The Scottish Green Party

People, Planet, Peace Scottish Green Party Westminster Election Manifesto 2005 People, Planet, Peace

Shiona Baird MSP Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party

I am proud to introduce the Scottish We spell out progressive Green Party manifesto for the solutions to promote Westminster election 2005: peace and co-operation in the world instead of a – a manifesto in the interests of people, climate of fear and paranoia. We set out not the profits of big business at any cost; a programme to help reduce global – a manifesto for the planet, offering real conflict and tackle poverty. action on climate change; Action on climate change forms a – a manifesto for peace and global justice. centrepiece of this manifesto. Because of the unsustainable actions of those who People want fresh, honest politics, an have been in power for generations, our optimistic vision of the future and the economy and communities face real practical steps to bring it about. Only the climate threats and future energy crises. Greens offer an alternative to the dinosaur politics of the other parties. We are standing in every region of Scotland, in five times as many seats as We’re about real quality of life. We we did in the last Westminster election. campaign for real progress and a fairer, This gives more people the chance to vote just society; for a safe environment and with their hearts and minds – not with for peace not war; for healthy, strong despair and lack of choice. communities. We stand up for people and the public interest, not private profit We are the only party that will implement above all else. real and lasting solutions. It’s time to go Green.

2 Greens Are the Future

Robin Harper MSP Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party

There are now 60 Green councillors poor developments and elected in local authorities in the UK, in promoting community seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, participation in decision- and 33 MEPs in the European Parliament. making. There are two Green members of the Our MSPs have won victories on identity London Assembly. It is well nigh time for cards and on energy efficiency. They a Green MP. have forced a climate change inquiry in As a party, we’re growing fast. The Green the Scottish Parliament and pressured the challenge to “politics as usual” is resonat- Scottish Executive with amendments and ing with voters all over the country. Bills on areas as diverse as nature conservation, civil partnerships, GM crops In last year’s European elections, we and public transport. came a close second in some seats 17% of the vote. With such advances, a Green Unlike some other Scottish political MP comes closer every year. parties, the Greens are not in the red financially, and that’s even without the big When people elect Greens they like what business funding of the other parties. We they get. Our MEPs have led calls for are determined to build on this sustain- tough new rules to ban some of the most able growth over the coming years. toxic ingredients from everyday use in household products and have forced A Green vote is most certainly not a action on animal welfare standards and wasted vote. A wasted vote is a vote the treatment of asylum seekers. Our for something you don’t trust and don’t hardworking councillors stand out in believe in. Vote against waste. communities for their commitment and Vote Green. tenacity, and for their work in preventing

3 People Planet Peace Contents

Preface ...... 2

1. People ...... 5 Nothing Short of a Food Revolution ...... 6 Economics Where People Matter ...... 7 Beating the Poverty Trap: Welfare Solutions ...... 8 Crime and Community: Prevention and Healing ...... 9 Changing the Face of Politics . . . . 9

2. Planet ...... 10 Climate Change: Sleepwalking to Disaster ...... 11 Meltdown: Why Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer ...... 12 Corporate Accountability: Tackling Big Business ...... 13

3. Peace ...... 14 Building a Safer World: Co-operation, not Conflict . . . . . 14 International Trade: Where Fair Beats Free ...... 15 A Safe Refuge: Asylum and Immigration ...... 16

Would You Buy a Used Planet From These People? ...... 17

Greens in Action Everywhere . . . . 18

4 People Planet 1. People Peace

“Too much and for too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product ... counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for those who break them. ... Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.”

Holger Dieterich – Robert F. Kennedy

The Greens want to create a safe future The Scottish Green Party is the only party for people and communities – a fair to challenge the measurement of eco- economy that doesn’t trash the planet nomic well-being as Gross Domestic and serve only the few: a society where Product. GDP growth tells us nothing. communities are strong, where everyone The real measure of our economy is how gets a fair deal, where older people are the people are: their wealth, their health, cared for, where young people look the well-being of their families, their forward to a life of hope and opportunity community and their environment. – not fear and insecurity. Greens propose alternative measures to The out-dated obsession with free-for-all assess whether the economy is helping economics is alive and well in most us or harming us, and to guide more other parties, but it’s a concept which informed decision-making. cares little for people’s lives. It is obvious In this manifesto, we spell out our big business needs better regulation to approach to an economy based on prevent abuses of people and the workers’ rights, corporate accountability environment. and fair trade. We outline the measures Good food is an essential, basic need. required to deliver a tax and benefits Yet the global food industry is increasingly system that is fair and equitable. We powerful and dangerous. The big super- show how we would change the criminal markets have a stranglehold over the high justice system to focus on prevention and street, paying producers and farmers less rehabilitation, building a healthy society, for their goods, forcing out local business- not causing more fear, more crime and es and ripping the heart out of communities. more prisons. We propose more corporate account- These measures are in the interests of ability, but also measures to boost small, people, not big business and profits at community businesses. any cost.

