MIDLOTHIAN GREENS BRANCH NEWS Scottish Green Party November 2019 Midlothian Greens position on the General Election The MGP Committee has been deliberating whether to stand a candidate in the General Election on 12th December. Westminster elections pose In Midlothian, we have been create another weak minority significant issues for us. London focusing on rebuilding our government, leading to a further still runs significant areas of capacity since losing our only General Election soon after. So policy in Scotland including many Green councillor in 2017. That is it won’t be decisive, and won’t environmental laws, energy and where we intend to devote our allow the real pressing issues to transport policy. But Westminster resources, with the aim of making be aired. elections remain first-past-the- a comeback in the 2022 council So we have decided not to post, creating a huge barrier for elections. We will also be putting field a candidate in this General small parties like us. In addition, effort into getting more Green Election. We’re sorry that this we don’t have the luxury of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament means you won’t have a Green larger parties, bank-rolled by in the next Holyrood elections in to vote for on December 12th, businessmen – dodgy and May 2021. but we need to keep our efforts otherwise – or trade unions. All focused on the elections where our campaigns are funded entirely This election will only be we can make a real difference. by our individual supporters. about one thing–Brexit. With COP26 in Glasgow Participating in a Westminster It desperately needs to in 2020, let’s focus on election means a guaranteed lost be about the climate climate, environment, human deposit, taking much-needed crisis, but it won’t be. rights, health, clean air and funds from other campaigns. environmental justice – there’s SGP policy is to allow individual One further factor has so much we can be doing and branches to decide whether to influenced our decision-making. it’s down to each and every field candidates for elections. So This election will only be about member to make that extra far, 14 branches have indicated one thing– Brexit. It desperately effort if we really do want the their intention to field a candidate needs to be about the climate MGP Vision and Mission to for Westminster, out of 56 crisis, but it won’t be. And become a reality for Midlothian, Scottish constituencies. there’s every chance that it will for Scotland and beyond. Our next branch meeting with Edinburgh Green Councillor Melanie Main is on Tuesday 12 November at St John’s and King’s Park Church, Dalkeith, 7.00pm — 9.00pm #ImBackCaring Since August 2018 Joy Godfrey and her friend Stuart have been highlighting the ongoing sewage pollution in Midlothian’s River Esk. With no budget, they started the ‘I’m Back Caring – Clean the River’ campaign using only a smartphone and latex gloves. Joy was horrified by the sanitary Regional MSP Andy Wightman social media documenting the towels and wet wipes amassed and MP Danielle Rowley, who sewage, challenging authorities on the river floor, along the have each visited the Mary Burn to clean-up and demanding banks and built up over fifteen to see the pollution first-hand. manufacturers label products years in the Mary Burn tributary: This year Joy was awarded fairly by not putting ‘flushable’ on ‘It was disgusting and heart ‘Outstanding New Volunteer’ at plastic containing products. wrenching to see sanitary towels Volunteer Midlothian’s Volunteer Scottish Water have spent and wet wipes hanging over £123,000 to clean the Mary everything. The river stank. It was absolutely Burn and removed over 3,000 There were tampons scudding bin bags of waste. However, it along the river bottom. It was filthy; you could has become clear that along the shocking. People flush things literally gather River Esk there are many outlets and think that’s the end of it –but armfuls of baby that release sewage into the river. flushed items often go into our wipes, sanitary towels In England the Ilkley Clean local rivers when there is heavy and tampons straight River Campaign have just rain. They harm wildlife and applied for their River Wharf ecosystems. People used to let out of the water! to be designated the first their children and dogs play in Bathing Water status river in the Esk, now many locals avoid Week Awards, and the campaign the UK. Midlothian’s River Esk the river because of the sewage won a Special Commendation could become Scotland’s first bacteria and debris.’ at the SCVO Scottish Charity designated Bathing Water river. Since starting the campaign, Awards. This is entirely achievable and Joy and Stuart have raised The #ImBackCaring campaign there is a lot of community awareness of the problem with is based on YouTube videos support out there; it needs co- Constituency MSP Colin Beattie, they made and shared to ordination – can you help? Midlothian’s River Esk could become Scotland’s first designated Bathing Water river. Taking a stand! News Briefs The Scottish Greens have announced all of The UK is planning to invest in Argentina’s the candidates who controversial oil shale industry using a £1bn will stand in the 2021 export finance deal intended to support green Holyrood election. energy, according to government documents. The SGP believes it can win UK Export Finance, the government’s foreign credit agency, significantly more list seats at promised in 2017 to offer loans totalling £1bn to help UK the election, increasing the companies export their expertise in ‘infrastructure, green energy number of our MSPs in the and healthcare’ to invest in Argentina’s economy. Scottish Parliament. Instead official records, released through a freedom of All the party’s current MSPs information request, have revealed the government’s plan to have been reselected, apart prioritise support for major oil companies, including Shell and from John Finnie who is BP, which are fracking in Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta shale standing down from his heartlands. Highlands and Islands seat. One government memo, uncovered by Friends of the Earth, Alison Johnstone and Andy said that while Argentina’s clean energy sector was growing, Wightman are joined by by it was ‘Argentina’s huge shale resources that offer the greatest co-leader Lorna Slater in the potential’ for the UK. Lothian list. Source: The Guardian Speaking after selection, Ariane Burgess, who is the candidate for John Finnie’s On the same day as Nicola Sturgeon spoke at seat, said: ‘I’m honoured to be selected … Greens can no the recent SNP conference sponsored by BP, longer be the raindrops at the Shell tweeted that it is using Scotland’s public start of the storm. We need to reforesting programme to offset its vast levels of be the storm. Our campaign pollution. starts now.’ The multinational fossil fuel extractor confirmed it will fund public body Forestry and Land Scotland to generate carbon credits. Responding, Scottish Greens land reform spokesperson Andy Wightman said: ‘No wonder the Scottish Government has been so reluctant to begin a transition away from fossil fuels. They are in bed with the big businesses responsible. ‘First, we saw how BP sponsored a discussion on how to reach net zero at SNP conference, and now we see Shell funding the Scottish Government’s reforesting efforts. This is not meaningful action to address the climate crisis, it is greenwashing, pure and simple. ‘The SNP’s commitment to reforesting is already pitifully slow – it will take 150 years for them to reach the European average of tree cover – but now we learn that is to be bankrolled by one of the biggest polluters on the planet. ‘Offsetting the vast amounts of carbon drained out of the ground by oil giants is not enough. We need to empower communities to lead reforestation efforts while transitioning Hurray for Lady Hale and Barry, away from oil and gas. Let’s not pretend Shell has any interest her daemon, but still the evil in a Scottish Green New Deal.’ Magisterium continues to spend our money, in thrall to His Dark Source: The Ferret (and Viscous) Materials. Please share your Midlothian Greens Branch Meetings 2019 green issue Tweets and We meet once a month, on alternating Tuesdays and Facebook posts and Thursdays, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm. The meeting is open please send in pieces for inclusion in this, your to everyone. Below you can see the planned meetings for branch newsletter. the rest of the year and the venue. If you need transport please get in touch and we can arrange a lift for you. Tuesday 12 November St John’s and King’s Park Church, Dalkeith Thursday 12 December Loanhead Library www.facebook.com/MidlothianGreens @midlothiangreen www.midlothiangreens.org.uk.