The Green Party has welcomed the resolution adopted today by the European Parliament calling for Iceland to stop all whaling as a prerequisite to joining the European Union.

The resolution also calls for Iceland to drop the reservation it has lodged with the International Whaling Commission.

The call was made as part of an amendment to a resolution on Iceland's application to join the European Union tabled by the Green/EFA group.

Jean Lambert, the Green Party's MEP for London, said today: "This is a big victory for all those who have campaigned long and hard against the premeditated, deliberate and unnecessary practice of whaling.

"The resolution sends a strong signal to Iceland that if they are serious about membership of the European Union, they must respect international standards. I hope that Iceland will now join the rest of the EU in seeking to put an end to this inhumane practice in the rest of the world.

"Such a positive result follows the positive outcome of the talks at the International Whaling Commission, where the ban was crucially upheld. It's important that we act now to capitalise on this wave of international condemnation and stand together to put pressure on those countries who continue to practice this barbaric slaughter of animals." 

 

Major organisations in the Winchester District have pledged to reduce their carbon footprints in a pioneering local declaration on climate change. 20:12, the campaign to cut the carbon footprint of Winchester by 20% by the end of 2012, was set up by Winchester District Strategic Partnership, and is led by Winchester City Council and Winchester Action on Climate Change.   The first wave of organisations to sign up included the University of Winchester, Winchester Area Community Action, Winchester City Council and Winchester College. Winchester and Eastleigh HealthCare Trust is already working to a NHS scheme for carbon footprint reduction, but as a local public service organisation it has the same goals as the Winchester Declaration and has also signed. Since the launch, DC Leisure has also signed up. DC Leisure is the Council's partner which runs the River Park Leisure Centre. The latest to sign is Colden Common School.
The Winchester Declaration on Climate Change gives organisations of all types, including businesses, charities and the public sector, the opportunity to pledge to reduce their carbon emissions by 20% by 2012. For more information about climate change, how you can make changes, or to pledge to reduce your emissions, click HERE.

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UK political parties should be funded by the state, the Green Party’s deputy leader Adrian Ramsay (1) will tell the Standards Committee at its hearing on Party Political Finance today. And providing a level playing field for party funding will be an important part of the clean-up of British politics, Mr Ramsay will say.

Adrian Ramsay said today:

“Fixing British democracy isn’t just about ending the abuse of expenses. It’s about facilitating choices for the voters, and restoring people's faith in politics.

“So it simply shouldn’t be the case that parties are so reliant on wealthy donors to fund their activities. That inevitably means that some parties can afford huge PR campaigns, while the voters don’t get to hear about alternative policies put forward by parties that are less well-heeled.

“Reliance on wealthy donors also inevitably leads voters to question whether the decisions the big parties make, whether over policy or appointments, are influenced by the wishes of donors. State funding will help refocus politics on principles rather than fundraising.”

The Greens believe that party funding should be calculated and administered on a regional basis, with funds allocated in proportion to the number of votes cast in the region in the last round of proportional representation elections held across the entire region. Parties would need to exceed a threshold of 3% of the vote to become eligible for this funding.

 

Notes

1. As well as being the party’s deputy leader, Adrian Ramsay is a city councillor in Norwich, where the Greens are joint first in councillor numbers and hope to become the first ever Green Party group to take control of a city council in the UK.

2. See below for further information on the questions to be addressed by the hearing, at the Church House Conference Centre, Dean's Yard, Westminster.

 

COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF PUBLIC LIFE

PARTY POLITICAL FINANCE

PUBLIC HEARING: 8 JULY 2010

PROPOSED THEMES TO BE ADDRESSED IN QUESTIONING

Party political finance in general

Transparency – has it worked?

Effectiveness of the regulatory framework

Public trust/confidence in how political parties are funded and spend their money

 

Phillips’ Report

Is it a basis for a long-term settlement?

Why was agreement not reached?

 

Donations

What has changed since PPERA that there no appears to be a consensus among the parties about capping donations?

Why £50,000 as a limit?

How to deal with the trades union issue?

 

Expenditure

Is there an expenditure arms race?

Evidence that spending money wins elections

Should expenditure be controlled?

Should parties not be living within their means?

 

State Funding

Why has there been a shift among the political parties towards the acceptance of state funding?

Positive/negative effects of state funding

Why are the political parties finding it difficult to secure funding from a wide base of support?

Alternatives to state funding

Current streams of state funding both direct and indirect

 

Smaller Parties

Where do the smaller parties fit into the funding and expenditure picture?