5 People of miles by polluting planes to boost supermarket Planet Nothing Short of profits. Peace a Food Revolution Greens will actively encourage local, small-scale food producers and food sellers, including lo- The Scottish Green Party is campaigning for cal shops, farmers’ markets and box schemes. nothing short of a revolution in our food cul- The way we import food from all over the world ture. Greens want change in four key areas: is fuelling climate change. We will use our “polluter Good Food pays” taxation system to ensure that the distance food has travelled is reflected in its price. Obesity and diet-related illness are major causes of disease in Scotland. The high sugar, salt, Fair Food processed fat and additive content of food, often Fresh and healthy food is out of reach for many misleadingly labelled, is a major factor. of the poorest communities in Scotland. We Greens want food to make us healthy, not sick. see this as a priority for change. We will make local authorities provide schools, The immense power of supermarkets over our hospitals and care homes with healthy, fresh, high streets, our farmers and over the entire local food. We will ensure all processed food food chain has become a major concern. is fully labelled and ban additives of question- able value. We will control advertising of junk The relentless drive for profit by the super- food and remove fast food vending machines markets means Scottish farmers and farmers from schools. in developing countries are receiving less and less for their produce. Safe Food An industry survey in 2005 showed 88% of people Hardly a week passes without another food safety want regulation to force supermarkets to act in scandal. The way we grow most of our food is the wider public interest. harming our land, water and wildlife. Greens want food to be safe for both consumers and Green MPs will work to: the environment. We are com- • ban the brands: take fast food advertis- mitted to organic food: Greens ing out of schools and off children’s television, “A statutory code of forced action on organic produc- to prevent manufacturers from targeting young, practice that stops tion in the last Scottish Parliament impressionable consumers; supermarkets bullying session and our aim is to have suppliers and abusing • make food labelling accurate and easy to their power is needed much more organic food grown understand, to prevent producers, proces- urgently ... With in Scotland. sors and supermarkets from making misleading supermarket executives claims about their goods; from the big four – and Labour and the Liberal Democrats Tesco in particular – have opened the door to geneti- • ban live animal exports; able to whisper directly cally modified (GM) crops in • seek all routes to make Scotland GM free, into the ears of Scotland, despite the proven eco- Downing Street (two of including a law to keep biotech companies nomic and environmental damage its directors came at bay by holding them liable for any eco- straight from they have caused in Canada and nomic damage caused by GM crops; Whitehall), shoppers the U.S. We will close that door. might want to send • make the Office of Fair Trading regulate their own message, by supermarkets better, so that Scottish farm- voting with their feet Local Food ers receive a fair price for their milk and other and buying elsewhere.” As fruit and vegetable produc- produce; – Felicity Lawrence, ers struggle to make a living in Consumer Affairs Scotland, cheap imported ber- • establish an independent supermarket Correspondent, The Guardian ries, beans, salads and tropical regulator, ensuring a fair deal for farmers and delicacies are flown thousands consumers;

6 • reform the Common Agricultural Policy and Green MPs will work to: People Common Fisheries Policy to protect the en- Planet • replace GDP with a genuine progress in- Peace vironment on which the industries depend, dicator based on quality of life, distribution providing support for farmers, fishermen of income and protection of environmental and dependent communities through the resources; transition; • require government and industry to report • ensure fair prices for farmers abroad too, on capital investment into our national in- through the UK’s leading position in global frastructure, non-renewable resource trade organisations and agreements. consumption and the environmental costs of development; • decrease funding to the road construc- tion, nuclear energy and fossil fuel industries, and reduce arms and defence spending; • introduce a Sustainability Diversification Agency, to support the redeployment of workers’ skills and contributions in a socially just and sustainable economy. Taxation The Greens will implement a tax system to Economics Where encourage environmental sustainability and the reduction of material inequality. This will de- People Matter liver real economic security. Taxation can and should be used to discourage social and envi- Natural, finite resources cannot be treated as ronmental harm and promote equity between income, but as a priceless asset, to be used individuals. wisely and sustainably. We need to improve the quality of life for all but recognise the limits Green MPs will work to: of the resources on which our economy is built. • replace VAT with eco-taxes on pollution and waste; Growth, GDP and • scrap the Council Tax and Uniform Busi- Quality of Life ness Rate, introducing a Land Value Tax to The reliance on gross domestic product GDP encourage more efficient use of land and as a key measure of economic activity is flawed accelerate urban renewal; and unsustainable. The more we buy and the • increase taxation on corporate profits and more we throw away, the “richer” we are sup- reduce tax breaks for the rich. posed to be. As a measure of progress, this is absurd. Local Not Global In 2005, the Federation of Small Business pro- Greens want more economic self-reliance. We duced a well-being index that showed Scotland oppose the unfair globalisation of resources and at the bottom of the league of small, developed markets dominated by transnational corpora- nations. So much for GDP. tions and unaccountable financial institutions. We want to minimise transport of imported goods We need to measure and make progress on our and reverse the control of capital falling into ever overall well-being using more sophisticated tools fewer hands. such as the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW) and the New Economics Foundation’s We will support small, local and community Measure of Domestic Progress (MDP). businesses, whose needs are too often ignored.

