Tag Archives: green liberal democrats

What are the two most important actions to address global warming that the party should be campaigning on in the next election?

We have a good climate change policy and we presented a more substantial, better thought-through programme on climate change than any of the other parties at the last election.  Little of this received any prominence during the 2019 campaign, partly because we had limited scope to shape a debate which was focussed elsewhere, and partly due to tactical decisions we ourselves made.

But while we definitely don’t need to start from scratch on climate change, there is nonetheless work to do well in advance of setting out the party’s manifesto for the next general election.

First, our policy was written in 2019 and predates Covid, COP26 and the energy crisis.  Inevitably it requires updating.

Second it is important that we continue to innovate from a policy perspective.  In general it is helpful that 80% of our policy stays the same, so the public gets used to it, so we build an identity that people understand,  and so on the doorsteps we know how to communicate it.  But for our message to be fresh and inspiring, 20% of it needs to be new.

Third,  we should be thinking now which parts of a very comprehensive climate change policy we will be wanting to spotlight in the manifesto.

The Green Liberal Democrats are undertaking a project to update, innovate, spotlight the party’s climate change policy, with some ideas to be presented at the party’s spring conference.  Output from this will then feed into the broader process for developing the election manifesto.

As part of the project we are running a simple typeform survey.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged | 12 Comments

Opinion: The green centre ground

Since the Coalition was formed we have lost the impetus with the green agenda. Around two fifths of Lib Dem voters from 2010 have switched to Labour or the Green Party. In Bristol, we sadly lost two ward seats to the Greens in this year’s local elections. By ‘greening’ our liberal, democratic and social reforms we are most likely to achieve our desired goal of a stronger economy in a fairer society.

That is why I welcome the Green Liberal Democrats Conference, taking place in Bristol on 15th June. The Conference can prove to environmentalists how we are …

Posted in Op-eds | 22 Comments
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