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| Live page: Green Party's Steven Agnew | Live page: Green Party's Steven Agnew |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST) | LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST) |
| Hello and welcome to BBC News Online's coverage of Green Party candidate Steven Agnew's election interview on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback. Mr Agnew is being interviewed by Wendy Austin from 1200 to 1245, and he is fielding questions put forward by Talkback listeners. Get involved by submitting your questions to talk.back@bbc.co.uk, by calling Wendy's answer-machine on 028 90338255 and of course via Twitter. If you can't get to a radio, you can listen to the programme online by right-clicking on this link to open it in a new window. | Hello and welcome to BBC News Online's coverage of Green Party candidate Steven Agnew's election interview on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback. Mr Agnew is being interviewed by Wendy Austin from 1200 to 1245, and he is fielding questions put forward by Talkback listeners. Get involved by submitting your questions to talk.back@bbc.co.uk, by calling Wendy's answer-machine on 028 90338255 and of course via Twitter. If you can't get to a radio, you can listen to the programme online by right-clicking on this link to open it in a new window. |
| Over the next few weeks, Talkback will be featuring all Northern Ireland's main parties and we'll be here covering the interviews as they happen. | Over the next few weeks, Talkback will be featuring all Northern Ireland's main parties and we'll be here covering the interviews as they happen. |
| 1247 Mr Agnew's final point: "Voting does not have to continue along the old party lines." | |
| 1245 John from Stranmillis emails: "The current average state pension is around £97 a week. For that to be increased to £170 a week would be marvellous, but where is Steven Agnew going to get the money to pay for this? The state pension is only increased annually by about £1 or £2 a week under either Labour or the Conservatives, so if they can't find the money for a dramatic increase, how on earth will the Green Party? I think it's all pie in the sky, unfortunately!" | |
| 1242 Wendy turns to the Green policies on tax. Mr Agnew says it's based on a "polluter pays" principle. They would levy costs on flying which could be produced locally. Flying Egyptian spuds to Northern Ireland is Mr Agnew's example. | |
| 1240 A caller says Mr Agnew must have been in his element during the ash crisis as it meant flights were grounded and the Greens oppose expansion in aviation. He laughs it off. | |
| 1239 Keep refreshing by pressing F5 - it's more interactive that way... | 1239 Keep refreshing by pressing F5 - it's more interactive that way... |
| 1238 It's our old friend Anon on the text again: "If these green hippies want to conserve the environment let them do it on their own time? And why do they have so many voting billboards up?" | 1238 It's our old friend Anon on the text again: "If these green hippies want to conserve the environment let them do it on their own time? And why do they have so many voting billboards up?" |
| 1237 Jim rings to ask about the Greens in government in the Irish Republic, specifically their support of a rise in heating oil duty. Mr Agnew says that can only be done if you're doing something in return for the taxpayer. He cites an electric car scheme and an insulation scheme as the trade off. | 1237 Jim rings to ask about the Greens in government in the Irish Republic, specifically their support of a rise in heating oil duty. Mr Agnew says that can only be done if you're doing something in return for the taxpayer. He cites an electric car scheme and an insulation scheme as the trade off. |
| 1233 Here's a pic of Wendy in the studio chewing the cud with Steven... does this live up to the picture in your imagination? | 1233 Here's a pic of Wendy in the studio chewing the cud with Steven... does this live up to the picture in your imagination? |
| 1230 Adrienne asks if the Greens would spend more on park wardens, specifically as a child protection matter. Mr Agnew says it is down to councils to look after these facilities as people are paying for them through rates. | 1230 Adrienne asks if the Greens would spend more on park wardens, specifically as a child protection matter. Mr Agnew says it is down to councils to look after these facilities as people are paying for them through rates. |
| 1229 "What would you do for the average Joe?" asks a listener. Mr Agnew says the Greens would spend £20bn insulating every home and many public buildings in the UK - scrapping ID cards would help pay for this. | 1229 "What would you do for the average Joe?" asks a listener. Mr Agnew says the Greens would spend £20bn insulating every home and many public buildings in the UK - scrapping ID cards would help pay for this. |
| 1226 In reply to text stating: "If a Green member gets elected, I will eat the contents of my blue bin", Mr Agnew says the Greens could get a seat somewhere in the UK so the texter should get the ketchup ready. | 1226 In reply to text stating: "If a Green member gets elected, I will eat the contents of my blue bin", Mr Agnew says the Greens could get a seat somewhere in the UK so the texter should get the ketchup ready. |
| 1226 The drilling Wendy mentioned earlier in the programme is our technical staff trying to sort out the automatic refresh - hopefully it will be repaired soon. Stay tuned. | 1226 The drilling Wendy mentioned earlier in the programme is our technical staff trying to sort out the automatic refresh - hopefully it will be repaired soon. Stay tuned. |
| 1224 Texter asks if the Green Party is against growing the economy? - Mr Agnew says no, but we have to judge an economy on quality of life, not pure growth figures. | 1224 Texter asks if the Green Party is against growing the economy? - Mr Agnew says no, but we have to judge an economy on quality of life, not pure growth figures. |