7 People We will promote the social enterprise sector, A Citizen’s Income will: Planet where companies are committed to generating • provide a basic income for those not Peace economic, social and environmental profit. recognised by the current benefits system Green MPs will work to: such as full-time parents, carers, students and volunteers; • set up democratically accountable community banks to encourage local people to • allow people to take fulfilling part-time or invest in their own communities; voluntary work. It would also support those starting new businesses of their own; • reform banking law to give banks greater community responsibility; • ensure the poorest and most vulnerable in society are adequately provided for, boosting • provide tax incentives for sustainable small their income by 25% and ensuring they do businesses, co-operatives and worker-owned not have to go through a complicated proc- businesses; ess to obtain basic financial security. • support local finance initiatives, such as • slash the millions currently spent on ben- credit unions and local exchange trading efits administration, benefits fraud and fraud schemes; detection; • increase support to the voluntary sector, • end the scandal of up to £6·3 billion of recognising its social and environmental much-needed benefits going unclaimed every benefits; year. • phase out Public-Private Part- Citizen’s Pension nerships (PPPs) and Private The total level of To solve the “pensions crisis”, both the SNP Finance Initiatives (PFIs). unclaimed benefit and the Liberal Democrats have adopted the (Income Support, Minimum Income idea of a Citizen’s Pension. Greens are delighted Guarantee, Housing that they have moved some distance towards Benefit, Council Tax Beating the a Citizen’s Income scheme. We believe that a Benefit & income-based Citizen’s Pension should only be seen as a first Jobseekers Allowance) step towards a full Citizen’s Income Scheme. in 2002/03 was Poverty Trap: between £3,300m and Independent studies by the National Associa- £6,260m, whilst the tion of Pension Funds have shown that a Citizen’s level of non-takeup for Welfare non-pensioner income Pension could be afforded today within current support and Job Solutions net expenditure on state pensions. Seekers Allowance is between £860m and Citizen’s Income For pensioners, £2,140m. Citizen’s Income means: Our complex, bureaucratic and The Republic of • an increase of between 27% and 33% in expensive benefits system is Ireland is now the basic state pension for everyone (it is seriously discussing desperate for an overhaul and we set initially at the level of the Pension Credit the introduction of a are suggesting a radical new Guarantee, around £109 a week for a single Citizen’s Income of £70 approach. per week for adults, and pensioner and £167 for a couple from April £30 per week for We propose to introduce a Citi- 2005); children. zen’s Income to every woman, • unconditional payments for all old age man and child in the UK, with- A study from the pensioners, regardless of savings or NI pay- University of out means-testing and without ments paid in the past; Cambridge showed that the requirement to be in, or an initial Citizen’s seeking, employment. It will be • the abolition of the means-tested Pension Income scheme could a universal right to cover basic Credit. be fiscally neutral. needs.

8 People Crime and We do not agree with the government’s claim Planet that the population must add biometrics to their Peace Community: passports. International Civil Aviation Organi- sation (ICAO) standards only require that the Prevention and passport photo be digitised. For the same cost it would be possible to pay for 10,000 new po- Healing lice officers. Civil liberties and fiscal prudence mean we must reject ID cards. Restitution for the victim and the community and rehabilitation of the offender are key Green MPs will work to: ingredients of the Green approach to the • oppose ID cards; criminal justice system. • appoint more community police officers While prison plays an important role in the criminal to focus on crime prevention; justice system it should not be used as a way of simply holding people with long-term social • treat drug-taking as a health rather than problems, drug addictions and mental health a crime issue, rehabilitating problems. The prison population has steadily the victims of addiction rather than locking them up; From 1994 to 2003, increased since 1990 without any clear corre- the average prison lation with levels of crime. • establish police forces population increased by 17%. We support restorative justice as an effective with local accountability to independent democratically In the same period response to wrongdoing and conflict in com- the female prison controlled police authorities; munities, with a balanced focus on the offender, population has the victim, and community. • improve the design of our increased by 68%; over four times the Millions of pounds have been spent over the cities to provide safer streets growth in the male past decade on the deployment of surveillance and public spaces and prison population. technology, with no evidence-base to back it strengthen communities; “Overcrowding has up. Labour has increasingly resorted to authori- • support an independent arguably become the tarian methods, but this has failed to reduce Police Complaints Procedure; single most problematic the fear of crime. Labour has also failed to live factor in maintaining up to its promise to be tough on the causes • provide universal access to order and security in Scottish prisons. It of crime. Poverty, inequality, social deprivation high quality youth facilities; places enormous stress and environmental injustice are still rife in our • increase resources for care- on the prisoner society. takers, attendants and staff population and the on estates, railway stations, finite resources of the Civil liberties have been sacrificed for unproven Scottish Prison parks and other public areas; technological fixes that divert resources from Service.” proven techniques that strengthen communi- • ensure swift repair of – Scottish Prison ties and reduce crime. Greens will develop and damage done to public ameni- Complaints Commission, invest in a range of crime reduction and pre- ties and spaces. June 2004. vention measures that focus on tackling local sources of potential crime and improving the safety of our communities. Changing the Labour is once again seeking to trample civil liberties underfoot in favour of an unproven, Face of Politics impractical technological fix by seeking to introduce compulsory ID cards. We oppose their The Scottish Green Party wants to introduce plans to fingerprint and track the entire popu- democratic change to political life in the UK by lation of Britain for a National Identity Register. shifting political power from the centre to more

