Adrian Hollister

Willow bedding for the chickens

I gave the willow a good trim over the weekend and with the help of a friends shredder reduced the massive volume of cuttings into big bags of willow chippings. I know willow burns well when dried, so it can start the drying process in the chicken pen. Their scratching and digging through it should also help the drying process.

I've filled their run up to about six inches deep with the stuff and clearly they are enjoying every minute of it. With a summer like we are having the majority of the green stuff should be dried off within weeks.

This is a small scale experiment, but on a larger scale I would hope to be able to fill the run every month in summer and rotate the chicken 'dried' stuff into a green house or similar hot place for further drying. Not sure how or if this is going to work, but it's worth a try especially as willow is so cheap and grows so fast.

£50 quid raised for the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust

Had a great time at the Waterways featival in Newbury at the weekend. I was facepainting for the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust and made just under fifty quid. Nice amount and a great day out. It's amazing how much work the trust puts into the canal without any real recognition from those that make use of it. I hope that changes proposed by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to central government bodies does not cut off their funding. If it does, it will leave the trust (and most other small charities) fighting for the few pennies that everyone has left.

Oh and who is this handsom if slightly balding fellow Newbury Weekly News caputred?

Greens Proud to have spent the least in the Newbury election

So desperate were the local Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that they spent over 12K each fighting for power in this election. I've no doubt that this put both local parties into debt - something they both vowed to bring the country out of. The Green's here in West Berkshire spent the least on electioneering and as the parliamentary candidate for the Green Party in Newbury, Adrian Hollister said, "I am proud of what was achieved with such frugal funding"

Overall the Tories will have spent a good deal of money per vote, plus of course the interest on the loans issued to them and other debts to be paid. I'm guessing when everything is tallied up, they will have spent about a £1 per vote - about the same as everyone else. This shows how much reform needs to happen on our current election system. Pounds sterling should not equal votes. People should be able to feel free to vote for what is right; for what in their heart they believe in; and not what some marketeer or media source has told them.

Review of Tea Pigs (www.teapigs.co.uk)

I put a blog entry on a few days ago discussing the use of plastic in tea bags and an alternative source, Tea Pigs. There are a few suppliers out there with alternatives, but I buy my stuff from Tea Pigs, so I thought it was worthy of a review.

Loose real leaf tea is still slightly specialist and you can't just go to the local supermarkets any more as most don't even stock standard brands of leaf tea any more. High quality leaf tea is another matter. It's highly specialised and generally very expensive. If you love your herbal drinks and even tea you will I'm sure appreciate the variations from the standard sweepings off the tea room floor used in many of the commodity tea bags out there. Tea Pigs have one rather unique selling point - they use these 100% biodegradable tea bags. Not uncommon in the rest of the world, but not something you often find here in the UK. They call them tea temple, but there are various descriptions of them out there on the web if you search. Having a tea bag that I can put into the compost without worrying about the plastic used in standard bags is a good thing.

Anyway back to the tea and the shop. Firstly the shop part. There is an on-line store (www.teapigs.co.uk) which is very simple to use and takes all the usual payment methods. The web site is slick, but I am disappointed that they don't go into enough details about what's in their product, where it comes from etc. So what about the tea then? Ok, lets get onto the three tea's that I've tried to date:

Tea Pigs English Breakfast: Standard dark black real leaves in the bags hide what is actually quite a nice traditional blend of tea's. Nothing is overwhelmed and each leaf used add it's own distinct character to the brew. This is a very nice tea with strength and body.

Tea Pigs Chai Tea: A surprisingly interesting and very fragrant blend of tea and spices. The tea in the bag is a marvel to look at with real spices in the bag (seemingly no fake flavours here). A good three minute brew later and you have a stunning warming tea that tastes every much as good as it smells. It makes an absolutely wonderful drink with a great depth of spices to tease your nose and mouth.

Tea Pigs Rooibos Creme Caramel Tea: I do like my Rooibos tea. Naturally decaffeinated, very hydrating and a brilliant afternoon tea on a hot day. So why the heck add Crème Caramel to it? I've no idea why they thought of it, but what a great idea! I still enjoy mine with milk and keep my caramel red bush tea for the evening as it's lovely and relaxing and a very comforting drink. The caramel adds a wonderful smell to the drink which at first is not apparent in the taste. Only after swallowing does the crème caramel leave it's mark in your mouth leaving you licking teeth and the top of your mouth for a bit more yummy crème caramel.

