Yorkshire
and Humber Green Party launched their regional European Election Campaign in
Huddersfield today. Greens are in buoyant mood as a number of polls show them
overtaking the Lib Dems and are now serious contenders for one of the 6 Euro MP
seat in Yorkshire. The elections are conducted under proportional
representation. All six Green Party candidates attended the launch at Yorkshire
Wildlife Trusts Stirley Farm near Newsome. Councillor Andrew Cooper is the
Green Party’s Lead Candidate and in with a good chance of becoming Yorkshire’s
first Green MEP.
Andrew
Cooper’s Speech to the European Election Launch
“We’ve
come to launch our regional manifesto today in the Create Barn at YWT Stirley
Farm because it represents an example of what we want to achieve for people and
the homes they live in right the way across the Yorkshire and Humber region.
It
is an old stone building that has been super insulated to a very high specification.
This skilled work has been carried out by a local company employing local
labour. Imagine if this sort of refurbishment was carried out to the millions
of old draughty homes across the UK. Millions of people would save hundreds of
pounds in energy costs that would go back into the local economy. Thousands
more people would be in worthwhile employment building a future where we have
warm homes that are affordable to heat. Young people would have the realistic
prospect of a skilled job that they can feel proud of and build a life upon.
You
would think that this was so obvious a policy that all parties would be behind
it. A revolution in reducing the demand for energy in our homes, yet the
Coalition government have cut funding to the Energy Company Obligation so
drastically that 264,000 homes that would have been insulated, this coming
year, will now not be and the Energy Companies as a result of these cuts will
be £245million/year better off (Good news for their profits though!)
If elected to the European Parliament I will use the
MEPs office to draw in funding and resources to improve the energy efficiency
of homes in our Region and provide free clean renewable energy for hundreds of
thousands of homes.
Getting
Greens elected to the European Parliament can be about much more than just a
one off protest. We will promote positive and practical projects that improve
homes and increase skilled employment.
The
polls are looking good for us. Several now have put us ahead of the Lib Dems
both nationally and particularly in the North of England. Here in Yorkshire and
the Humber we have already have Councillors elected in Kirklees, York, Leeds,
Sheffield, Bradford and Scarborough and our local parties are fired up and fighting
for every vote in this Proportional Representation Election.
Lets
take the opportunity this election offers us and have a positive result on May
22nd that actually makes a real difference to peoples lives and
elect our Regions first Green Party MEP.”
ENDS