9 People appropriate levels, giving people greater con- Green MPs will work to: Planet trol over their own lives. • end any government, executive or judi- Peace Greens support calls for an independent Scot- cial roles of the monarchy; land – not out of nationalistic fervour, but as a • set a voting age of 16 for all elections and means to create a more sustainable and demo- for candidates. The right to vote and stand cratic system of government. Such constitutional in elections will be based on the citizen’s changes will come about only if people in Scotland normal place of residence at the time of voter want them and support them in referendums. registration, rather than nationality; We see independence as a process, not an event, • support a written Constitution and a Bill and look forward to the Scottish of Rights as part of the legal framework of “People must be trusted Parliament and local government the Westminster Parliament; to elect people who are assuming more powers and an • introduce proportional representation for responsible for increasing relevance to Scotland. deciding on the laws of all elected bodies and all levels of govern- this country. If Greens support a written consti- ment, including the House of Lords; politicians won’t trust tution and reject the hereditary the people, why should • increase the involvement of community principle. Labour has failed to de- the people trust them?” councils in decision-making; liver on the House of Lords, with – Pater Facey, New Politics Network Blair blocking moves towards • promote a more serious form of politics, genuine democracy at every turn. which always puts substance over style.

“In my view, climate change is the most severe problem that we are facing today, more serious 2. Planet even than the threat of terrorism.” – Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK government Dennis Saddik

The Scottish Green Party is the only party life on earth and it must be addressed to take the long-term future of the planet now. The impacts of climate change are seriously. Both governments and citizens not just environmental, we face huge have an overwhelming responsibility to act social and economic costs. now to protect the place that supports Action on climate change must also tackle us all. global injustice. A recent study showed Greens want climate change put centre that if every nation was as wasteful and stage. It is the most serious threat facing polluting as Scotland, we would need an

10 extra two planets to live on. We will take Labour also wants new nuclear power People action to reduce Scotland’s ecological stations. Greens are calling for a long- Planet footprint to sustainable levels. term energy plan built on energy efficiency Peace and renewable energy. At this year’s G8, Greens will be backing the Make Poverty History campaign and The way in which business is run must be joining calls for action on global poverty reformed in the public interest. Responsi- and climate change. ble businesses will make the grade, but polluters and exploiters must be brought The Labour government has failed to book. miserably to make progress on reducing carbon pollution. Indeed roadbuilding and It is our duty to nurture the seas as a plans to double air travel will make things resource, not pollute and over-exploit much worse. them.

Climate Change: Sleepwalking

to Disaster Nikita Golovanov Global problems require both global and local solutions. By building an international consen- sus for action on climate change and for a fair deal for developing countries, we will make real progress. But it’s vital that we match our words Green MPs will work to: with actions here in Scotland. • support the introduction of a global Con- traction-Convergence scheme to share fairly Labour talks a good game, setting ambitious the world’s carbon emissions between rich targets to limit greenhouse gas emissions by and poor countries; 60% by 2050. In action, Labour finances huge road-building programmes and expands airports • strengthen the UN Framework Conven- across the UK. Labour will not provide the in- tion on Climate Change and co-ordinate a vestment and infrastructure we need to address strong multinational response, which includes climate change. heavy oil users such as China and the USA; There have been some improvements in air • share our knowledge of energy efficiency pollution, but Glasgow, for example, still regu- and renewable energy technology with gov- larly tops lists of Britain’s most-polluted cities. ernments across the globe; Reductions in Scotland’s emissions lag behind • introduce import taxes for countries that those of the rest of the UK, yet Labour still plans maintain an unfair trading advantage by not for ever-increasing traffic levels. complying with climate change treaties; If we significantly reduce the burning of fossil • ensure that the UK Climate Change Pro- fuels, we can begin to tackle climate change gramme is the most ambitious governmental and conserve our dwindling oil reserves. programme in the world, “climate proofing” As part of our commitment to combating pol- all spending decisions and government pollution, we want to bring Scotland’s housing and icies. Set up a UK task force headed by the public transport into the 21st century and we Prime Minister and the First Ministers of the do not believe the polluting aviation industry devolved countries, working for year-on-year should enjoy massive subsidies. reductions in greenhouse gas emissions;