For a real tea supplier, using real ingredients I cannot fault them. Next order I'm going to add the blue tea, expect a review soon. Adrian Hollister's favourite tea from there.... it has to be the Crème Caramel Rooibos.

No plastic tea bags please

Recently brought up in the press again is the use of plastic in tea bags. Modern tea bags from the big brands use between 10-30% plastic in their bags. This, of course, is not compostable and won't bio-degrade quickly in your compost bin. Twinings, PG, Lipton and Tetley appear to be some of those brands who have been identified as using plastic in their tea bags. Given the very high price most people pay for tea and coffee in canteens and cafe's, shouldn't we be getting the best product available? Should we be worried by any chemical leaked from the plastic when immersing this plastic in boiling water?

Companies like Tea Pigs sell tea in bags that will fully degrade in the standard compost cycle. They are expensive compared to supermarket tea, but outside of the home our drinks are not exactly cheap. Perhaps a switch a switch to 'better for us all' tea bags would be a good idea and could be done in conjunction with a home composting campaign by the offending tea companies.

Next step Lib Dem / Tory merger? http://bit.ly/cd8ZJ1

RT @NewStatesman - Lib Dem anger over plan for Cameron to address conference http://bit.ly/cd8ZJ1

7th 14th July - Fire Saftey Van in Great Shefford

The Fire Safety Van will be outside Great Shefford shop this Wednesday 7th 10:00-16:00 and again on the 14th of July where it will also head to Brightwalton School at about 14:00. Hope to see you there.

Don't buy Abbey Santander 'peace of mind' - it's anything but

If, like me, you've pulled your hair out trying to get anything useful from the bleedin' awful Abbey / Santander 'peace of mind' insurance service you may like me want to complain by email their exec team. Not too difficult to work out their email address (firstname.lastname@santander.com). Of course, they didn't reply or do anything about it, but it made me feel better when they dropped me in a smoking pile of the stuff.

So complaints to Abbey / Santander Insurance are generally ignored by them using the ole' "it's nothing to do with us as we sold you someone else's insurance you need to contact them" routine; and, of course, those third parties regulate themselves with their own "I don't give a stuff about you" mentality. These companies should be made accountable for their near scam activities and certainly they should not be able to claim the words "peace of mind" in relation to their insurance services.

My 2p worth - don't buy Abbey Santander Insurance - they've got it horribly wrong and offer terrible value.

I fear the budget will kill off Newbury area public services

In response to the Chancellor’s Emergency Budget announcement today, Green Cllr Amy Kennedy said:

“We are gravely concerned to see so many wide-ranging cuts to public spending. The effects of today’s announcement will have a massive impact on local government and communities, as we warned a few weeks ago.

“The enforced freeze on council tax is a crude attempt by central government to shift the blame for soon-to-be disappearing public services onto local government. Not only is the Government desperate to avoid criticism for their own ruthless economic policy, but they’re limiting the flexibility for local councils such as Brighton & Hove to be able to manage fairly the cuts the Government is demanding.

“The public sector pay freeze which will affect many at the city council, which on the face of it may seem reasonable to some, will in fact amount to a pay-cut to some of those on lower incomes once inflation is taken into account.”(1)

Adrian Hollister from the Green Party in Newbury agreed and said, "We are now at a point where everyone working in public sector is holding their breath for the pending cuts. Public sector employees here in West Berkshire are expecting to see job cuts and they are expecting to see services cut leaving them to hope and charity.

"The ConDem local government we have in West Berkshire will I'm sure keep up the pretence of being 'two parties' but in reality their leaders sleep in one bed and the Liberal Democrats must be ashamed that they have sold out their morals for a few years in power. How they are going to justify cuts in local services I just don't know - the Lib Dem's told the public during the election that they would protect people, they would represent families, they would represent the poor and build communities. Clearly they do not.

"I am not sure the people of West Berkshire have quite realised what monster they have voted in, but it is clear from today that the poorest and the 'middle class' are going to pay back the debt largely caused by the greedy rich few. I wouldn't mind betting rich Tory boy Richard Benyon is laughing all the way to the bank."

Notes

1) For example, the £250 year-on-year increase for an individual on £16,000 per annum actually only amounts to a 1.5% pay increase whilst inflation is expected to be between1.6-2%.

The paper coffee cup, the craze of the noughties still with us.