 

Referendums

Are the current funding rules fair?

  

 

UK political parties should be funded by the state, the Green Party’s deputy leader Adrian Ramsay will tell the Standards Committee at its hearing on Party Political Finance tomorrow. And providing a level playing field for party funding will be an important part of the clean-up of British politics, Adrian Ramsay will say.

The Greens believe that party funding should be calculated and administered on a regional basis, with funds allocated in proportion to the number of votes cast in the region in the last round of proportional representation elections held across the entire region. Parties would need to exceed a threshold of 3% of the vote to become eligible for this funding.

Further information on the questions to be addressed by the hearing is below.

 

COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF PUBLIC LIFE

PARTY POLITICAL FINANCEPUBLIC HEARING: 8 JULY 2010

PROPOSED THEMES TO BE ADDRESSED IN QUESTIONING

Party political finance in general

Transparency – has it worked?

Effectiveness of the regulatory framework

Public trust/confidence in how political parties are funded and spend their money

 

Phillips’ Report

Is it a basis for a long-term settlement?Why was agreement not reached?

 

Donations

What has changed since PPERA that there no appears to be a consensus among the parties about capping donations?

Why £50,000 as a limit?

How to deal with the trades union issue?

 

Expenditure

Is there an expenditure arms race?

Evidence that spending money wins elections

Should expenditure be controlled?

Should parties not be living within their means?

 

State Funding

Why has there been a shift among the political parties towards the acceptance of state funding?

Positive/negative effects of state funding

Why are the political parties finding it difficult to secure funding from a wide base of support?

Alternatives to state fundingCurrent streams of state funding both direct and indirect

 

Smaller Parties

Where do the smaller parties fit into the funding and expenditure picture?

 

Referendums

Are the current funding rules fair? 

 

 

A Green Party spokesperson said:

"Norfolk County Council, controlled by the Conservatives, initiated this judicial review. The review has overturned the previous Labour government's legislation for a unitary council for Norwich. This is a terrible decision for the people of Norwich and for democracy.

"It causes great difficulty for the councillors and the council, but Green councillors in Norwich are ready to step up to the plate. We hope that elections can be held 'as soon as is reasonably practical.' It is outrageous that so many voters have had their electoral choices overturned.

"On the other hand, the Greens are now joint first place on the council. It shows again that Norwich remains the place where the Green Party stands its best chance of taking control of a local authority for the first time."

 

Speaking ahead of the Pride London parade (which begins Saturday, at 1pm at the junction of Wigmore Street with Portman Square), Jean Lambert MEP commented: "I am proud to support this important celebration of equality, diversity and freedom for all. It is a great opportunity to showcase the achievements of the LGBT community, while also pay homage to a city which allows you to be whoever it is you want to be, regardless of your sexuality.

"Of course, events such as Pride London would not be possible if it wasn't for the courageous, ambitious and revolutionary work of the Gay Liberation Front and other such organisations. And this year we celebrate 40 years since the founding of this ground-breaking organisation and the freedom it has afforded the LGBT community.

"However, we must not be complacent about fighting for equal rights for all. In many countries across Europe people still face discrimination and abuse as a result of their sexual orientation.

"What we need now is for political leaders at EU and national level to take a firm stance against homophobia and discrimination against LGBT individuals to help create a positive shift in public attitudes and behaviour."

Notes

1) The Gay Liberation Front was born in New York in 1969 following the infamous Stonewall Riots which saw clashes between the police and gay community. It was brought to London in 1970 by Bob Mellors and Aubrey Walters, with founding members including Peter Tatchell. Although it wasn't the first gay organization in Britain, it is widely regarded as the beginning of the modern movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender freedom and human rights

2) For more information visit: www.pridelondon.org

 

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has been named as one of the new ambassadors for the European funded carbon reduction building project Build with CaRe.

The aim of the three-year project (1), which was launched in 2008, is to facilitate, stimulate and strengthen the market in order to go from a few "good examples" to energy efficient design as mainstream. The core message of Build with CaRe is that energy efficiency is no longer an "if-question" but a "how-question".

Speaking about her voluntary post (2), Jean, who will serve as an overall figure head in Europe acting as a spokesperson for the project and promoting the aims of the partnership, said: "It is an honour to be asked to serve as ambassador on such a progressive, innovative and important project as Build with CaRe."

