Brent FoE holds eco hustings for Brent Central

The four main Parliamentary candidates for Brent Central will be answering questions on local and national environmental issues at a special Eco Hustings public meeting in Willesden this Thursday.
 
The meeting, organised by Brent Friends of the Earth, will put local MPs Labour’s Dawn Butler and Liberal Democrat Sarah Teather, together with Green candidate Shahrar Ali and Conservative Sachin Rajput, in the spotlight to see just whose policies are really the greenest when it comes to the environment.  Camden’s Eco Champion, Alexis Rowell, will be chairing the meeting on Thursday 29th April at Learie Constantine West Indian Association, in Willesden.
 
Viv Stein, Spokesperson for Brent Friends of the Earth and Dollis Hill resident says, “This election is crucial for the environment.  We need to see strong leadership in our elected representatives after the failures of reaching a meaningful deal on global emissions at Copenhagen.
 
“This meeting will be a chance for voters to see how candidates stand up on local issues, such as the Heathrow expansion and Brent Cross, and national ones, such as climate change and greening the economy.  We welcome local residents to come along and ask questions on the environment that need to be addressed, after all what is the point of politics if we haven’t got a planet?”
 
Shahrar Ali, Green party Parliamentary candidate for Brent Central says, “We continue to enjoy yet destroy the extraordinarily beautiful and bountiful planet we depend upon. I am part of the Green political movement that seeks to combat runaway climate change by acting decisively, further and faster than the grey parties even talk about. I advocate carbon quotas, that properly take into account the unsustainabilty of our consumptive lifestyles, on average, to those in the developing countries. We have to look within ourselves and step up to the plate, for the sake of climate justice, other creatures we share the planet with and future generations."
 
Dawn Butler, MP for Brent South and Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Brent Central says, “I have signed up to a personal pledge to reduce my carbon emissions. The Labour Government has introduced the first ever climate legislation in 2008 with the Climate Change Act, which means that we are leading the way in regards to commitment and strategy. I will pursue pushing the council to commit to carbon saving emissions and introducing electric charging points to encourage more people to buy energy efficient carbon friendly cars.”
 
Sachin Rajput, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brent Central says, “I believe that it is our responsibility to create a clean and healthy environment to pass onto our children and I am therefore committed to putting green issues to the heart of politics.  The Labour Government made many green promises and then failed to deliver upon them.  The Liberal Democrats propose to give yet more power away to Europe with their calls for an ‘EU-wide green taxation’ which I oppose.  The Conservative Party will offer real change for the better.  I am committed to the Conservative pledge to provide each household with £6,500 of home energy efficiency improvements at no upfront cost to the electorate. This 'Green Deal' will be financed by the commercial sector and repaid over twenty-five years through savings on energy bills. This would "create tens of thousands of jobs."
 
He added, "I am particularly opposed to  bin taxes; I would much rather see individuals encouraged to recycle more through better education and through financial incentives."
 
Sarah Teather, MP for Brent East and Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Brent Central says, “Climate change is the most important issue facing the world today and environmental issues will quite rightly be critical for hundreds of voters in Brent.
 
"The choice in Brent Central is between a Labour MP and a Liberal Democrat MP.  In parliament, I voted against a third runway at Heathrow airport; to sign all government departments up to the 10:10 campaign, and for drastic cuts in damaging emissions.
 
"The Liberal Democrats are fighting on a radical and green election manifesto which aims to go further still.
 
"I congratulate Brent Friends of the Earth on organising this hustings and am very much looking forward to debating these important issues."
 
The free event takes place on Thursday 29th April at Learie Constantine West Indian Association, 43-47 Dudden Hill Lane in Willesden, NW10 2ET, starting at 7.30pm.  All are welcome to attend.

For more information on the event see Eco Hustings flyer and Eco Hustings poster.

For more details about Friends of the Earth’s 2010 election campaign see   http://election.foe.co.uk/