One of the great areas of growth on the high street in the noughties was the boom of the American style cafe. The likes of Starbucks and similar brands popped up on every high street, in supermarkets, hotels, petrol stations and even pubs. With the American theme came the over disposable nature of American life. Throw away everything and, in the case of the tea and coffee drinks, throw away paper cups, paper cups selves and their plastic lids.

Of course, it's been like this for years before, but not on this scale. Cup sizes have increased from a what I thought was a standard tea cup size to something akin to a flask - all to add 'value'. Cups then went crazy with plastic coatings to improve the look, highly coloured prints, thicker paper, more more more. It's 2010 now and things are tough for everyone and a lot of the over marketing of a simple cup has disappeared almost as an affluent excess that turns people off the very product being sold.

The craze of putting these cafe facilities into businesses (as an effort to make a lot of money for the companies hosting these franchises) has just pushed further waste into companies that are not designed or largely required to recycle their waste. Almost every private sector company I visit has bins full of these cups, sleeves and plastic lids.

Clearly there are some big companies out there mitigating these excesses - IBM being one of them. Their introduction of recycling facilities at just about every office is a commendable first step. This is one among a few though. Even the most evangelical capitalist (or ConDem) would admit that Private Companies cannot be expected to 'do the right thing' and recycle their waste.

It's the simple paper cup waste that says it all for me. We have soaked up the throw away society slowly over the years. Adopted the American disposable culture and largely forgotten the cost of this excess. Cost in the creation of the product - paper from trees, plastic from oil and coal; cost in the disposal of the product; the cost of our greed over farming areas to produce parts of our consumed product; the cost to people in our ignorance of their lives and working conditions; the cost to our future and future generations. The true cost of our excesses will far out strip the financial troubles in the world. Let's hope that we are not hated by our grandchildren for our ignorant consumer 'bliss'.

Are special advisors just more consultants that should be cut?

Given the current fascination by the ConDem government for cutting out consultants, I just wonder if special advisor's who are just political consultants should be included in the cull? Every department seems to have droves of them wandering around with no fixed agenda (sic). I note in the recent question to the minister in charge of DEFRA, her bag boy Richard Benyon replied with some basic stats, but interestingly the special advisor seems to have been excluded from the pay grades.

I'm guessing this is because they are not full time civil servant, nor a full time politician, so they must be a consultant.

If we are to have a fair system and all consultants are on the ConDem hit list then special advisor's should be top of the list. If they are consultants earning special pay grades then their wages should be published just like everyone else.

So, ConDems, I call on you to openly publish the cost of special advisor's and be open and fair around their cuts from all pay grades.

Will the oil spill in the gulf help people and business realise that oil is not sustainable?

People also are quick to judge BP for the disaster, especially in the US where blame is always the first thing sought. I wonder how often the people directly affected in the US blame their own consumption of oil? their own disproportionate need and greed for energy? without their need these companies would not have been financially inspired to go and get the oil from such risky places.

I can only hope perhaps that With the ever increasing oil spill in the gulf, that it is the oil industry itself that will recognise the risks taken by the business to produce a product ultimately in decline. BP has over the years diversified into areas outside of oil production, but more recently has scaled back it's investments into renewable and alternative energy systems.

It surprises me that the opportunity for our UK oil barons to become 'clean energy' leaders has been lost. Simply investing their vast profits into the badly needed next generation of energy systems would ensure that their business is sustainable going forward. They risk their corporate future by doing so and squander their profits to meet the chairman's perceived 'immediate needs' of shareholders.

With ConDem Right/Centre Left coalition in the UK it is unlikely that significant investment in renewable energies will come from the centre, but it is likely that they will look to business to be the pioneers. This perhaps is where the likes of BP can regain it's reputation.

I do hope BP survives. There are a lot of good people at the company, these people have shown innovation and I'm sure if put to the right use BP and our other dirty oil giants could be world leaders but in my opinion they should be world leaders in renewable and sustainable energy systems and help us all wean ourselves off our oil addiction.

'Disillusioned Lib Dem voters told the future isn't orange, it's green'

What a great article in this weeks Newbury Weekly News - the headline in their elections 2010 section is 'Disillusioned Lib Dem voters told the future isn't orange, it's green'.

Also from today's media round up, you can see that Richard Benyon secures a minor position in government.

Finally, Brightwalton fete appeared on page 6 of the Newbury Weekly News with a great picture of the maypole dancers.