"With the building sector accounting for almost 40 per cent of the European Union's emissions (3), Build with CaRe's mission to make energy efficiency in building design the norm is not only hugely commendable but a necessity if we are to reach our EU goals for cutting carbon emissions.

"The project's commitment to implementing the European Performance of Buildings Directive so that the public sector will be owning and renting buildings with 'near zero' energy standards by the end of 2018, has secured far-reaching benefits for climate change, energy and the economy that future generations will be able to enjoy.

"Furthermore, their pioneering work educating the industry about the paramount need to set energy targets on existing building stock is key if we are to stand any chance of hitting European and global climate targets by 2050.

"Clearly, the market will not achieve these objectives without substantial policy intervention, so Build with CaRe must engage in dialogue with policy makers at both European and national level and inform legislation. Hence, in my capacity as a Green MEP and the ongoing work I am engaged in on energy efficiency in the built environment, complements the goals of Build with CaRe. I look forward to helping raise the profile of this important project in the European Parliament and beyond."

 

Notes

1. Build with CaRe is a partnership made up of 18 public and private organisations across five countries (Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK). For more information visit: http://www.buildwithcare.eu/ .

2. The post will run until August 2011 when the project comes to an end.

3. Carbon Efficient Building Solutions study by Miimu Airaksinen and Pellervo Matilainen for the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/2/3/844/.

 

Robert Hutchison has announced that he intends to stand down from being Chairman of WinACC at the 2010 AGM on 2 October. The trustees are seeking nominations for his replacement. They are also seeking nominations for one or more vice-chairs - see the specification for both roles.   If you would like to put forward a name, whether yourself or someone else, to be considered for chair or vice-chair, please email winacc@winacc.org.uk by midnight on 11 July 2010. The trustees will need a brief CV and statement setting out how the person meets the specification by midnight Sunday 18 July to consider at their meeting on 26 July. 

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The Winchester Churches Together and WinACC Faith Communities and Climate Change Project is offering free taster sessions for Carbon Conversations. Just gather around 7 or 8 (or more if you like) people either at one of your regular meetings (e.g. house group or similar) or at a time that suits you. We will come along and take you through a short (25-30 minute) taster session just to give you an idea of what Carbon Conversations is like.

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On 12 June 2010, around 20 people of various faith communities came together in Winchester to explore what climate change means in the context of faith, and to find common impetus and ideas for tackling the challenge of climate change.This is the report of the meeting, set up by the Winchester Churches Together and WinACC Faith Communities and Climate Change Project. Training materials to help other communities have similar discussions are being developed by WinACC – please email faith@winacc.org.uk  for more details or if you have any questions about this report.

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Jean Lambert and Keith Taylor, the UK's two Green Party MEPs, say it's time G20 countries in Europe put a European Green New Deal into place. This would involve an end to coal industry subsidy, an international agreement for a Robin Hood Tax, and strategic continent-wide investment in renewable energy industry.

- The European Union is considering 12 more years of state aid for coal, despite renewable energy sustaining more jobs per MW than either nuclear or fossil fuels.

- The Robin Hood Tax is a tiny tax (as low as 0.005% and average 0.05%) on hedge funds, banks, and other financial institutions which would raise billions to tackle global poverty and climate change.

Jean Lambert, London's Green MEP since 1999, said: ""It is sheer lunacy that £2.64 billion in EU subsidy goes to the carbon-spewing coal industry each year, when we could be investing this money in tackling climate change and global poverty. Coal should have been shown the red card years ago. We need to play a clean energy game."

Keith Taylor, South East England's new Green MEP, said: "A financial transaction tax has been Green Party policy for years. We endorsed the Robin Hood Tax campaign at our spring conference in February 2010. What we want is a game of two halves - the first half ending our subsidy for coal, and the second half substituting a Green New Deal to win."

Notes

1. The current EU subsidy regime for coal industry expires this year. Affected regional labor markets could be regenerated by a focus on youth unemployment and employment in renewable power industries. State aid for dirty industry has been extended six times since 1965, in contrast to G20 pledges last year to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels to slow climate change.

2. 3.2 billion euros (£2.64 billion) of subsidies will go to six EU states this year -- Poland, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia - according to a draft European Commission impact assessment, seen by Reuters.

 

The co-spokespersons of the European Green Party, Monica Frassoni and Philippe Lamberts, have outlined the Greens' demands for the G20 Summit which will take place in Toronto, Canada, on June 26th and 27th.

"Past G20 meetings have failed to agree on adequate measures to ensure that the global economy better serves the interests of the world's people, rather than privileged elite.