11 • set tough emissions reduction targets for People Green MPs will also work to: Planet power companies and industry; • protect the seas by creating a single Marine Peace • set an energy strategy for the UK to de- Act to make sense of the often conflicting liver a phased withdrawal of fossil and nuclear and damaging “laws of the sea”; electricity generation and ambitious energy • remove responsibility for control of the efficiency measures in all sectors leading to seabed from the Crown Estates and trans- a target of 40% reduction in demand by 2020 fer them to the Scottish Parliament. Sporting, and establish renewable energy targets for mineral rights and royalties should be trans- fuel, heating and transport; ferred from Crown Estates to new community • allocate £500 million for the development land trusts. of wave and tidal resources in Scotland; • raise investment in other renewable technologies, such as biomass and solar; Meltdown: Why • upgrade the electricity grid to get renewable electricity into centres of population; Nuclear Power • develop the case for a sub-sea electricity grid to harness our offshore renewable Is Not the Answer energy potential; • ensure all new public buildings include “To present nuclear power as one of the main Combined Heat and Power and/or renew- ways of combating climate change is short- able energy technologies; sighted ... nuclear power simply does not represent a viable option at present. • make all new buildings comply with stringent energy efficiency ratings; “Given the costs associated with nuclear power and current uncertainties surrounding the • end the “fuel poverty” that means the poorest problems of dealing with nuclear waste, making families live in homes that are the most the UK more energy efficient is a far safer, cheaper and more realistic solution ...” difficult to heat; – Philip Sellwood, • make the price of all transport journeys Chief Executive of the more fairly reflect their cost to the environ- Government’s Energy Saving Trust ment; • oppose the building of new airports or the We’ve always been assured that nuclear power planned expansion of existing facilities; is cheap, clean, and safe. This is just not true. • support the Europe-wide campaign against The UK government is planning to accept night flights; responsibility for up to £5 billion of privately- owned British Energy’s liabilities. From April • end tax exemptions and other subsidies 2005, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for the air industry, with the ex- takes on the liabilities of BNFL and UKAEA, ception of subsidies for “lifeline” which are thought to amount to some £48 island services; billion. Nuclear power is not cheap. • encourage the introduction of The nuclear chain reaction itself doesn’t create urban transport systems, such CO emissions, but the mining, refining and as trams and light rail, and bring 2 processing of uranium ore are all highly pollut- the railways back under public ing. Over the whole fuel cycle, nuclear power control; creates significant CO2 emissions, radioactive • invest in high speed trains to emissions – both permitted and accidental – connect Scotland with England and radioactive waste, hazardous for millions and Europe. of years. Nuclear power is not clean.

12 Nuclear power station leaks, accidents, disputed People clusters of childhood leukaemia and now the Planet terrorist threat, exacerbated by the industry’s Peace interest in AP 1000 reactors which replace double containment systems with single, mean that nuclear power is not safe. Martin Abegglen Greens do not believe nuclear power can ever be a solution to climate change. Investment in nuclear power diverts resources from more effective measures of reducing CO2 emissions. The company behaved in the way that big Because of our ready access to wind, wave and businesses continue to behave all over the world: other clean energy sources, Scotland could be it chased profit in a competitive market by driv- self-sufficient in renewables. But to lead the ing up production and slashing costs. world in this technology, we need the political But cost-cutting means compromising wages, will and the investment, which only the Scot- safety and the environment. Some companies tish Greens would provide. recognise that accidents, under-paid workers Green MPs will work to: and environmental pollution are not good for business. But the bottom-line for corporations • devolve all energy policy to the Scottish is their duty to make profit for shareholders. And Parliament; corporations are politically more powerful than • implement stringent and effective energy at any other time. conservation measures to minimise our en- Tony Blair’s New Labour is increasingly account- ergy requirements; able to big business and to lobbyists, not to • rule out building any new nuclear power the electorate. At home, in Europe and inter- stations – we don’t have to choose between nationally, Labour is happy to be a best pal to unsustainable climate change or unsustain- business, rather than to people and their communities. able nuclear power; “... the corporation can neither recognise nor • set targets to make Scotland the world’s Green MPs will work to: act upon moral reasons first “fossil-fuel-free” state by 2050 without • introduce a Corporate Li- to refrain from harming resorting to nuclear power. others. Nothing in its ability Act, combining the need legal makeup limits for more stringent environmen- what it can do to others tal enforcement with the need in pursuit of its selfish for accountability of corporate ends, and it is Corporate entities on every aspect of compelled to cause harm when the benefits production process and busi- Accountability: of doing so outweigh ness practice; the costs. Only pragmatic concern for Tackling Big • support the Corporate Re- its own interests and sponsibility Bill in Parliament the laws of the land Business as a step towards corporate constrain the accountability; corporation’s predatory It is 20 years since the worst disaster caused instincts, and often that by a multinational corporation. In Bhopal, • empower workers, local is not enough to stop it India, the Union Carbide pesticides factory leak- communities and other affected from destroying lives, damaging communities, ed toxic gas and killed 20,000 people. The parties to have a say in guid- and endangering the company directors continue to evade justice for ing businesses in a socially and planet as a whole.” this atrocity. environmentally just society. – Joel Bakan, The Corporation