Calling all Liberal Democrat members and voters in Newbury

Article from the Green Party web site:

Yesterday evening's announcement of a deal between the Tories and the Lib Dems should be a wake-up call to Lib Dem supporters, said Britain's Greens this morning - and the Greens issued a "big, open, and comprehensive offer" to Liberal Democrat members and voters to come and join the Greens and campaign for real democratic change, real action to tackle poverty, and real action on climate change.

The offer was made jointly by the Green Party of England and Wales and the Scottish Green Party.

Caroline Lucas MP, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

"The Lib Dems have shown themselves to be not so much a party of change as a party of changing its mind.

"The Lib Dems have made themselves known as a party of dirty tricks in election campaigns. But now, Nick Clegg has carried out the biggest Lib Dem dirty trick so far, betraying all those people who voted Lib Dem because they honestly thought it would bring about electoral reform."

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

"This is an extraordinary decision by the Lib Dem leadership, and thousands of their activists and voters will feel heavily betrayed today.

"Many explicitly campaigned as the best way to keep the Tories out of power, as a party of radical change and a party of principle, and they have now been completely let down by Nick Clegg and his top team. These members and supporters did not work hard over the last weeks and months to see their party become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Tories.

"We would therefore like to make a big, open and comprehensive offer to Lib Dem supporters to come now and talk to the Greens instead. Many former Lib Dem members have already found a long-term home with the Greens, including former Lib Dem councillors. Thousands of Lib Dems will be unable to stomach this decision to put David Cameron's Tories into power, and it's time for them to consider coming home to the Greens.

Harvie continued: "On several crucial points, we have significant common ground, ground that the Tories will never concede through this Westminster stitch-up. We back true constitutional reform, not only proportional representation but also fixed-term Parliaments, a written constitution, votes at 16, limits on corporate donations to political parties, and a whole host of other measures dear to Lib Dem activists' hearts. We support a fairer taxation system too, where those on the highest incomes start to pay their fair share, something the Tories' donors will never permit them to consider. On the environment, we've stood up against a litany of climate-wrecking projects, including those which were approved by Lib Dem ministers in Scotland to the dismay of their members. We're the only political party offering an economic policy which is consistent with environmental politics.

"With the election of Caroline Lucas as the UK's first Green MP, we've shown that radical Green politics can also win popular support at all levels. We are also a truly democratic party, our members set policy in public at conference, and we can be relied on not to sell out. Above all we would never deliver power to the Tories, a party still alien and unacceptable to most Scots. This Lib Dem/Tory deal is the final confirmation that those wanting change will always be shut out by the three big parties at Westminster, and today's decision will be the death-knell for the Lib Dems here in Scotland."

ends.

Adrian Hollister added, "Local news have been following the story that David Rendel is strongly opposed to the pact between the Lib Dems and Tories. I can understand why. In Newbury the Liberal Democrat vote has always been a 'protest against the Tory' vote. This has been betrayed and by linking two parties with such fundamentally different views I can't help thinking that the Lib Dems will have lost the trust of the majority of voters."

You can follow the David Rendel anti-pact story here: http://www.newburysound.co.uk/rendel-on-coalition-i-5863.php

Can't Win Here - conned by the Liberal Democrats (again)

"Can't Win Here" - words that Lib Dem's have been saying and publishing here in West Berkshire for quite some time. They are of course referencing New Labour and the rest (including us Greens). "Your vote will be wasted" - how many times have I heard that - there are, of course, only two political parties in Newbury (according to the Lib Dems) ... Tory old boys or Lib Dems. Both in opposition to each other, both with different morals, both with different ethics.

What irony now that the Lib Dem's are sleeping with the devil.

All those protest votes against the Tories that went to the Lib Dems 'because no one else could win' have been waisted. You have been lied to by the Liberal Democrats - a vote for them is a vote for the Tories - don't be conned by the Liberal Democrats any longer - they don't care about people, communities, our society, and our futures. They are only in it for power.

So, don't waste your vote again on the unpredictable, unreliable and unethical Liberal Democrats - they will sell their souls for a moment of glory.

Move to better and co-operative politics, with ethics, community and our environment at it's centre - move to the Green Party.

Two party Newbury

Well in Newbury Adrian Hollister won just under 500 votes in a system that promotes and encourages a two party system. We did this with no budget but a whole bunch of enthusiasm. Thanks to my election agent Pam Cooper who did so much work it amazes me she manages to fit in her family and keep smiling!

