UK Parties: The Greens & RESPECT Coalition

[T_i_B]

A thread on two left wing parties. First of all the Green Party

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

And also the RESPECT Coalition, who are the current guise of the Socialist Alliance with George Galloway as their most public figure.

http://www.respectcoalition.org/

[ukrespect]

1. London Elections

In the recent elections for London Mayor, the RESPECT candidate finished ahead of the Greens and the fascist BNP party. They recently followed this up by winning their first council by-election in East London, relegating Labour to 3rd place.

It's worth noting as well that there is a lot of common ground between the Green party and RESPECT, however I don't think you could really describe the Green's as a true left wing party. Although they have many progressive policies, particularly in relation to the environment, they do not stand on a fully socialist agenda.

[T_i_B]

2. Galloway wins Saddam libel case

I thought I'd better post this here as RESPECT would be up the proverbial creek without a paddle had he lost.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4061165.stm

MP George Galloway has been awarded £150,000 in libel damages from the Daily Telegraph over claims he received money from Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

The Glasgow Kelvin MP was awarded the damages in compensation for articles published by the paper in April 2003.

He had denied ever seeking or receiving money from Saddam Hussein's government, which he said he had long opposed.

The newspaper said it was in the public interest to publish the claims, based on documents found in Baghdad.

[Briar]

3. At last!

Some good news.

But the Torygraph is appealing...

[Smeggy]

4. shame...

I hate the toriegraph, but what can you do? their reader ship should die out soon tho :p

I voted for respect in the London elections as well. I wish more political parties had the balls to call the invasion of iraq what it really is... A SHAM.

[Briar]

6. If you live in Bethnell Green

you'll get a chance for vote for him in the next election.

[T_i_B]

8. Bethnal Green & Bow

That may well be one of the most interesting contests in the election. George Galloway v Oona King

I guess I can give this thread a UK General Election Kick now!

:kick:

[non sociopath skin]

5. Though I'm not George's biggest fan, I'm delighted about this.

First the Conrad Black debacle, now we find that they lied about Galloway. What price the Tory Party's House Journal now?

The Skin

[Anarcho-Socialist]

7. Galloway is a naive fool, but I knew he wasn't a traitor n/t

[T_i_B]

9. It's a shame I kicked this one yesterday

I should have waited til today before kicking this thread complete with this article about the Greens. :-)

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=627377

A record 200 candidates, standing on a platform of "people, planet and peace", will contest the election for the Greens.

Launching its campaign yesterday by unveiling a series of billboards pulled by bicycles, the party insisted that it was on course to winning its first seat in Parliament.

It will concentrate its limited resources on Brighton Pavilion, being contested by Keith Taylor, one of its two principal speakers. Labour has a 9,643 majority in the constituency, but the Greens now have six councillors in the town and matched Labour's vote in Brighton in last year's European elections.

Other target seats include Lewisham Deptford, Norwich South and Leeds West.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

10. If they had a chance in my area, I'd definitely vote for them n/t

[Vladimir]

11. The problem I have with the Greens in my area

(where RESPECT isn't standing btw.) is that they refuse to campaign on the council estates, even though they have a serious chance of doing well here because of the level of irritation with Labour across the board.

I don't know their reasons, but it smacks of elitism and I don't much like it...