"In Pittsburgh in 2009, the G20 leaders shied away from effective reform of the financial system while the London summit in April 2009 failed to grasp the opportunity to tackle the economic crisis and combat climate change by launching a global Green New Deal.

"If this summit is to be more than a photo-opportunity for the leaders of the world's most powerful economies, binding commitments must be made, particularly in terms of the urgent need for a financial transaction tax.

"While the EU governments present in Toronto claim that they will be pushing for an agreement to introduce a financial transaction tax, the reality is that they are in a very weak position and will have almost no influence because the EU allowed the UK to veto the introduction of just such a tax at the EU summit in Brussels last week."

Frassoni and Lamberts concluded: "We also share the anger of our colleagues in the Canadian Green Party at the Canadian government's determination to keep climate change as low down on the summit's agenda as possible."

Commenting on today's "budget for pointless austerity," the UK's first Green MP Caroline Lucas said:

"In spite of the Chancellor's protestations, this budget was neither unavoidable nor fair. Instead it was a massively failed opportunity to shift the economy onto a fairer, greener pathway.

"Devastating public spending cuts of the sort announced today are not ‘unavoidable.' They are not an economic inevitability - they are an ideological choice.

"Nor was this budget fair. A VAT rise, benefits cuts for all, a public sector freeze, and swingeing cuts in most government budgets of 25%, will all of them hit some of the poorest hardest."

Cuts are "unnecessary and destructive"

This week Caroline Lucas published a new report (1, 2) arguing that the cuts are both unnecessary and destructive - and saying that by cracking down on tax evasion and avoidance the government could raise tens of billions of pounds a year.

"It's been demonstrated that any efforts that are needed to address the deficit, once the economy is back to better health, can be paid for through progressive tax reform, so that the poorest are not forced to pay the highest price for the excesses of the bankers."

The Green Party leader and Brighton Pavilion MP continued: "We need a Green New Deal - a major investment package to rapidly modernise the UK economy for a low-carbon future, while seeing off the recession through large-scale job-creation. That's the kind of policy the new government should have put centre-stage."

Vote Blue, get Blue 

Caroline Lucas concluded: "Any notion that by voting Blue you get Green was nailed today by the stark absence of any serious measures to promote urgently needed environmental measures."

Notes

1. See http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2010-06-19-callous-cuts-report.html.

2. The full report - called Cuts: the callous con trick - can be read at http://www.financeforthefuture.com/TaxBriefing.pdf.

3. A briefing on the main points of the budget can be seen at http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/reports/Budget_response_June_2010.pdf.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP will this week tell the coalition government there is “no good reason for any cuts in public expenditure during the life of this parliament.”

On Monday 21 June Britain’s first Green MP is to issue a new report – Cuts: the callous con trick (1) – in which she will make the case that cuts are unnecessary “because the economy could instead be rebalanced using additional tax revenues.”

The report, written jointly with tax expert Richard Murphy and Colin Hines of Finance for the Future, condemns the government “for failing to put to the electorate the option of fair tax instead of cuts,” and accuses ministers of increasing the likelihood of a double-dip recession.

 

Cuts “are not an economic inevitability but an ideological choice”

Caroline Lucas said today:

“Cuts are not an economic inevitability. They are an ideological choice. Politicians of all parties are now sharpening their axes to slash public spending, forcing those on lower incomes, who depend on public services the most, to pay the highest price for the recent excesses of the bankers.

“There is a choice. We should ask those best able to pay to foot the bill through fairer taxation. That’s the challenge I’m issuing: for that political choice to be made. It must be clearly asserted that we are not all in this together: that some had more responsibility for this crisis than others, and some benefited more from the boom that preceded it. Those who enjoyed the largest benefits must pay up now. For that to happen, fair taxes, not cuts, must become the new big idea to replace today’s callous and uncaring cuts fanaticism.”

 

Tax avoidance and evasion “truly staggering” – could be as high as £100bn a year

The Brighton Pavilion MP continued:

“The UK is currently one of the most unequal societies in Europe. But the financial crisis offers us an opportunity to rebalance the tax system. We could do it, for example, by applying the 50% tax rate to incomes above £100,000, abolishing the upper limit for national insurance contributions, raising capital gains tax to the recipient’s highest income tax rate, and helping lower earners by reintroducing the 10% tax band.