I doubt that the votes cast are a true representation of the views of the public at large in Newbury - they were told over and over again that only the Tory's or Lib Dems could win in Newbury - and the votes reflected that. If a real PR system were to be introduced I am sure that the voting pattern would be much more realistic (something that the Greens have seen through out the rest of Europe).

This makes Caroline Lucas' win in Brighton Pavilion much more impressive. Against all the odds and against the expectations of the national media, Caroline pulled a stunning win out of the bag. This will help to show that there are more than just three political parties out there; demonstrate that the Green Party is more than tree's and human rights; and show that Green politics are about people, communities and quality of life.

In Newbury, the Lib Dems were clearly damaged by their anti-democratic / negative campaigning - the 'no one else can win here but con/lib dem' may even prove to be right if the Lib Dems make a deal with the Tory old boys tonight. I wonder how many Lib Dem voters will be disheartened that their protest vote against the Tories will be wasted in a Tory/Lib Dem pact.

So, thanks again to Pam Cooper and all of my supporters out there! It's been really good hearing all your words of support. Thanks also to the other candidates for standing up for what they think is right.

Adrian Hollister

Great Christian hustings events in Newbury

During the two Christian hustings it's is clear that people are concerned about the impact of globalisation and free trade both on the poverty in the 3rd world and on our own greedy need consumption to make us happy (buying things clearly do not make us happy).

There are clear strong theme for the 'right to life' and the right to a good quality of life both here and throughout the world. Richard Benyon was proud that he didn't support equal rights for all in our society (with his anti-gay votes reference
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpid=1727&dmp=826) and he steered clear of his pro-weapons exporting stance whilst claiming he supports all forms of right to life. UKIP also came out strongly against the LGBT community claiming that there was 'something wrong with them'. The Green Party has very strong human rights policies and stance which I hope was recognised by all.

I had very strong support for Green Party environmental policies as well, clearly the others struggled: Richard Benyon failed to make a cohesive 'green wash' argument (how can you support globalisation and free trade and say that localisation and fair trade are the way to go!); David Redndel was also on the fence with environmental issues such as nuclear power and weapons.

There were also areas where Green Party policy is not compatible with the various Christian views - our support for carefully monitored and managed euthanasia; pro-choice stance for abortion; and our policies to ensure we have an 'inclusive' society (not one for example that supports closed faith schools or closed moral religious teachings). But the feedback I had from people was that although they were not in agreement they were pleased that I had clearly brought up the differences and was
prepared to listen to them and their argument.

We had 7 people from the last event pledging to vote for Adrian Hollister (Green Party) and wishing us all the best.

Local Lib Dems desperate to find dirt

Clearly I'm recognised for my blogging, twittering and so on; and in my followers are a number of people from the opposition parties. This is great - it's always an opportunity for me to convince them that the Green Party has the best, the most sustainable and the most ethical policies.

So it was of great amusement to find the Lib Dem stooge in my Twitter list madly emailing last nights post "Just sped through Kintbury at 102 mph!" I assume without thinking about it, he went around madly telling anyone that would listen that "Adrian Hollister, Green Party representative admitting to outrageous speeding".

A bit too quick off the mark I think and with the realisation dawning on the Lib Dem crowd that this was on a train; they are now in a desperate spin cycle to turn it into a local speeding issue. How embarrassing for them and how embarrassing for their stooge - they were caught red handed digging for and spreading dirt that didn't actually exist.

Let's keep it simple stooges - try to win it on your policies.

Meet Adrian Hollister Green Party parlimentary candidate

I had a great time Saturday afternoon in Newbury doing a 'meet Adrian Hollister the Green Party PPC' session in Newbury. The main theme discussed was around the leadership debate (and why the Green Party was not represented); the impact of balanced parliament was raised many times – with people made more uncertain by the negative comments driven by the Tories. The interesting irony was that people were discussing Nick Clegg as someone they would vote for, but in West Berks they are also fed up with the bickering between Tory's and Lib Dems.

As a matter of interest you are the only prospective candidate who has bothered to reply

Why is it that "as a matter of interest you are the only prospective candidate who has bothered to reply" is typical of a whole bunch of emails that I'm getting every day. I know that when standing for election you get a large number of emails and a lot of post too; so why don't the other candidates take the time to respond to the people asking questions? I try to answer every email I get, with my views and I don't just respond to the ones I agree with - I suspect the other's are just not responding to questions that they don't have 'good news' stories for or agree with. Another example perhaps of having to listen to what the politician does not say rather than what they do say (for example there is still no sign up from the other PPC's for or against either Friends of the Earth or CND's campaigns).