13 People Planet Peace 3. Peace

“I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our Michel Van Wijngaarden governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Despite the atrocity of 9/11, despite the conflicts and state repression all over war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and the the world. alienation of countries from the West, we An unjust world will never be a peaceful continue to believe in peace. one, so we believe it is the wealthy West’s We have always been, committed to duty to cancel Third World Debt and to peace and to peaceful solutions to con- focus on eradicating poverty, disease and flict. Greens were prominent campaigners suffering in the poorest nations. in Scotland and across the world against We would legislate for fair trade to ensure the war in Iraq. We believe the US and that the exploitation of the developing UK have to rebuild international trust and world by the richest countries is halted hand over to a UN-controlled force. We and to enable poorer countries to build believe that there has to be a just settle- sustainable economies of their own. ment in the Middle East. We will support human rights and a fair Britain has a moral obligation to destroy system for supporting asylum seekers in its own weapons of mass destruction, and Britain and value their contribution to our to deliver on our commitment to the country. We also believe our worldwide Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Greens peace and fair trade policies would have consistently campaigned against reduce the number of refugees fleeing nuclear weapons throughout their history. both the danger and destitution they face Britain must also scale down its arms in their own countries. trade, which supplies weapons for

We must respond intelligently to the threat of Building a Safer terrorism, by stopping funds and arresting sus- pects where there is specific evidence of criminal World: Co-operation, activity. Much more important, however, is to address the long-term underlying causes, such not Conflict as inequality, injustice and poverty. Tony Blair has allowed Britain to launch an ille- At the same time, we need to be honest and gal war on Iraq to serve the foreign policy of an realistic about the nature of the threats facing extreme right-wing American president. He has us. Labour continues to spread fear and un- not only exacerbated global tensions, but has certainty in order to engineer unprecedented encouraged the climate of fear in which terror- moves in both domestic and foreign policy. ism can thrive.

14 Britain could contribute much more construc- People tively to a peaceful world. We must get rid of International Planet our own weapons of mass destruction, which Peace encourage other countries to possess them, Trade: Where and greatly reduce our arms trade. Fair Beats Free As one of the world’s richest nations, we must co-operate with others in addressing poverty The Scottish Green Party believes that UK and all over the world. EU trade policy should be governed by three key ethical principles: to benefit the poorest Green MPs will work to: countries and the poorest people within them; • withdraw troops from Iraq and hand over to contribute to human rights; and to contrib- to UN-led forces; ute to greater environmental sustainability. As such, we fully support the growing trade jus- • decommission all the UK’s nuclear weapons tice movement. and other weapons of mass destruction; Trade can overcome local, regional and national • prevent nuclear proliferation and end support scarcity, and can generate new livelihoods and for the USA’s missile defence plans; employment. However, it can also damage the • cancel all outstanding debts of develop- environment and destroy vulnerable local indus- ing countries, and immediately meet our UN tries. obligation to commit 0·7% of GDP to fund- Green MPs will take account of both positive ing development; and negative outcomes of trade and will en- • promote international efforts to combat sure that all countries have equal access to trade AIDS, TB and malaria, and to provide free negotiations. The UK is in a strong position health and education services to all; within institutions such as the WTO, the G8, and the EU to demand reform of international • restructure the military for conflict reso- trading regulations. lution and for peace enforcement; Trade agreements need to focus on achieving • introduce education for peace and human sustainable development, of which poverty eradi- rights into all schools in order to teach the cation is an integral part. Legislation is also skills of conflict resolution, mediation and non- required to ensure that sustainability is not violent social change; sacrificed for international “competitiveness”. • oppose any moves to increase European military spending, as proposed in the cur- Green MPs will work to: rent EU Constitution; • bring forward legislation to establish an Ethical Trading • support a “yes” vote on the EU Constitution, Accreditation Scheme, which but also argue for significant amendments, will set standards of envir- The Fairtrade Foundation in order to extend democratic account- onmental sustainability and ability and sustainable development in social welfare; Europe; • implement an Ethical Trading • reform the UN Security Council by end- Tax, which penalises those ing permanent membership and single country producing goods and services veto, and introducing fair representation; which fall below the standards • give the UN more effective authority for of the scheme, giving a competitive advan- early mediation and intervention in disputes. tage to ethically-run businesses; • introduce a currency transaction tax, akin to the Tobin Tax, in order to provide further

