2 December 2015 tamworthgreens

No UK Bombing in Syria

The 1st of December marked 60 years since Rosa Parks refused to move from her bus seat for a white person, an act that sparked a demonstration which lasted 381 days and helped to change the way minorities were treated all across America.

It is a perfect example how the resolve of a small number of people to do what is right and not what is easy can make a positive difference in society.

At present many in the western governments, backed by irresponsible elements in the media, are determined to escalate the ‘war on terror’ in the middle east in supposed retaliation for the abhorrent attacks in Paris. We are told of pinpoint accuracy and only hitting ISIS, just as we were told similar stories in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

The reality is a continuing cycle of suffering and death for millions of innocent Syrians caught up in a terrible civil war. History has shown us that air strikes go wrong on a worryingly regular basis, only last month the US paid out compensation to one of many wedding parties it has destroyed in drone strikes. The past twenty years have seen hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced and yet we are no closer to peace in the middle east or ‘security at home’.

As Albert Einstein said:

‘to repeat the same experiment over and over again expecting different results is nothing less than insanity’.

We need to stop this insanity now.

So what is the answer? The last one hundred and fifty years have shown continual interference in the middle east by western powers interested only in their own gains. We need to break the cycle of violence by stopping support for regimes that deny democracy and abuse human rights. We need to stop the supply of arms and training to those regimes. And most importantly we need to support those countries to develop free and open societies that value all their citizens or whatever gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. It won’t happen over night but it is the only way we can move forward.

What can the people of Tamworth do? Write to Mr Pincher and tell him that military intervention is not being done in your name. Make sure he knows that we will hold him to account at the next election.

Support the Syrian refuges when they arrive in Tamworth. Let us all make Tamworth a place we can all be proud of, safe in the knowledge that anyone fleeing terror will always find a welcome in our town.

What better way could we could celebrate 60 years since Rosa Parks stand for human rights than by standing together one more time?

Video 8 November 2015 tamworthgreens

Tamworth Says YES to Syrian Refugees – The Video

Please spend just over six minutes watching this video by Paul Barnett of wellredfilms to see for yourself just how magnificent the people of Tamworth are.

Thank you Paul.

Further information:

From Syria to Tamworth from wellredfilms on Vimeo.

Gallery 7 November 2015 tamworthgreens

Tamworth Says YES to Syrian Refugees – In Pictures

Wow! Fantastic turnout today in Tamworth Castle Grounds for the ‘Tamworth Says Yes to Syrian Refugees’ demonstration – to counterpoint the naysayers. Well done to the organisers for such a great event and thanks to Staffordshire Police for their presence.

Here’s some pictures from the event. Click an image to enlarge it. (All images courtesy of RobTheRunt)

Tamworth Says YES to Syrian Refugees

29 October 2015 tamworthgreens

Say YES to Syrian Refugees

A statement from Tamworth Green Party.

Tamworth Borough Council is to be applauded for its decision to take in ten families fleeing war and persecution in Syria. Whilst this does not go nearly far enough, it is certainly a step in the right direction.

However, for some, even ten families is too much. They argue that Tamworth is ‘full’ and we cannot adequately house our own people.

Whilst it is true we face an acute shortage of suitable accommodation, there is no contradiction between continuing to campaign for decent, affordable homes for all and stepping up to meet our obligations to do the right thing and support the Syrian refugees.

On that basis, we would urge people to show the caring, tolerant and compassionate face of Tamworth and bring family and friends to join the “Tamworth says YES to refugees” gathering in Castle Grounds, at 2pm on the 7th November.

Let’s all stand up and be counted.

22 July 2015 tamworthgreens

OFSTED: Landau Forte 6th Form Requires Improvement

What happens to failing academies?

Several years ago we were told that Tamworth schools were in such a state that the only answer was to have an academy in the town. It was also decided that all of the 6th forms would be closed in favour of a single 6th form run by the new academy sponsor Landau Forte. This was fought but the decision had already been made and despite massive public opposition to the changes they were pushed onto Tamworth whether we liked it or not.

Landau Forte 6th Form – image courtesy of Tamworth Herald

The government has recently said that any schools that fail to reach a good standard in the OFSTED inspection regime will be turned into academies as though it is a magic bullet that cures all ills. But what happens when academies fail? Sadly we are in this position with the only 6th form in Tamworth having been given a ‘requires improvement’ in its latest OFSTED inspection. What this shows yet again is that the use of private companies and organisations within schools does nothing to improve achievement.

