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Election 2015: Green leader Bennett launches campaign Election 2015: Green leader Bennett launches campaign
(about 4 hours later)
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has committed her party to a "citizen's income" of £72 paid to all adults, whether they are in work or not. Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has committed her party to a "citizen's income" of £72 a week for all adults, whether they are in work or not.
Pressed on how it would pay for the policy, she said full costings would be released closer to May's election.Pressed on how it would pay for the policy, she said full costings would be released closer to May's election.
The manifesto pledge comes as the Greens set out their election themes. The manifesto pledge came as the Greens launched their election campaign.
The party, which has been recording similar levels of support to the Lib Dems in opinion polls, is fielding its largest ever slate of candidates. Ms Bennett has also apologised to party members for a "very bad" interview she gave on LBC Radio about the party's housing policy.
It aims to stand in 90% of parliamentary seats on 7 May. She seemed to struggle explaining how a pledge of 500,000 new social rental homes would be funded, and at a press conference to launch the campaign described the interview as "excruciating", saying she had suffered a "mind blank".
Speaking on the BBC's Daily Politics, she said a fully-costed manifesto would be published in March.
"I had a very bad interview on housing this morning," she said.
"I am very happy to confess that and I am very sorry to the Green Party members who I did not do a very good job representing our policies on, that happens, I am human."
The policy would cost £27bn, she said, which would be partly funded by removing tax relief on mortgage interest for private landlords.
'Consultative costing'
The Green Party of England and Wales has seen its membership surge to 54,000, as Ms Bennett has switched focus from its traditional environmental policies to talk about inequality and social justice.The Green Party of England and Wales has seen its membership surge to 54,000, as Ms Bennett has switched focus from its traditional environmental policies to talk about inequality and social justice.
'Living in fear' It has been recording similar levels of support to the Lib Dems in opinion polls and is fielding its largest ever slate of candidates, aiming to stand in 90% of parliamentary seats on 7 May.
Replacing the existing benefits system with a "citizen's income" paid to everybody in the UK is a longstanding Green policy, but in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme she confirmed it would be in the party's election manifesto. Replacing the existing benefits system with a "citizen's income" paid to everybody in the UK is a longstanding Green policy, but in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme Ms Bennett confirmed it would be in the party's election manifesto.
She said it was not something the party would expect to introduce overnight "or even with the term of the next Parliament", adding: "It's something we want to consult on, offer over time."She said it was not something the party would expect to introduce overnight "or even with the term of the next Parliament", adding: "It's something we want to consult on, offer over time."
She said she wanted to "move away from a system where so many people are living in fear of not being able to put food on the table, not being able to keep a roof over their head". She added that she wanted to "move away from a system where so many people are living in fear of not being able to put food on the table, not being able to keep a roof over their head".
Pressed on how the party would pay for the policy, she declined to say how much it would cost but said there would be a "consultative costing" in March.Pressed on how the party would pay for the policy, she declined to say how much it would cost but said there would be a "consultative costing" in March.
She is also campaigning for a 1% "wealth tax" on the property, pension pots and other assets such as "holdings in cash or Ferraris" of individuals worth more than £3m. Ms Bennett is also campaigning for a 1% "wealth tax" on the property, pension pots and other assets such as "holdings in cash or Ferraris" of individuals worth more than £3m.
'Boldest campaign''Boldest campaign'
Launching her party election themes later, Ms Bennett is expected to say: "Something profound is happening in British politics. Launching her party election themes, Ms Bennett said "something profound" was happening in British politics.
"The old way of doing things is falling apart as the politics of hope triumphs over the politics of fear.
"The Green Party wants to create a political system that puts the public first and we believe we have the means to achieve that ambition.
"Our membership numbers have soared, our poll ratings are the best for a generation and we are going to be fighting our biggest, boldest campaign ever."
The key themes the Greens will focus on during the general election campaign are:The key themes the Greens will focus on during the general election campaign are:
The party, which currently has one MP at Westminster, Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavillion, has held talks with the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru about forming a "progressive alliance" in the event of another hung parliament.The party, which currently has one MP at Westminster, Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavillion, has held talks with the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru about forming a "progressive alliance" in the event of another hung parliament.
They would make scrapping Britain's Trident nuclear weapons a key demand in any post-election negotiations with the Labour Party, in the event that Labour are the largest party.They would make scrapping Britain's Trident nuclear weapons a key demand in any post-election negotiations with the Labour Party, in the event that Labour are the largest party.
But Labour said "the election choice is between Labour and the Tories".
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jonathan Ashworth said: "A vote for the Green Party would increase the chances of the Tories remaining in Downing Street.
"When the Greens are put under any serious scrutiny their policies fall apart."