| 1223 Mr Agnew says they'll be introducing an older people's pledge setting out their commitments later this week. He says the party is also looking at the idea of a citizen's income which sets out a minimum income level for everyone in society. He says would the Greens favour a basic state pension of £170 a week, paid for by abolishing the pension credit system. | 1223 Mr Agnew says they'll be introducing an older people's pledge setting out their commitments later this week. He says the party is also looking at the idea of a citizen's income which sets out a minimum income level for everyone in society. He says would the Greens favour a basic state pension of £170 a week, paid for by abolishing the pension credit system. |
| 1221 Next caller Derek asks what the Greens would do for older people who are long-term unemployed. | 1221 Next caller Derek asks what the Greens would do for older people who are long-term unemployed. |
| 1220 Anonymous texter: "Tell Steven to wake up like many others now, global warming being caused by CO2 is a load of nonsense." | 1220 Anonymous texter: "Tell Steven to wake up like many others now, global warming being caused by CO2 is a load of nonsense." |
| 1218 So you may have noticed we're having a few difficulties with the automatic refreshing technology... Try pressing F5 to refresh the page, while our techies get out the screwdrivers and work on the problem. | 1218 So you may have noticed we're having a few difficulties with the automatic refreshing technology... Try pressing F5 to refresh the page, while our techies get out the screwdrivers and work on the problem. |
| 1216 Wendy asks where the Greens would make cuts to tackle the deficit. Mr Agnew says the Trident nuclear deterrent is a waste of £97bn and the Greens would scrap it. He's also against a rise in VAT but says a rise in National Insurance may be necessary and is better than slashing spending. | 1216 Wendy asks where the Greens would make cuts to tackle the deficit. Mr Agnew says the Trident nuclear deterrent is a waste of £97bn and the Greens would scrap it. He's also against a rise in VAT but says a rise in National Insurance may be necessary and is better than slashing spending. |
| 1215 Mr Agnew tells Robert he wouldn't support a congestion charge straight away. He supports it in London which he says has a good enough public transport system but our system would need a boost in investment before a charge could be introduced here. | 1215 Mr Agnew tells Robert he wouldn't support a congestion charge straight away. He supports it in London which he says has a good enough public transport system but our system would need a boost in investment before a charge could be introduced here. |
| 1213 First caller Robert asks would the Greens bring in congestion charging in Belfast | 1213 First caller Robert asks would the Greens bring in congestion charging in Belfast |
| 1212 Sam says: "Could we make an effort to move people from cars and onto buses by improving bus routes at expense of traffic lanes, raise parking costs in town to punitive levels and use this money to subsidise lower bus fares? "Examine getting an urban light railway servicing Belfast and nearby commuter towns." | 1212 Sam says: "Could we make an effort to move people from cars and onto buses by improving bus routes at expense of traffic lanes, raise parking costs in town to punitive levels and use this money to subsidise lower bus fares? "Examine getting an urban light railway servicing Belfast and nearby commuter towns." |
| 1210 He's asked in a text why he bothers running in a seat he can't win. He says many people are disillusioned with Northern Ireland politics and want fresh choices. | 1210 He's asked in a text why he bothers running in a seat he can't win. He says many people are disillusioned with Northern Ireland politics and want fresh choices. |
| 1209 Mr Agnew starts with his party's key priorities: | 1209 Mr Agnew starts with his party's key priorities: |
| Economy - he focuses on the potential of a low-carbon economy Reputation - the Greens won't take donations from business. | Economy - he focuses on the potential of a low-carbon economy Reputation - the Greens won't take donations from business. |
| 1207 From Norman in Bangor: "Tourists are important to our economy and airports want to expand their capacity to take more flights. It would create jobs and more revenue for the economy. Which way would your party vote on this?" | 1207 From Norman in Bangor: "Tourists are important to our economy and airports want to expand their capacity to take more flights. It would create jobs and more revenue for the economy. Which way would your party vote on this?" |
| 1203 And we're off - first tweets and emails suggest that with the resumption of flights the Greens can be expected to be asked about their views on air travel. | 1203 And we're off - first tweets and emails suggest that with the resumption of flights the Greens can be expected to be asked about their views on air travel. |
| 1201 OK, the programme's begun so if you've got something to say, get it off your chest. | 1201 OK, the programme's begun so if you've got something to say, get it off your chest. |
| 1155 We're beginning our coverage in a few minutes. If you want to do a bit of studying ahead of the programme, click here to read a profile of Steven Agnew. BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon wrote it last year before the European election, in which Mr Agnew gained more than 3% of the vote, more than three times the party's previous poll result. Just make sure you come back in time. | 1155 We're beginning our coverage in a few minutes. If you want to do a bit of studying ahead of the programme, click here to read a profile of Steven Agnew. BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon wrote it last year before the European election, in which Mr Agnew gained more than 3% of the vote, more than three times the party's previous poll result. Just make sure you come back in time. |