sometimes necessary, in order to challenge injustice. My beatings had the positive effect of helping draw international attention to the violent, repressive nature of the Russian and Zimbabwean regimes. I'm glad of that.

"My physical inconveniences are nothing by comparison to the far worse beatings inflicted on human rights defenders in countries like Russia, Iran, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Columbia, Sudan and Burma. These heroic activists often end up jailed or dead. I count myself lucky.

"The Oxford Green Party expects to select a new parliamentary candidate in January. That person will have my wholehearted support. I intend to campaign with them during the general election.

"I would like to thank members of Oxford Green Party for their immense kindness, support, and generosity during my two and a half years as their candidate. It has been a pleasure working with the Oxford Greens and I wish them future success," said Mr Tatchell.

Caroline Lucas MEP, the leader of the Green Party, said today: "Peter is one of those truly inspiring people. It has been a great pleasure and privilege to work with him. I'm sure I can speak for all Greens in sending Peter our thanks and congratulations for his tremendous work as a Green Party candidate, and our very best wishes for his recovery."

She said today: "How can a procession which had a carnival atmosphere warrant these kind of high-handed tactics?"

For the third day running the police had used the 'kettling' technique, and we saw earlier this year how kettling led to the death of a member of the public, said the Green Party's leader.

There have been widespread reports of large numbers of demonstrators being held in handcuffs for five hours, while others were kept in cages. They were denied access to toilets (1).

The Greens said they backed calls by human rights groups such as Amnesty International for an inquiry into the police handling of the demonstration.

Note:

1. See, eg:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/13/copenhagen-protesters-freed
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/13/copenhagen-protests-police-tactics
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/13/hundreds-arrested-in-copenhagen-violence