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Green Left (UK)

Green Left (UK)

The Green Left is an anti-capitalist and eco-socialist grouping within the Green Party of England and Wales. It seeks to constitute a network for "socialists and other radicals" in the Green Party, as well as "act[ing] as an outreach body that will communicate the party's radical policies to other socialists and anti-capitalists outside the party." It includes some prominent members of the Green Party of England and Wales, and held its first meeting on 4 June 2006.[1] Green Left members were early supporters of an "ecosocialist international", such as the Ecosocialist International Network (EIN).[2]

Formation

Green Left was launched on 4 June 2006 by members of the Green Party of England and Wales. Those who supported the group included various members of the Green Party of England and Wales Executive, including Richard Mallender (Chair), Peter Cranie (elections co-ordinator) and Siân Berry (at that time one of the two principal speakers, and campaigns coordinator), as well as Penny Kemp (former party chair), Joseph Healy (Secretary, London Green Party), Derek Wall (writer, and at that time the other principal speaker) and Peter Tatchell (human rights activist). Cllr Sarah Farrow and Cllr Matt Sellwood were elected as the co-conveners of the new group.[1]

Aims and Beliefs

Green Left formulated its beliefs, agreed on at the meeting, in the Headcorn Declaration (below), which stated that Green Left hopes "to raise Green Party politics to meet the demands of its radical policies". The statement criticised the "New Labour government's abandonment of the policies of the left" and claimed "that the Green Party's progressive agenda makes it the natural home for the left".[1]

The Headcorn Declaration

In June 2006, 36 members of the Green Party agreed to the core beliefs and policies of the Headcorn declaration which became a launch statement of the Green left. The launch statement included the following points:[1]

  • Green Left is critical of capitalism, and sees capitalism as incompatible with ideals like sustainability, peace and social justice. As such it places itself in the tradition of William Morris, the British ecosocialist who operated within the Marxist Social Democratic Federation and Socialist League.

  • It seeks to unite all socialists, anti-capitalists and radicals, in and outside of the Green Party.

  • It welcomes and wishes to continue the grassroots democracy within the Green Party of England and Wales, which should remain a "bottom-up" organisation.

  • Green Left wants to apply the slogan think global, act local to its own party, by increasing international contacts, while also seeking to create local coalitions, made up of various groups such as trade unions, faith-based communities and other minority groups.

See also

  • Alliance for Green Socialism

  • British Left

  • European Green Party

  • Green politics

  • List of political parties in the United Kingdom opposed to austerity

  • Social ecology

References

[1]
Citation Linkweb.archive.org"Launch Statement of Green Left". Green Left. 4 June 2006. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015. Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[2]
Citation Linkwww.thegreenleft.co.ukKovel, Joel; Löwy, Michael (September 2001). "The First Ecosocialist Manifesto". Paris. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[3]
Citation Linkwww.thegreenleft.co.ukHomepage for Green Left
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[4]
Citation Linkwww.thegreenleft.co.uk"Launch Statement of Green Left"
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[5]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgArchived
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[6]
Citation Linkwww.thegreenleft.co.uk"The First Ecosocialist Manifesto"
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[7]
Citation Linkwww.thegreenleft.co.ukHomepage for Green Left
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM
[8]
Citation Linken.wikipedia.orgThe original version of this page is from Wikipedia, you can edit the page right here on Everipedia.Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Additional terms may apply.See everipedia.org/everipedia-termsfor further details.Images/media credited individually (click the icon for details).
Sep 20, 2019, 5:31 AM