JONATHAN CHILVERS

JONATHAN CHILVERS responses to questions for all candidates in the current Green Party Leader and Deputy Leader elections submitted by Green Left members to help inform Green Left and Green Party members about your views on various issues relevant to the election

1. Do you agree our anti austerity and Ecosocialist polices have led to growth of our party and its influence in England and Wales amongst millions of people?

Yes, our anti-austerity policies helped us gain votes in the 2015 election where 1.1million voted for us. However, only 525000 people voted for us in 2017 when our policies were broadly the same. Policies are not the only thing that drives the growth or otherwise of the party.

2. Do you believe that in marginal seats where a candidate of another party is standing who shares many of our core values including PR, we should stand down, as we did with Salma Yaqoob at a recent general election?

I prefer the idea of a candidate standing jointly for two parties (this is possible under Electoral Commission rules). That way both parties get profile and influence if they win.

3. What do you understand by the term “Ecosocialist”? 'Would you see yourself as being an ecosocialist? and what does that mean to you?

My understanding: The problems of environmental degradation and poverty having the common root cause of an exploitative capitalist system. My comment: I identify more strongly with the cooperative socialism of the earliest 20thC rather than the top down models that have come to be synonymous with the word ‘socialist’. Marx still offers the most devastating critique we have of capitalism, but he’s not that helpful for the Green Party in setting out a realistic, relevant and radical programme for how we move towards an economics for a finite planet.

4 Which one of the following 4 campaigns will be your top priority?

PR

Devolution and constitutional reforms

A People's Vote on the terms of the final trade deal with the EU.

De-growth

They’re all important, but none of them! My top campaign priority would be communicating the climate crisis to people on the doorstep and the media – too often we use language that is totally alien to most people who are not interested in ‘politics’. If I had to pick one it would be degrowth as although I wouldn’t use the phrase it touches on the idea that we need to live within our means on one planet. See https://jonathanchilvers.info/about-jonathan/ for my key passions.

5 While national and specialist news media have deadlines and our party 'leadership' are still supposed to be 'speakers' rather than directors, how would you ensure that you make pronouncements that are a truly democratic way forward in times of democratic crisis such as parliamentary boundary changes reports?

We need to give our key spokespeople freedom to react quickly to crisises whilst working within our established Green principles. I would like to see a select committee system where every 4 months key leaders were held to account for their actions during that period by party members. Trust and accountability have to go hand in hand and not be out of balance.

6 How can succession of postholders for electoral office within GPEW be handled in such a way that there can be a 'level playing field' between candidates, rather than it being regarded that those who had most advanced notice of a vacancy having an unfair advantage?

I don’t know if you’re thinking of a specific example – I’m not aware of there been a problem? The Green party is super democratic and I’m proud to be part of party that takes internal democracy so seriously. The timetable for vacancies and elections is freely available and was well communicated to members.

7 It is a mistake to put all our resources toward winning elections into the election period, if. we must first have a budget for campaign resources to boost our 'street cred’ and have more street stalls. > Discuss.

Elections are not won in the 6 week ‘short campaign’ period, but through hard work showing local communities we are active, listening and connecting with their concerns. This requires financial resources all through the year, although spend will be higher at election time. My experience is that street stalls are of very limited value because they only reach the minority who think about politics outside of elections and you can’t reach residents from only one priority ward meaning a huge amount of effort is wasted. See the ‘my priorities’ section on jonathanchilvers.info for more.

8 What is your view of the Liberal Democrats politically?

Made the right decision to go into coalition, but were incredibly naïve in how they dealt with the Tories. They could have got a lot more. Screwed up by not following through on tuition fees. Good on PR, liberty issues, education funding, localism. Bad on Green economics.

9 What is your view of Spokespersons pooling their knowledge for greater insight into this Government's hidden agendas? (Eg, Consider the implications of this search link for closer collaboration between Health Spokesperson and Work and Pensions Spokesperson with Leaders/Principal Spokespersons as hubs https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/?s=health+work+programme+unum

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Yes, our spokespeople have to work smarter. There is no reason for the media to be interested in us while we have so little political power so we need to generate enticing, interesting stories and that means working together to expose the government.

10 How to respond to demonising of, say, benefit claimants and anti-Zionists?

Tell people’s stories. It cuts through the labels and the stereotypes. We’re all just people with mixed motives who don’t get everything right. We challenge people’s views when we disagree and especially those of the powerful, but remember the essential personhood of everyone (including Zionists)

11 'Do you believe every local party should be organising a public meeting promoting PR in the next few months'

No. Each local party should decide, although if one party does it well templates should be shared. I certainly won’t be encouraging our local party to – the best way to influence policy and the media is to build a lasting political base and that means getting councillors elected. For us to organise an event on PR which few people would come to who were undecided or opinion formers would take us away from our key goal as a political party.

12 'What lessons can the Green Party take from the campaign in Sheffield?'

If a local issue comes up which breaks through will local people and helps illustrate our green principles of environmental wisdom, local democracy and non violence throw absolutely everything at it and run with it for as long as possible!

13 How can Green Party communications of their policies be made more relevant to the working class (White and Black Minority Ethnic)?

Great question. We need to be a lot better at this. By listening to residents on the doorstep, putting our principles into practical action so people can see the impact. Give people a voice when they feel powerless and make sure it’s their voice not ours.

14 In the event that Brexit does go ahead, including the possibility of an immediate no-deal departure in March 2019, what are your plans for the party's focus post-leaving and how would you propose to reach out to the 52% who voted to leave?

Again, great question. We must set out a programme that addresses the reason people voted leave: massive investment into skills and career progression, health and housing infrastructure accompanied by honest conversations about migration and increase in our population, devolution of budgets and power to local communities.

See my recent blog: jonathanchilvers.info/eu

15. What is your view of ecosocialist perspectives which are more dominant in developing countries e.g. Latin America which are streets ahead in terms of renewable energy. Wind farms are seen to be the solution to dire poverty and whole communities are stabilized, giving respite from the never-ending 'war on drugs', drug economies and gang violence...?

Countries in the global south don’t have to develop dirty like we did. They don’t have to develop in a centralised state dominated way like we did in the mid 20th century. We should stand in strong solidarity with people working to build strong, resilient, caring, self reliant communities. If we can help with investment in micro-energy, micro-loans and women’s co-ops and education which time and again are proven to be the best ways to support then we should do so.