A few of weeks ago, I resolved to do something I had been
thinking about doing for a while… I have left the Labour party.
Some of you will know that that is quite a big step for me,
I don’t throw my political allegiances around willy-nilly and I am still
supportive of core aspects of Labour policy. The focus on progressive taxation,
equality and a fair welfare state are all things I applaud. I love the way in
which Labour is built on care and concern for the poorest and least well off
and if there was an election where only the 3 main parties were putting forward
candidates, I would most likely vote red.
I have not left the party for any major gripe with policy or
out of annoyance with the current state of affairs (though I think others will
have). I have instead decided to be truer to my own political views as they
have developed.
I’ve been drawn to the Green Party.
I have long had strong opinions on our treatment of the natural
environment and a frustration at my own inability to change my ways and be
‘greener’, either through laziness or because of barriers erected by our
culture built on greedy consumerism and unsustainable ‘growth’. In the midst of
this I have always had a soft spot for the Green party.
So after much delay, I finally read through their policy
documents and the philosophical bases for their stance – available here.
I don’t intend to use this blog as a long and drawn out
reasoning on every point as to why I think these policies make sense, but I
will give a few general thoughts…
Firstly the Green party understands the need to look long
term…
For a while now I have found myself frustrated by missed
opportunities from successive governments to genuinely make decisions for the long-term
health of our nation and global environment. Short-term sticking plasters have
been the name of the game, decisions made to ensure that ‘we can keep the
lights on’ at the expense of thinking about what ‘keeping the lights on’ means
to us and future generations (globally). It seems that economic growth has to equate to massive infrastructure
projects and digging up more and more of the earth to accommodate a population
growing in both numbers and demand. We demand more and more from our planet at
the expense of the very building blocks that sustain life in the first place.
Keeping people happy with enough disposable income to support an economy is an
important role of government, but we also have to do so in a way that doesn’t
shoot ourselves in the communal foot.
So the Greens support a ‘sustainable
economy’, where green industries are at the forefront of growth. They put
forward policy ideas that work with the finite recourses of our planet and
focus more on sustaining a holistic sense of wellbeing rather than a pure focus
on financial indicators for the health of our economy.
The Green party does not support the idea that high
consumption is a social virtue...
I think this is really important. Consumption in all areas
of life is on the increase in a society built on capitalist greed, more = good,
‘economic growth at any cost’ might be a fitting strap line to the prevailing
political will of the moment. But I find the Green party’s stance to sit very
nicely with some biblical tenets; ‘give us today our daily bread’ comes to mind
as well as the principle of Sabbath rest for the ground and trust that God will
provide without us constantly squeezing every ounce of usefulness from the earth.
A healthy respect for the earth enables us to live in greater harmony with it.
The Green party has joined up thinking…
In their ‘statement of core principles’ document they state
that
‘We understand that the threats to economic,
social and environmental wellbeing are part of the same problem, and recognise
that solving one of these crises cannot be achieved without solving the
others.’
This is a breath of fresh air to me. The
realisation that all aspects of life are in balance with one another is key to
understanding our ecosystems and also key to understanding how to progress
together in creating a sustainable society.
Rights & responsibilities…
There has been a lot of hot air about
people’s responsibilities and not just ‘rights’ in society by this present
government and so far, I’m afraid I haven’t seen a great deal of change. Those
I do see taking initiative, building community and loving their neighbours are
doing so not out of a sense of duty, but out of a real place of love and
genuine care. The way people approach their communities and move from a
‘rights’ based lifestyle to an ‘engagement’ focused one doesn’t change through
simple political chatter, but through culture change and a alteration in our
priorities.
In light of this the Green party seeks
to not be just another political party; they instead aspire to demonstrate a
different way of doing politics altogether. They demonstrate this in pressing
for substantial reforms to take place in the political establishment at
Westminster and in local contexts. They are dissatisfied with ‘rights’ as
defined purely in terms of the individual which can so easily be corrupted by
money and power (those with the most have the greatest rights). Again based on
the finiteness of ourselves and our planet there is a balance to be struck
between the rights of an individual and the effects of exercising those rights
that cause harm to the environment and therefore to wider humanity.
Based on principles of sustainability,
interconnectedness, non-violence and equality, the Green Party are committed to
seeking the ethical imperative in all policy making and do so out of a deep
respect for all life. Of course there are many pressures in the world of
politics, no doubt other parties maintained a more idealistic stance before
power and money wormed their way in to the fray. But these are ideals I can
stand by and support because I share them.
As I join the Green party and seek to
support them locally and nationally I believe I have truly found a party that I
can be a part of and that reflects something of my faith and the God that I
worship. A God who created all
things and declared them ‘good’, a God who reveals Himself in creation in its
beauty and in our ability in turn to be creative beings.
I believe that one day
all creation will be renewed and redeemed and that the God who made it will
make His home with us in the newness of creation. We as His children are called
to restore relationships, with God, each other and with the earth. I think we
can do politics differently and intelligently co-operate with the world around
us, and as Christians I think it is a vital part of our remit: care for the
environment is part of our worship and part of establishing God’s kingdom on
earth.
These are just a few reasons I am
joining the Green party. I look forward to engaging with them more and also to
having conversations with others looking for a way into the world of politics.
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