I've also noticed that some of the other PPC's seem to be asking for an address to write to - doesn't this defeat the whole object of email? a quick mechanism to ask and reply to questions. It seems the rest of our PPC's are of a generation where the electronic world (the world of business, the majority and our immediate future) is lost to them (and their vast staff).

Crafty Craft charity event disrupted by Tory Lib Dem's begging for votes

What a great Crafty Craft event today. Loads of people, I enjoyed some fresh doughnuts, some tea from the Stone Building, chatting to all the stalls, and of course the boats. The weather on the whole was fine, but there was a chilly wind and I didn't envy the people on the boats - cold and wet.

Only spoiler was the desperate Lib Dem's and Tory's begging for the last few votes. Not sure a charity event was the best way of pushing a political point and most people looked completely fed up with the canvassing hoards from both parties.

Still, it was a brilliantly run event and a credit to West Berkshire and, of course, it was a great example of how re-use of items can be put to great effect.

I look forward to the next one!

Adrian Hollister

Facepainting again at Brightwalton Fete

Yet another excellent Brightwalton Fete. I did some face painting again this year. You can find out a bit more about the event here... http://www.westberks.org/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=55417 .

Good chat with Adam Osmond MYP

I had a good chat to Adam Osmond MYP around young people issues, the lack of funding to actually do anything and the limited drive from the local authorities. I discussed with him the £1bn of extra funding proposed by the Green Party and my own personal
thoughts abound providing a part-time salary for MYP members to ensure that they are not overcommitted with several jobs and to ensure that their role in the community is recognised.

We also discussed his main concerns for young people – the burden of the student fee's (the Green party have committed to abolish student tuition fee's); housing – how do young people get onto the property ladder (Green Party have committed to provide affordable and sustainable homes); and finding new jobs (Green Party would create 1 million new jobs through investment in green technology).

Meet Adrian Hollister Green Party parlimentary candidate this Saturday in Newbury

Meet the Candidate

Come and meet ADRIAN HOLLISTER your Green party parliamentary candidate for Newbury

Saturday 17th April. 2-4pm. The stone building (Up stairs), The Wharf, Newbury
(In the Central Library car park, next to the canal.)

An informal meeting - just a short speech followed by questions and a chat over coffee.

Digital Economy Bill - let down by our MP's again

I've been a bit lazy on the blogging front for a while now. Not much time has forced most of my blogging into Twitter and into very short hand. I am incensed enough today though to spend time putting some more words down. It's about the Digital Economy bill - an ill thought out rush job to push through a whole raft of changes that at the very least eats into our personal freedoms and at worst open some very private information up to unaccountable bodies and leaves our local businesses who offer free WiFi at risk of prosecution.

Our local MP Richard Benyon did attend the first reading on the bill, but failed to turn up to the second. No great surprise though for a Tory boy who just follows the party line all the time(1) ... and I thought he was there to represent us!?

Benyon votes against equal rights
Then again Richard Benyon voted against equal Gay rights (3) - something that clearly shows up the old and well know out-of-date Tory ideals in the recent Chris Grayling statement.

Benyon wants to keep the gentleman's club
He also didn't want the hereditary peers removed from the House of Lords (4). Clearly showing his 'keep the Tory Toffs in power' cards - something his Lord Ashcroft would I'm sure approve of.

Benyon is the bringer of war and conflict
His only work in the house appears to be either pre-prepared questions for his Shadow Minister, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs role; or to keep exporting weapons through his beloved DESO.

Clearly he likes to provision munitions for other peoples wars. The Green Party and others have consistently called for the dissolution of DESO as it is unclear the impact of arms sales on human rights or conflict. British weapons have for example been used by Israel to attack the largely unarmed Palestinian people (2).

Can you seriously vote for Richard Benyon?

Notes
1. Richard Benyon voted against his party only 10 times. Source http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/1727&showall=yes#divisions
2. http://realisticbird.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/british-mps-slam-weapons-exports-to-%E2%80%9Cisrael%E2%80%9D/ is typical amongst many other references.
3. http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpid=1727&dmp=826
4. http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpid=1727&dmp=1079

A few local media links

Met up with the people from Newbury Sound yesterday - what a great bunch of people! There is a link on their site to the election coverage and a section on Adrian Hollister with a short sound clip. Do I really sound like that - gulp!