15 People funding to achieve the Millennium Develop- The Scottish Green Party supports a fair asy- Planet ment Goals; lum policy and an end to the practice whereby Peace asylum seekers are subject to detention with- • sign up to the international arms trade treaty out reason. to help control the flow of weapons; Whilst recognising the contribution that refugees • ensure that all countries have equal ac- and asylum seekers make to this country, Greens cess to trade negotiations; campaign for the international policies that would • reform the WTO, as part of a strength- reduce the need for asylum. ened UN, with a remit to enforce core social Green MPs will work to: and environmental standards in our trade system, rather than its current role of en- • amend the law to allow asylum seekers forcing the rights of multinational companies. to work and claim benefits as soon as their application has been made; • end the practice of making “failed” asylum seekers destitute, which drives them into A Safe Refuge: the illegal economy, leaving them open to Asylum and abuse and exploitaiton; • end the practice whereby asylum seek- Immigration ers are subject to detention without reason beyond the fact that they are seeking The Scottish Green Party fully supports the asylum; right of those fleeing persecution to asylum in • ensure there is an independent appeals this country according to the 1951 UN Con- tribunal in line with international standards; vention on the Status of Refugees. Both Scotland and the UK are capable of offering sanctuary • ratify the 1990 UN Convention on the Rights to those who need it. of Migrant Workers and their Families; • honour our obligations under the 1951 We believe that asylum seekers should be al- UN Convention Relating to the Status of lowed to work and claim benefits as soon as Refugees; their application has been made. Permission to work will ensure that skills are not wasted, • promote the work of the UN in protecting as well as reducing the cost of supporting refugees and stateless persons and in sup- asylum seekers. pressing human trafficking.

“Unless we properly manage resources like forests, water, land, minerals and oil, we will not win the fight against poverty. And there will not be peace. Old conflicts will rage on and new resource wars will erupt unless we change the path we are on.” – Wangari Maathai, Leader of the Mazingira Green Party of Kenya, Founder of the Green Belt Movement, and Kenya’s Environment Minister, on accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, 2004. Martin Rowe

16 Would you buy a David Moir used planet from these people? Climate Change Tony Blair Says: “There is no doubt that the time to act is now.” – September 14th 2004 Labour Do: 26th October 2004:␣ Plans to curb The rainbow alliance against the future... industry’s greenhouse gas emissions

are scaled back. Allowable CO2 emis- Civil Liberties Jack Sullivan / Alamy sions by power generators go up 6·6 Charles Kennedy Says: million tonnes a year. Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett “The Liberal Democrats will take a stand on our civil says the plans could have damaged industry. liberties.” Transport – Launch of the Liberal Democrats’ Five Point Plan for Civil Liberties, 8th February 2005 John Prescott Says: Charles Kennedy Does: “I will have failed if in five year’s time He was one of 17 Liberal Democrat MPs who missed the cru- there are not many more people using cial vote on draconian anti-terror legislation on 28th February public transport and far fewer journeys 2005 in the House of Commons. The Government won the by car. It’s a tall order, but I urge you vote by only 14 votes. to hold me to it.” – June 6th, 1997 “It was a miscalculation by everyone at every level. There was chaos in the chamber and we had no idea at all ...”