The last thirty years have seen relentless meddling by successive governments, constant attempts to undermine the status of the teaching profession and the use of education to score political points off their rivals.

So what is the answer? Public money should be spent on things that benefit the public not to subsidise contracts for big corporations. Education professionals need to be given the freedom to develop the curriculum that best suits their pupils. And most importantly there must be real choice for parents to choose a school that best suits their child.

Tamworth deserves to have good schools for ALL children and that will only be achieved by well motivated staff working in well equipped schools. It is time to stop spending money on what private companies want and start spending it on making a better future for the children of Tamworth. The Green Party is dedicated to a fair system that values the skills of every child and believes that parents should decide what is best for their children.

Download the OFSTED report here.

8 July 2015 tamworthgreens

Budget – New Faces, Old Tories

The first Conservative budget in twenty years has shown nothing has changed apart from the faces.

Despite being told “we are all in it together”, today’s budget shows nothing could be further from the truth.

On a day when hundreds of thousands of public sector workers were told their pay would be subject to ‘restraint’ that amounts to a further 10% cut in their standard of living on top of the 20% they have already suffered, a small number of wealthy business owners were told that the tax they pay on the profits of their companies would be cut again and again and when they spend those profits on million pound mansions they will be able to pass them on tax free to their children.

The public sector workers affected include nurses, policemen, care workers and many others. The very people that supply vital services to us all day in day out will yet again be hit for the benefit of the wealthy.

Does this really sound like we are all in together?

But there is an alternative. By supporting the Green Party you are supporting a fairer society that values all people, no matter what job they may do. By supporting the Green Party you are sending a message to the government to let them know that you don’t accept tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of our NHS, schools and police force.

Read the reactions to this budget by Natalie Bennett & Caroline Lucas.

Vote for change. Vote Green!

5 July 2015 tamworthgreens

Foxhunting – Tamworth Greens Campaign

The Tories want to repeal the Hunting Act 2004!

Yes, you heard that right. David Cameron wants his government to reintroduce hunting foxes with dogs. Not only that, but our local MP Christopher Pincher agrees.

This is something that Tamworth Greens feels is just not acceptable so we have started this campaign to ensure that these plans don’t bear fruit.

Join us in making sure that Dave’s folly never gets off the ground. Visit our campaign page for more details.

And if you’re wondering what the Green Party thinks, read Caroline Lucas’s views on her website and also in The Independent.

22 June 2015 tamworthgreens

#StopArmingIsrael Action At Shenstone

War On Want are planning creative action outside an arms factory in Shenstone as a part of their #StopArmingIsrael campaign. You can register your interest in participating in this.

Here’s the details from War On Want.

Will you join us on 6 July for a day of creative action outside the Elbit Systems arms factory in Shenstone (near Birmingham) as a part of our #StopArmingIsrael campaign?

RSVP now to register your interest and get updates about the action (including possible transport options)!

The beginning of July marks one year since the horrific Israeli attacks on Gaza last summer, which killed over 2,000 Palestinians. These attacks are enabled by the UK government’s support of the Israeli military industry. In 2014 alone, the UK government licensed over £11.6 million worth of military equipment and arms components for export to Israel, with full knowledge of what those arms are used for.

Help War on Want by donating to our Stop Arming Israel campaign.

Also in July we are marking BDS@10, the ten year anniversary of the inspiring grassroots call from Palestinians for international supporters to engage in campaigns of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) on Israel until it complies with international law to end its apartheid policies. Central to the BDS mission is targetting the arms companies profiting from Israel’s war against Palestinians, producing weapons and weapons components used in the Israeli military attacks. Many of these companies are operating right here in our communities in the UK.Protesters call for an arms embargo and for the UK to stop arming Israel.

Elbit Systems, with its subsidiary factory in Shenstone, is one of Israel’s largest arms companies, producing drones and other military technology used in Israeli military assaults on Gaza. Last year activists occupied the factory, forcing its operations to grind to a halt while they were there. Now it’s time to go back outside the same factory, this time in numbers, to transform it into a space for community.

The Stop Arming Israel campaign will be a long-term campaign with many different approaches, including pressuring our government and the arms companies themselves. For now, let’s send a powerful message to Elbit Systems that we will not stand by while they produce their deadly weapons!