We’ve been so pleased to welcome many new members recently. Here’s an account sent to us by new member Jodie about what motivated her to join:
“My name is Jodie and today I joined the Green Party.
I have missed being part of the camaraderie of a party. I finally resigned my Labour Party membership just before last summer’s general election. For a start I vehemently disagreed with Keir Starmer’s militaristic stance in the Middle East . Previously, I had been bullied in my local CLP as well.
Like a lot of people I didn’t know much about your policies or previous manifesto and assumed that you only primarily focused on environmental issues which of course are vitally important as none of us will survive without a viable planet to live on!
However, as someone who was born with a genetic condition that causes several health issues as well as complex visual impairment, policies at the forefront of my mind are those that primarily affect disabled people such as ending NHS privatisation, improving health and social care, better bus services as I cannot drive and will never be able to, suitable and fairer education for children with special educational needs (of which I was once one) and legislation relating to welfare / benefits.
I felt that the Labour Party used to have at least some of these values once upon a time until the current leadership took charge. Now they are simply another neoliberal party with centre right policies attacking the most vulnerable in society such as disabled people, trans people, refugees and SEND children.
So far Labour are doubling down on the Tories punitive punishment of homeschooled children (schools are actually having their budgets cut, not increased, fines and attendance records are becoming more and more harsh and disproportionately punishing disabled children and families).
Wes Streeting is continuing to privatise the NHS via the back door whilst at the same time they are boasting about delivering more appointments, so far I’ve seen no great improvements in sustainable public transport – unfortunately, I cannot ride a bike as I am severely sight impaired.
Most crucially of all for me at this point in time, they are pushing through with green paper proposals to dramatically slash Benefits and cut them down to the bone – removing Personal Independence Payment from those who cannot wash below the waist unaided for example, restricting the health element of universal credit so that those under the age of 22 will no longer be able to claim it thus implying that profoundly disabled young people who will never be able to work are not permitted to be disabled until they reach the age of 22 and what will happen to health and social care provision including specialist school and supported living / housing placements in that case?? PIP is NOT an out of work benefit and it actually helps many disabled people to stay in work.
Finally, they want to end the work capacity assessment (WCA) which although highly flawed, should have simply been bought in house and out of the control of private providers so that NHS professionals were conducting disability benefits assessments and deciding upon claimants capacity for work. Now they want to scrap that altogether so if you do not qualify for personal independence payment, then you will not receive the lower capacity for work related activity (LCWRA) element of universal credit. I cannot abide or tolerate such unjustifiable and intolerable cruelty. It is terrifying to think what is going to happen to people who cannot work or find accessible and accommodating work – of which I have never successfully been able to as a result of my health and experiencing disability discrimination. I’ve written extensively on this subject in the British Association of social workers journal.
I joined the Green Party as you are now the only centre left compassionate alternative to the Tories, Labour and the hateful and populist, simplistic and reductive rhetoric of Reform.
I’m also an animal lover, a vegetarian and support animal rights.
I am appalled by Labour’s eugenic, two-faced and duplicitous war on disabled people when a modest wealth tax and tax on energy / utility firms would save billions but the government would prefer to funnel further billions into the monster that is the military industrial complex instead which of course, has a disastrous impact upon our climate and creates more refugees and misplaced people across the global South.
I look forward to meeting people in my local party and making a difference in my small way.
Jodie McLoughlin “
If you want to join Jodie and become a member of The Green Party, click here