Tory Councillor attempts to have Hospital Campaigner arrested

Marc Green, an anti-cuts and Green Party activist from Windsor was threatened with arrest (Marc is holding the anti-Heatherwood closure banner on the left)

On Saturday 10 December the campaign to Save Heatherwood Hospital took a strange and sinister turn as Castle Without Councillor George Bathurst attempted to have Heatherwood Hospital Campaigner Marc Green arrested.

Windsor and Slough against the Cuts was holding its weekly stall collecting names on our petitions as we have been doing since June. The stall was in its usual location on Peascod Street close to the Post Office in an open pedestrian area. As ever the stall was proving a popular attraction to many local people with health workers, patients and other members of the community signing the petition.

Nearby local councillors from the Borough were holding a surgery in a large van.

Without any warning or provocation Conservative Councillor George Bathurst approached Marc Green and addressed him by his name. He asked Marc whether he had a license for the stall. Marc Green said he didn’t and responded that he didn’t need one. George Bathurst said that he did and told Marc to stop collecting signatures and close the stall. Marc Green refused and said he would carry on as he had for the past 5 months. George Bathurst then stated that he would “report” Marc to the Town Centre manager and have him “arrested”. All this took place in front of Marc’s 11 year old son.  Following this exchange George Bathurst made a phone call to Paul Roach the town centre manager. Fellow councillors Eileen Quick, Sue Evans, Colin Rayner and Malcolm Beer were present and appeared to do nothing to prevent this from happening.

At approximately 12.15pm after the Councillors had packed up and left a council official came by and asked if we had license. Marc Green repeated that we didn’t need one (see below). He felt we did. Marc gave him his name and address so they could send info.  It should be noted that there is nothing on the RBWM website to suggest a license is required.

At approx 1.05PM as we were finishing up a police sergeant came along. The Town centre manager Paul Roach had called the police to investigate what was happening. She demanded Marc’s name and address. Marc refused to provide it as there is no legal obligation to do so. The police officer repeatedly asked for the name and address despite Marc confirming the legal position to her. He asked for what purpose. She replied for “future reference to log on their system”

All of the events outlined were witnessed and can be verified. The threat to have Marc arrested and the interrogation by the Sergeant were targeted at Marc Green and were played out in front of his 11 year old son. No other participants on the stall were addressed by George Bathurst or the Police Sergeant. As such it should be seen as politically motivated.

Marc Green will be making a formal complaint against Councillor George Bathurst as a clear breach of the Councillors Code of Conduct (sections 3 and 5). This is a clear case of personal and political bullying, bringing the office into disrepute and an abuse of office. It is shocking he subjected a young boy to the threat of his father’s arrest whose only “crime” was to exercise his democratic rights. Furthermore we call on the Tory Group leader to suspend George Bathurst from the Conservative group pending an investigation in his conduct. We would also like to have a fuller explanation of the role fellow councillors played on the day in turning a blind eye or complicity in attempting to have Marc arrested.

Marc Green has also raised the issue with Dave Burbage the council leader and called for George Bathurst’s suspension from the Conservative Group pending an investigation.

Marc Green commented “This is a clear attempt to stifle free speech and democracy in Windsor. We have an absolute right to collect signatures on our petition to Save Heatherwood Hospital. We will continue to hold our weekly stall and will not be bullied, harassed or intimidated by a councillor whose ignorance of the law is truly disappointing”

The following issues should be noted:-

1.       There is nothing on the RBWM website which outlines any requirement to have a license for a campaigning stall

2.       It is a long standing tradition for political parties, campaigning groups to hold stalls in this area

3.       Councillors have seen us over the months and have never raised an issue. Indeed fellow Tory Councillor Bicknell had signed the petition on a similar occasion.

4.       It is our Right to have a stall or protest and this is enshrined under the Human Rights Act which supersedes any local bureaucratic regulations. Peascod Street is a public space.

For more information please contact Marc Green on 07720298117

Further background material

Marc Green is a leading member of the Green Party in Windsor and a founder member of the Save Heatherwood Hospital Campaign.

 

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS: ISLAMIC ECOLOGY: BECOME A WISDOM IN NATURE COMMUNITY ACTIVIST!

Great to have worked with WIN the past, a good network

 

Deadline: Monday 20th February 2012; 
Start date: Flexible/by early spring 2012.

Want to be part of an action network based on Islamic principles?

Wisdom In Nature (WIN) is a pioneer of local Islamic ecological activism in the UK, and is actively inviting applications from anyone in the London or Brighton region to volunteer within our team. Together, we will cultivate an ecological consciousness in our communities through captivating activities and events.

Specific  initiatives successful applicants will develop might include one or more of the following: Event organising; Workshop facilitation; Food growing/Land-based practicals; Social media & Blogging; and whatever else emerges from the experience, creativity and passion of the growing team.

To find out more, and/or to apply, click here>> http://www.wisdominnature.org.uk/Action/volunteer.htm

 

ABOUT WISDOM IN NATURE

Wisdom In Nature was established in 2004 and is a pioneer of local Islamic ecological activism in the UK . Our original name was the London Islamic Network for the Environment (LINE). We are committed to the transformation of society to live justly in harmony with the diverse natural world, of which we are a part, thus honouring the principle of Oneness (Tawhid). 

