Yesterday
Left Foot Forward
Adrian Ramsay said arms sales to Israel were 'unacceptable'
Adrian Ramsay said arms sales to Israel were 'unacceptable'
The Green Party’s co-leader appeared on a special edition of Question Time this evening as part of the BBC’s general election coverage.
Ramsay faced a series of probing questions from the show’s host Fiona Bruce on comments made by Green Party candidates on the ongoing situation in Gaza.
Responding to this, Ramsay said that people needed to take care in how they discussed the issue, but also made a powerful case for ending arms sales to Israel.
Speaking on the programme, he said: “What we need to be very aware of in talking about this is that there are Jewish communities and Muslim communities in the UK and around the world feeling very vulnerable at the moment. And all of us – and I’d say this to candidates of any party – need to be very aware of that when we’re talking about this issue.
“But that won’t stop me standing up and saying that the UK needs to play its role internationally – putting pressure for there to be a ceasefire from both sides. And in saying that it’s absolutely unacceptable for the UK to continue selling arms to Israel when the International Criminal Court has been very clear that Israel as well as Hamas has broken international law.”
Ramsay’s call for ending arms sales was met with applause by the studio audience.
Adrian Ramsay applauded by Question Time audience for saying railways should be in public ownership
Chris Jarvis
Yesterday
Left Foot Forward
The Green Party co-leader said that the railways should be run for "public benefit, not for the huge profits of the rail companies"
Left Foot Forward
The Green Party co-leader said that the railways should be run for "public benefit, not for the huge profits of the rail companies"
As part of the BBC’s general election coverage, the Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay faced a studio audience on a special edition of Question Time this evening (June 28).
During the programme, Ramsay faced questions about the Green Party’s policies on the environment and on transport. In his response, Ramsay made the case for greater investment in public transport, to make rail travel more affordable and for renationalising the railways.
Ramsay said: “It absolutely shouldn’t be the case that’s its more expensive to get the train, often substantially more expensive isn’t it, to get the train within the UK than it is to get a flight. And a flight is several times more environmentally damaging.
“And I think most people want to do the greener option, but the greener option’s got to be the cheaper and more convenient option as well.”
The show’s host Fiona Bruce then asked how the Greens would make public transport more affordable.
Ramsay then send: “At the moment there are huge subsidies for the aviation industry, whilst we have some of the most expensive rail prices in Europe. And so one of the things we would do is to bring the railways back into public ownership, which I think people would really like to see that they are run for public benefit, not for the huge profits of the rail companies.”
Ramsay’s call for renationalising the railways was met with applause from the audience.
Exclusive polling for Left Foot Forward in November 2023 found that 70 per cent of the public support taking the railways back into public ownership.
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy of development at Left Foot Forward
Greens set out charter for small businesses to help high streets thrive
The Greens have set out their plans to help small businesses
The Greens have set out their plans to help small businesses
(Isabel Infantes/PA)
By Rhiannon James,
PA Political Staff
Today
The Green Party has committed to helping the UK’s high streets thrive in a green economy by setting out a charter for small businesses.
Under its proposals, the party is offering to create regional mutual banks to drive investment in decarbonisation, rejoin the EU customs union, and give VAT and rates exemptions to businesses.
It has also pledged to spend £2 billion a year on grant funding for local authorities to help businesses decarbonise and hopes to encourage community ownership.
Ellie Chowns, the party’s candidate for North Herefordshire, said the charter will support business to “survive and prosper”, adding they are the “lifeblood of our economy and our communities”.
Ms Chowns added: “This is a comprehensive package offering direct support to small businesses that also introduces measures to encourage customers to get to and use small local businesses.
“These innovations will set the framework for small enterprises to succeed and our high streets to once again become vital community hubs.
Green candidate Ellie Chowns set out the plans (Jonathan Brady/PA)
“These new regional banks would be capitalised through a co-operative development fund using some of the funds made available through the United Kingdom Infrastructure Bank, along with an additional £10 billion of public money.
“Local authorities would be funded nationally to channel grants worth £2 billion per year to local businesses which want to decarbonise faster.
“Our new generation of Green MPs will press in Parliament to remove any legal blocks to companies wanting to transform into mutual organisations, especially at the point of succession from one owner to another.”
The former MEP said the current approach to support for business is “failing” and the Greens will offer them a “win-win-win package”.
She added: “Some small local businesses struggle to get their payments on time which can leave them financially exposed and unable to thrive on our high streets.
“Elected Greens will campaign to bring the Prompt Payment Code into law and bar late payers from public-procurement contracts.
“We also want to mandate the Small Business Commissioner to investigate potential instances of poor payment proactively, instead of only when a complaint has been made.”
Other Green pledges include backing farmers to produce and sell more food locally, free bus travel for under-18s, and building more social housing.
The Green Party has committed to helping the UK’s high streets thrive in a green economy by setting out a charter for small businesses.
Under its proposals, the party is offering to create regional mutual banks to drive investment in decarbonisation, rejoin the EU customs union, and give VAT and rates exemptions to businesses.
It has also pledged to spend £2 billion a year on grant funding for local authorities to help businesses decarbonise and hopes to encourage community ownership.
Ellie Chowns, the party’s candidate for North Herefordshire, said the charter will support business to “survive and prosper”, adding they are the “lifeblood of our economy and our communities”.
Ms Chowns added: “This is a comprehensive package offering direct support to small businesses that also introduces measures to encourage customers to get to and use small local businesses.
“These innovations will set the framework for small enterprises to succeed and our high streets to once again become vital community hubs.
Green candidate Ellie Chowns set out the plans (Jonathan Brady/PA)
“These new regional banks would be capitalised through a co-operative development fund using some of the funds made available through the United Kingdom Infrastructure Bank, along with an additional £10 billion of public money.
“Local authorities would be funded nationally to channel grants worth £2 billion per year to local businesses which want to decarbonise faster.
“Our new generation of Green MPs will press in Parliament to remove any legal blocks to companies wanting to transform into mutual organisations, especially at the point of succession from one owner to another.”
The former MEP said the current approach to support for business is “failing” and the Greens will offer them a “win-win-win package”.
She added: “Some small local businesses struggle to get their payments on time which can leave them financially exposed and unable to thrive on our high streets.
“Elected Greens will campaign to bring the Prompt Payment Code into law and bar late payers from public-procurement contracts.
“We also want to mandate the Small Business Commissioner to investigate potential instances of poor payment proactively, instead of only when a complaint has been made.”
Other Green pledges include backing farmers to produce and sell more food locally, free bus travel for under-18s, and building more social housing.
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