This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27187427
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| European elections: Green Party launches campaign | European elections: Green Party launches campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Green Party of England and Wales has launched its campaign for May's local and European elections. | The Green Party of England and Wales has launched its campaign for May's local and European elections. |
| Party leader Natalie Bennett said the party was a serious contender, with its largest number of local councillor candidates standing. | Party leader Natalie Bennett said the party was a serious contender, with its largest number of local councillor candidates standing. |
| Ms Bennett also said she was confident that the party would increase its current tally of two MEPs. | Ms Bennett also said she was confident that the party would increase its current tally of two MEPs. |
| The launch took place at the Church Hall Conference Centre in Westminster, central London. | The launch took place at the Church Hall Conference Centre in Westminster, central London. |
| The European Parliament elections take place on Thursday, 22 May, when elections will also take place for 161 councils in England and 11 brand new councils in Northern Ireland. | |
| Appearing on BBC One's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Ms Bennett acknowledged that the Greens were "identified with" campaigns against the extraction of shale gas, or fracking. | |
| Foreign students | |
| It was a "very uncertain industry that may very well not get off the ground", she added, and there is "massive and growing public resistance to it" with her party on the "front line" of protests against fracking. | It was a "very uncertain industry that may very well not get off the ground", she added, and there is "massive and growing public resistance to it" with her party on the "front line" of protests against fracking. |
| "But of course what we're campaigning on is much broader than that," she continued. | "But of course what we're campaigning on is much broader than that," she continued. |
| "We acknowledge that our economy, our politics, our society isn't working for the common good. | "We acknowledge that our economy, our politics, our society isn't working for the common good. |
| "We're talking about good jobs that pay at least the living wage, we're talking about fighting against privatisation. " | "We're talking about good jobs that pay at least the living wage, we're talking about fighting against privatisation. " |
| On the European Union, she added: "Lots of people acknowledge that immigrants coming into Britain from the EU contribute a great deal to Britain. | On the European Union, she added: "Lots of people acknowledge that immigrants coming into Britain from the EU contribute a great deal to Britain. |
| "Also of course... an almost equal number of Britons live in the rest of Europe as we have European citizens here. | "Also of course... an almost equal number of Britons live in the rest of Europe as we have European citizens here. |
| "We've got to respect the rights of refugees, we've got to respect the rights of British people who have foreign spouses. | "We've got to respect the rights of refugees, we've got to respect the rights of British people who have foreign spouses. |
| "And at the moment with our immigration policy we're cutting our nose off to spite our face. This year, for the first time, the numbers of foreign students applying to British universities has gone down, and that's a huge cost that has come from our immigration policy." | "And at the moment with our immigration policy we're cutting our nose off to spite our face. This year, for the first time, the numbers of foreign students applying to British universities has gone down, and that's a huge cost that has come from our immigration policy." |
| 'Party of fear' | |
| She also said that her party supported independence for Scotland, and aimed to position itself as the "anti-UKIP party". | She also said that her party supported independence for Scotland, and aimed to position itself as the "anti-UKIP party". |
| "UKIP is the party of fear, saying: 'Be fearful, vote for us,'" she explained. | "UKIP is the party of fear, saying: 'Be fearful, vote for us,'" she explained. |
| "We're saying: 'Hope for a better society, a society that works for the common good,' so vote Green for that. | "We're saying: 'Hope for a better society, a society that works for the common good,' so vote Green for that. |
| "And of course this is a proportional representation election - we're part of fourth largest group in European Parliament, we're in there making a difference, really doing the work in Europe - not just being anti-Europe." | "And of course this is a proportional representation election - we're part of fourth largest group in European Parliament, we're in there making a difference, really doing the work in Europe - not just being anti-Europe." |
| Last week, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said there would be "an earthquake" in politics if he triumphed in the European elections. | |
| Launching his party's manifesto in Sheffield, Mr Farage said: "We want to have, post-EU, a sensible, open immigration policy that says we welcome people, but we have got to control the quantity and the quality of who comes to Britain." |