Our approach is both practical and contemplative. We use bottom-up processes and consensus-decision-making for much of our work, finding ways of equalising power and ensuring our processes and actions are owned by those directly involved. This deeper democratic approach reflects our commitment to mirroring the world we wish to live in, whilst being established in core Islamic principles. This is also supported by mindfulness of our sources of funding: our day-to-day work being financed by donations from individuals, helping us to be independent of corporate interest and government influence. WIN has a presence in both London & Brighton. 

Website: www.wisdominnature.org.ukTel. 0845 456 3960 (local rate)

Green Party condems Euro-Zone deal as car crash

Euro-zone Summit: Green Party calls for sustainable economics that puts society, democracy and jobs first.

09 December 2011

The Green Party has dismissed current solutions to the Euro-zone crisis as short-sighted, economically unsustainable and tantamount to an attack on European democracy.

Current solutions to the sovereign debt crisis all amount to the same thing: the poorest paying the bill.

Two solutions are currently being discussed; first, a €2trillion fund to bail out indebted countries so that they can pay their debts to banks; second, a multi billion euro project to recapitalise the banks so that indebted countries can be allowed to default without bankrupting banks.

The first solution asks European tax payers to underwrite a €2trillion fund. The second asks Europeans tax payers to underwrite banks. Essentially they are the same regressive solution, which hits the poorest hardest and does nothing to resolve a systemic crisis.

The current solution does nothing to prevent future unsustainable debt and subsequent future crisis. Instead, it undermines democracy by putting the survival of banks before the interests of society.

MORE HERE

That's what she lived for, and that's what she died for.

April Bright -

posted Jun 7, 2010 5:04 PM by Jabulani Son

"Traditional ownership to Country for my Mum was everything ~ everything. It was the songs, the ceremony, the land, themselves, their family ~ everything that life was all about. This place here was her heart. That's what she lived for, and that's what she died for." Transcript of Maranunga [Marranunggu] Proceedings, October 1993, Special Hearing before the Wagait Traditional Ownership Dispute Committee. http://www.aboriginalsonglines.com/quotations

Greens declare war on Osborne as he threatens to chop up wildlife

For 15 months, we have observed with growing concern this government's failure to live up to its promise to be the "greenest ever". Now, following the chancellor's autumn statement, we can say that the coalition is on a path to becoming the most environmentally destructive government to hold power in this country since the modern environmental movement was born.As George Osborne sat down, our political culture crossed a line and became a little more like that which dominates Washington DC. We know from experience – not least by observing events across the Atlantic - that when such a line is crossed it is extremely difficult to retrieve lost ground.

The chancellor has proposed:

• Tax breaks for the country's most polluting industries.

• A revision of the basic safeguards that protect our most precious wildlife sites from development.

• A major expansion of airport capacity in the south-east of England

• Support for a major expansion of the road network.

• Aggressive implementation of a new presumption in favour of development in the planning system.

Osborne has proclaimed that protecting the environment is against the public interest – something no senior politician in this country has done in recent history.

George Monbiot author; Jonathon Porritt, Tony Juniper former directors, Friends of the Earth; Joss Garman co-founder, Plane Stupid;Tamsin Omond co-ordinator, Save England's Forests campaign;Caroline Lucas MP Green party leader

From 

Broken Republic is poetic anger

Broken Republic by Arundhati Roy
Hamish Hamilton, 2011

Arundhati Roy's Broken Republic isn't just about India and it certainly isn't an apology for the Maoists, it's about the whole world.

Roy's poetic anger shines through. The Maoists are fighting a forgotten war on the side of the indigenous whose land is being stolen by mining corporations. Roy is often critical of the Maoists, but her account of meeting them is fascinating. She castigates India as a corrupt nation wrecking the environment and destroying lives, but praises the diversity and strength of the varied movements fighting back.

Her book shows how it is, globally. Governments work for the rich, assault the environment and crush their citizens. A society that respects nature and humanity is possible, but this will involve a huge fight. Roy's book is a powerful call for resistance. This is an astonishing and subversive title and it takes courage to tell it how it is. Roy has more courage than it is easy to imagine.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN GREEN LEFT WEEKLY

Caroline Lucas has had the biggest influence on political agenda

GREEN MP NAMED BIGGEST INFLUENCER IN UK POLITICS THIS YEAR

Green MP Caroline Lucas has been recognised by a prestigious political body as the MP who has most influenced the political agenda in 2011.

Since her election to the constituency of Brighton Pavilion in 2010, the UK's only Green MP has made a significant impact through her work on a range of issues - from putting pressure on the Government to tackle fuel poverty and drop Trident, to campaigning for Parliamentary reform and fairer rail fares.

Lucas received the Political Studies Association award for 'Influencing the Political Agenda 2011' from Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow at a packed ceremony in Westminster this week.

Caroline Lucas said:

"I am honoured and delighted to collect this award from the Political Studies Association - and appreciate the judges' recognition that having even one Green in Parliament can make a positive difference."

The panel of judges at the Political Studies Association said:

'Caroline Lucas has made unprecedented steps forward in raising the profile of the Green Party. The achievement of winning a seat in Parliament under the First-Past-The-Post electoral system should not be underestimated.

"When considering these factors alongside her role in influencing the AV debate, we felt she was a worthy winner of the 2011 award for Influencing the Political Agenda."

ENDS

The Political Studies Association is the leading organisation in the UK linking academics in political science and current affairs, theorists and practitioners, policy-makers, journalists, researchers and students in higher education.

For information about the 2011 award winners, visit: http://www.psa.ac.uk/PSAPubs/Awards2011.pdf