“Moreover, the huge extent of tax avoidance, tax evasion and unpaid tax in the UK economy is truly staggering.  HM Revenue & Customs themselves admit that tax evasion and avoidance together come to at least £40 billion a year, whilst in November 2009 they also admitted there was £28 billion of unpaid tax owing to them. Shocking as these numbers are, some experts have suggested that tax evasion – that’s deliberately breaking the law to not pay tax – might be as high as £70 billion a year, and tax avoidance – in other words, exploiting loopholes in tax law – might be £25 billion a year. That would take the total target for necessary action to collect tax due and owing to more than £100 billion a year”

 

Cut tax abuse, not tax-collectors’ jobs

Caroline Lucas continued:

“Whilst these appalling losses to the nation’s coffers are occurring, HM Revenue & Customs are pursuing a programme of job cuts which will ultimately reduce their own staff by 20,000 – close to one quarter of the total. This makes absolutely no sense.  This programme should be reversed, staff re-employed, and local tax offices re-opened in order to tackle tax abuse. It has been calculated that at least £15 billion of extra tax could be collected each year as a result.  That could prevent a massive range of cuts."

Richard Murphy, tax expert, chartered accountant and co-author of the report said:

“Our report sets out a range of additional options for changing the tax rules for the UK so that more than £40 billion of additional taxes could be raised each year by the end of the life of this parliament. That, together with the tax collecting efficiency savings already noted, would together deliver more than £60 billion of tax revenues for the UK – so preventing the need for any cuts at all.”

Richard Murphy added:

“A government really can spend to save the economy when in a recession. During this one, borrowing has been smaller and unemployment lower than forecast because of the measures taken by the last government to stimulate the economy. This report argues that a Green New Deal involving public and private investment in a massive labour intensive UK wide energy saving programme and a rapid shift to renewables should be the basis for continuing that programme of support for our economy. This would ensure that we come out of the recession better equipped for the future we’re going to face."

Caroline Lucas concluded:

“Fairer tax not cuts must become the real battleground of this new Parliament. It is the debate the Coalition and Labour alike must embrace. As the full ghastliness and unfairness of the cuts become ever clearer, the public clamour for fairer taxes rather than cuts can only grow."

 

Note

1.    The report can be read at: http://www.financeforthefuture.com/TaxBriefing.pdf.

 

The UK's Green MEPs have welcomed the adoption of a joint resolution by the European Parliament today condemning last month's military operation by Israel against a flotilla of humanitarian aid bound for Gaza.

The resolution also calls for an end to the Israeli blockade of the territory, which humanitarian agencies describe as a violation of international law and a collective punishment of the Gazan civilian population.

Today's vote in the Euro-Parliament represents a key stage in the negotiations to decide how the EU should respond to the incident - as well as address the ongoing blockade of Gaza.

The move comes 2 1/2 weeks after Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP condemned the Israeli attack.

Israel now indicates it will respond to international pressure by easing the blockade to allow more products into Gaza.

Following the European Parliament vote this afternoon, the South East's new MEP, Keith Taylor, said:

"I welcome the decision of MEPs from across the political spectrum to support this strong resolution condemning Israel for its unprovoked and disproportionate attacks on the Free Gaza humanitarian aid flotilla.

"The European Parliament has made it clear that this military action marked a breach of international law, and must now be investigated via a ‘prompt, international and impartial' inquiry. Israel must be held accountable for the tragic loss of life sustained in this incident and for its failure to take its responsibilities to the international community seriously.

"Furthermore, today's resolution shows in no uncertain terms that the Parliament opposes the ongoing Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has resulted in a humanitarian crisis and the collective punishment of the 1.5 million Palestinians living in the territory. Around 80% of the Gazan population is dependent on food aid, with the Palestinian Territories being the largest third-country recipient of EU funds. I wholeheartedly welcome the pledge made by Binyamin Netanyahu's office today to allow more supplies into Gaza, but this situation remains inhumane and completely unsustainable: the blockade must be entirely ended.

"The resolution also makes clear that peace will only be possible when rocket attacks on Israel are halted - and warns that those who perpetrate them must face their full responsibility. It also calls for the Israeli sergeant Gilad Shalit, kidnapped by Hamas on Israeli soil, is released immediately. Only under these conditions, combined with an end to the blockade, can there be true progress towards a peaceful two state solution."

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, said:

"I join my fellow Green MEP, Keith Taylor, in welcoming the European Parliament's support for a resolution condemning Israel's brutal attack of a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza and calling for an inquiry.