David Willis / Alamy Labour Do: – Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary By 2002, there was a 36·6 billion km • On the Greens’ successful motion against ID cards in (8%) rise in annual motor vehicle journeys. Traffic levels are Scotland, the Liberal Democrats abstained en masse. still rising. Sustainability Environment Alex Salmond Says: Liberal Democrats Say: “In cities and towns where traffic congestion is a problem, “This latest discovery coupled with high oil prices demon- ... Liberal Democrats will extend congestion charging ...” strates the enormous oil wealth that is still to come.” – 8th December 2004 “No commercial GM crops until we know they’re safe for the environment.” “Our oil industry will remain one of the engines of the Scot- – Liberal Democrat “pre-manifesto”, September 2004 tish economy.” – 1st March 2005 Liberal Democrats Do: Liberal Democrats led the campaign against a congestion Alex Salmond Does Not Mention: charge in Edinburgh. Their MSPs voted against moves by Climate Change! Nor does he mention that the North Sea’s oil Green MSPs to prevent GM crops being planted in Scotland. production peaked in 1999 and conservative projections put global peak oil at 2010, only five years away. A truly sustain- SSP Says: able Scotland can only be built by preparing now for life without “The SSP has always had differences with sections of oil. Oil is becoming a luxury item which ever fewer will be able the environmental movement.” to afford. – Rosie Kane MSP The SSP claim that Scotland’s leading environmental NGOs, Corporate Accountability Friends of the Earth Scotland and TRANSform Scotland, Michael Howard Says: exhibited “fake environmentalism” over congestion “The environment needs a government that is prepared to charging. set a regulatory framework that is fair.” The Chair of TRANSform Scotland had said: – at a Green Alliance conference in September 2004 “The kneejerk reaction of the SSP is particularly shameful. Michael Howard Also Says: Their decision to take sides with the Tories rips to shreds “I want to praise the profit-makers, because too often in our any environmental pretensions they may have had. Until now, country, profit is used as a dirty word. We’ll cut the regula- we have had a productive working relationship with the SSP. tory burden you all face.” We are now unsure whether we are able to work with the – at the CBI Annual Lunch, 2005 SSP in the future.”

17 People Planet Peace Greens in Action Everywhere

The Green movement is growing fast directly discriminate against emerging across the world. Greens have become parties, a Green MP is inevitable. government ministers in Belgium, Finland, This election, and this manifesto, are France, Germany, Kenya and beyond. largely focused on reserved issues, as the There are Green Parties in 70 countries. Scottish Parliament has responsibility for Latvia has had a Green Prime Minister. In many areas including public services. But the UK we have 60 councillors, two questions will be asked across all areas. Members of the London Assembly, seven So what are our Green MSPs doing? MSPs and two MEPs. Using the powers in the Scottish Parlia- The only level of government where there ment, and working with local communities is no Green representation is at Westmin- in each region, the seven Green MSPs are ster. Although the voting system may campaigning on:

Food Transport For a food revolution and supporting local com- For traffic reduction and more public transport munity campaigns against the megaretail invasion, with a Green Transport Bill in progress. Pro- opposing local supermarket developments and moting public transport alternatives to the supporting small business growth. Executive’s £1 billion roads programme and opposing major new roads such as the M74 Energy Northern Extension and the Aberdeen Western Consistently campaigning for increased funds Peripheral Route. and action for energy efficiency. In February, the Scottish Parliament voted to support a Green Climate Change MSP motion calling for tougher action on en- For serious action, prompting the first parlia- ergy efficiency. A Green Bill on Home Energy mentary inquiry into climate change. Exposing Efficiency has been lodged. the contradictions of the Scottish Executive’s motorway building programme and promotion Waste of ever more air travel. Leading a campaign for a “Zero Waste” approach to Scotland’s dire record on waste. Encourag- GM ing local authorities to take a lead in the absence Taking action for a GM-free Scotland, includ- of government action. ing a law to keep biotech companies at bay by holding them liable for any economic damage caused by GM crops.

18 Public Services Health To replace council tax and business rates with Fostering a public health approach to Land Value Taxation. A bill is under devel- create a National Health – not Sickness – opment. Service with preventative action and a healthier environment, and support for the Planning ban of smoking in enclosed public spaces Promoting third party right of appeal to level to protect workers and non-smokers from the playing field between developers and the effects of other people’s cigarette smoke. communities. Green MSPs have campaigned locally to save green spaces and supported ID Cards dozens of community campaigns against ill- Green MSPs scored a landmark victory in thought out and unjust developments such their campaign against ID cards, when the as those faced by the Greengairs commu- Parliament backed a Green motion and voted nity already surrounded by eight landfills and to reject ID cards, demanding a statement open cast mines. from the Scottish Executive on the use of a proposed national identity database in Scotland. Education Campaigning for sustainable development to be at the root of all education approaches, and promoting peace education. Green MSPs are campaigning against against commercial interests influence in education and end all Private Finance Initiatives.

19 There are many ways of making the world a better place – but come election day, this is first on the list: Vote Green✗

For further information on anything in this manifesto, or for enquiries about any other policy issue, contact: The Scottish Green Party FREEPOST RLRJ-USZY-EAZX 3 Lyne St. Edinburgh EH7 5DN Tel. 08700 772207 Email: [email protected] Or visit the Scottish Green Party website at: www.scottishgreens.org.uk

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Photographs and graphics by Scottish Green Party and allied Green Parties except as credited.