From Brent Friends of the Earth
Photo: Jonathan Goldberg
Parliamentary candidates for Brent Central were
questioned on their green credentials at Brent Friends of the Earth's
Eco Hustings last Thursday in Willesden.
Green candidate Shahrar Ali, Labour’s Dawn
Butler, Conservative Alan Mendoza and UKIP's Stephen Priestley, along
with Ollie Hayes, Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, were on the
panel. Friends of the Earth's Energy and Climate Change Campaigner,
Rose Dickinson took the chair. The panel faced an audience of 60
local residents and party supporters at the Learie Constantine West
Indian Association. John Boyle of TUSC, and the Liberal Democrats
were also invited.
Climate change, fracking, fuel poverty, TTIP,
industrial farming and air pollution were amongst the the issues
discussed.
Viv Stein, Spokesperson for Brent Friends of
the Earth says, “This election has come at a crucial time for our
future. In order to avoid catastrophic climate change we need to
leave 80% of fossil fuels in the ground, and invest in renewable
energy instead. The current coalition promised to be 'the greenest
Government ever' but have failed to live up to this. They've
supported gas and oil companies with huge tax breaks, and have
damaged investment in green energy in the UK by cutting incentives
for renewables.”
“It was good to hear all the candidates
talking green, but they and their parties will need to deliver
robust, joined-up and sustainable policies to provide a secure future
for us all.”
“We asked candidates to sign a pledge that
they won't support fracking in Brent or elsewhere, but as yet only
Labour,* the Green and UKIP candidates have signed up.”
You can check which candidates have signed the
frack free pledge at HERE
Videos of the meeting available HERE
* Note from Martin Francis: John Boyle, the TUSC candidiate has pointed out that Dawn Butler has NOT signed according to the FOE website. He has signed on behalf of TUSC. In Brent North only Scott Bartle, the Green candidate, has signed. LINK
