LESLIE ROWE

LESLIE ROWE 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?

The surge in membership started in 2014, when 300,000 people signed a petition protesting against the Green Party's exclusion from TV debates. Membership peaked at around 60,000, but has fallen back since. If anything, our anti-austerity and Ecosocialist polices were sadly neglected by GPEW and our unique message overshadowed by "Progressive Alliance" and EU debates.

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?

No. I believe the Liberal Democrats, who publicly support PR, failed to honour their promises in Government and cannot be trusted. The Labour Party will never agree, so we should concentrate on standing up for our unique and attractive policies, whilst continuing to point out the undemocratic nature of our voting system.

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

Ecosocialism is Green socialism. Capitalism is the cause of social exclusion, poverty, war and environmental degradation through globalisation and imperialism, under repressive states and transnational structures, such as the EU. That is why I am campaigning for a sustainable de-growth economic policy and actively oppose neo-liberal economic policies.

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

The biggest threat to our planet comes from climate change. Successive climate change conferences agreed that if the world wishes to avoid the 2°C rise in global temperatures that will trigger non-reversible climate change, then the wealthiest countries have to adopt a de-growth strategy, which is why it should be our over-riding policy.

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?

The Green Party should be a grassroots democracy with decision-making shifted to the Party's members. I propose a monthly referendum of members on important issues instead of conferences and a moratorium on Leaders' policy pronouncements until the membership have been consulted. Emergency statements should be based on previously agreed policy. The leadership should go to the members, not the members to the leadership.

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?

As part of the pro-active social media dialogue with members mentioned above should be internal vacancies, with retiring postholders asked to give 3 months notice. We need to ensure a monthly consultation is sent to all emails etc., with local branches encouraged to engage members who lack social media access.

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.

Two issues: insufficient resources and prioritising spending. On the first we need far more interactive discussion on fund-raising with members and branches. Our priorities, whether it be winning elections or all year round campaigning, should be discussed with members and a series of priorities agreed.

8 What is your view of the Liberal Democrats politically?

Criminally irresponsible liars, who betrayed electoral reform, betrayed students over fees, actively helped the Tories destroy the NHS and helped kill people through austerity.I speak as a former Lib-Dem.

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

The leadership and spokespersons should act together to expose the conspiracy by US insurance giant Unum (and others) to undermine the social security system in order to boost the market for its own income protection policies. The solution includes a citizens' income, outlawing work capability testing and job creation through a Green New Deal.

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

Social attitude surveys have shown attitudes towards benefit claimants have become more sympathetic, despite the Tories continuous propaganda war against benefits claimants since 2010. However there is much to be done and the Green Party should continue its championing of the dispossessed and those who criticise the apartheid state of Israel.

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

Members and local parties should be encouraged, preferably with online material, to campaign for PR at every opportunity. Whether a public meeting would work is for local members to decide. I believe the introduction of a monthly consultation and dialogue with members will engender a new enthusiasm for campaigning.

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

Sheffield, I believe, was a missed opportunity to rally the Tree campaign around Green candidates for the council elections. I'm sure the local party did their best, but it seemed to lack sufficient active support from the Green Party leadership and central office.

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

By listening. When a democratic decision is made, respect it. That migration is not the problem but businesses addicted to a never ending supply of cheap labour not willing to pay the market rate for jobs is. Minimum wage too low, not enough minimum wage inspectors and we need to vastly increase vocational training.

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?

Prior to the 2016 EU referendum the Green Party promised to respect the result. We should do that now and move on. Our focus should be on climate change, on localism, democracy and economic de-growth and providing a sustainable, unique and attractive alternative to the neo-liberalism of all the establishment parties.

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...?

Developing countries have different priorities from the global north. They need to build critical infrastructure, for instance. However, the developed world is dominated by neo-liberal economics which regards privatisation as good and community led projects as bad. We need to challenge those ideas and provide active encouragement to community schemes, including tax breaks.