"Crucially, the resolution also urges Israel to immediately end the blockade; a cruel blockade that has resulted in a serious deterioration of sanitary and environment conditions, and empowered extremists. Until Israel finally lifts this unjust measure, thousands of people will continue to be robbed of their human rights.

"In addition, it asks for steps to be taken to ensure the sustainable opening of all the crossing points to and from Gaza. This will allow for the unimpeded flow of humanitarian and commercial goods necessary for civilian reconstruction and help facilitate the two-state solution, which remains the essential basis for lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

"I also welcome the resolution's urgent request that the Council takes steps to convene without delay the EU-Israel Association Council. It is essential that we re-evaluate the EU-Israel Association agreement .The attack on the flotilla is the latest of human rights abuses and there has been no progress on an end to the siege or a stop to the building of settlements on occupied land. The Agreement is not unconditional: that needs to be remembered."

3 July 2010 - 10:30am - 12:00pm St Lawrence Parish Room, Colebrook St, Winchester, SO23 9LH

Kelsie Learney, Leader of Winchester City Council, will be at the next WinACC open meeting on Saturday 3 July. She will set out what the new Cabinet plans to do to cut Winchester's carbon footprint, with plenty of time for questions and discussion

WinACC open meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month. They usually have a topic for discussion, and an update about recent activities and future plans. An opportunity for newcomers and members to get involved.

WinACC's organisational forum took to the road on 17 May for a visit to Marwell Wildlife. This included a trip to see Cafe Graze - the newest building on the park, designed with as many sustainable features as possible, including sun pipes, heavy insulation and serving areas and surfaces made from recycled plastic bottles.

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Jean Lambert [1], the Green MEP for London, has today marked Refugee Week by urging people to celebrate the "invaluable contribution" refugees bring to life in the UK.

The aim of Refugee Week is to challenge misconceptions about refugees through awareness-raising events, while showcasing the many ways in which the UK has benefited from their diverse skills. One of the biggest myths is that the UK operates an "open door" policy on asylum and the country is being "flooded" by immigrants. To the contrary, the UK only received 25,670 asylum applications in 2008 [2], a figure that has fallen by almost half over the last five years, and we are ranked just 17th in a league table of industrialised countries for the number of claims per head of population [3].

Jean, who is a leading voice on asylum and immigration, says: "With so many negative myths surrounding the issue of asylum and immigration it is easy to lose the real story. Refugee Week offers a unique opportunity to dispel these misconceptions and focus on the truth behind the misinformed hype.

"Refugees are not here to scrounge off our welfare system, they are people forced out of their homes because their life and often the lives of their families have been put in danger because of war, conflict or political persecution. Increasingly, we are also seeing the most vulnerable communities losing their livelihoods and homes because of the impact of climate change, with rising sea levels, local water supplies threatened and land and crops lost to dramatic changes in weather.

"Asylum seekers are looking for a place of safety, not, as some people would have you believe, a place that would be economically beneficial. Indeed, many refugees live in hope that one day they can return to their homeland but whilst a variety of reasons often means that this is impossible their contribution to life in the UK is invaluable. From the NHS, to the construction industry, from the world of business to the service sector, refugees are an integral part of the very fabric of our society and Refugee Week is a celebration of this.

"But, of course, behind the celebration we mustn't forget that refugees have not chosen to live here, they have had that choice made for them. To address this situation we need political action to reduce conflict, protect human rights and protect our planet."

Notes to editors:

[1] Jean Lambert is the European Parliament’s Rapporteur on the revision of the Qualifications Directive and was recently responsible for securing the European Parliament’s support for the creation of a European Asylum Support Office.

[2] Home Office quarterly statistical summary, asylum statistics 2008 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=261

[3] UNHCR Asylum levels and trends in industrialised countries 2007 and 2008

http://www.unhcr.org/47daae862.html

For further information on Refugee Week visit: http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk

Claire Jones (photo) has become a WinACC trustee. She has been actively involved in WinACC since its early days, chairing its Communications Group, co-authoring our Top Tips for reducing your carbon footprint, and as a member of our recently-formed Co-ordinating Group.  She works in Winchester as an actuary and pensions consultant, and leads the Green Team which is working to reduce her firm’s carbon footprint.  Complete list of trustees and other information at "About Us".
 

WinACC is seeking a freelance project manager for a new and interesting project, "Imagining Here", which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Project Manager will lead implementation of this project across two communities in the Winchester District from summer 2010 for approximately nine months. Please see details under Jobs at www.winacc.org.uk/about-us. Applications by email to beccy.smith@winacc.org.uk by 28 June.