Newbury Weekly News also has entries for each of the candidates. You can find a bit on Adrian Hollister here.

If you find other local media links out there please forward to me: Adrian Hollister (adrian@westberksgreens.org.uk) - thanks!

Green's calls for a state pension of £170 per week

The Green Party today becomes the only political party to call for a state pension of £170 per week and a better future for older people in Britain. In addition to raising pensioners above the poverty line, the Greens are pledging to end the default retirement age, so that people have the freedom to go on working and contributing to society if they wish to, free from discrimination on the basis of age.

Darren Johnson put a great press release and quote out about the issues, saying:

"After a lifetime of hard work and contributing to society, pensioners deserve better than having to scrape by on an inadequate state pension. It's only fair that the basic state pension should be enough to live on - that is why Greens would make sure that all pensioners receive a non-means-tested £170 per week, as well as free social care for all who need it, as is currently offered in Scotland."

Age Concern and Help the Aged agree that our policies are right.

But this is a big increase - to £170 per week as a single rate and £300 for a couple. How it would be paid for:

There are roughly 12 million pensioners living in the UK and a further 1 million living abroad. Paying a single rate of £170 per week, and a couples rate of £300 per week, will cost £110bn per year. The current basic state pension, plus certain other specific pensioner benefits like Pensions Credits paid to those of pension age (which would become redundant if the basic pension rate was raised to the level we propose) costs £70bn. For the remaining £40 billion, we would abolish tax relief on pension contributions (£20 billion), and the national insurance rebate on employer and employee contributions to private pension schemes (£19 billion). The final £1 billion will come from increased income tax receipts from pensioners.

If you would like to know more please email Adrian Hollister using adrian@westberksgreens.org.uk or find my phone number on http://www.westberksgreens.org.uk

Adrian Hollister pledges support for the Ramblers

Adrian Hollister said, "as a fellow rambler I can recognise how important open public access for walkers anywhere they could go walking. I particularly agree that walkers should be placed at the top of the transport hierarchy gaining safe and secure priority at road intersections, in town's and public spaces."

Introduction
For 75 years throughout Britain, we have promoted walking and campaigned successfully for public access for walkers. We are Britain’s walking charity, making walking available to everyone through improving places for walking, as well as encouraging people to walk.

However, Britain today has increasing levels of political devolution and devolved powers. This means that we need politicians of all parties, whether located in Westminster, Cardiff, or Edinburgh, to support and work with us to contribute to a walking Britain.

As Britain’s walking charity we’re committed to ensuring access to all footpaths, the countryside, the coast, the town, and everywhere where people go walking. Over half a million participants walks with us every year on 28,000 walks. These walks are led by 12,000 volunteers. This work is at the heart of all that we do.

We’re also evolving and building on our achievements from the past 75 years. That’s why we’re doing new types of work including promoting walking for families and for people who currently don’t walk at all.

We deliver a wide variety of walking programmes across England, Scotland and Wales. Our walking programmes contribute to a wide range of political priorities such as: health, wellbeing, the rural economy, the environment and climate change.

In this General Election, we want candidates to commit to breaking down the barriers to walking with us. These are:

Physical Barriers: A good walking environment is a major motivator for walking whereas a poor walking environment acts as a deterrent to walking.

We want to see:
• Protection and improvement of public paths in England and Wales, as well as proper implementation of legislation for new path networks in Scotland
• Delivery of the coastal route, which became law last November, as fast as possible

Financial Barriers: There are big financial challenges facing the next Government, but the maintenance of green space, footpaths and open land to walk in, and the promotion of walking, is a low-cost way of delivering key public benefits.

We want to see:
• Linkage of Common Agricultural Policy subsidies which are better used for recreation and access provision
• Investment in walking schemes to benefit health, wellbeing, environment and the climate as part of the Olympic legacy

Cultural Barriers: Reverse the culture which constantly prioritises vehicle users whilst walkers get left behind. This culture and priority in both national and local government needs to be challenged if the benefits of walking are to be maximised

We want to see:
• Positioning of the walker at the top of the transport hierarchy; particularly giving greater priority to walkers at road intersections
• Strong action being taken against those who put walkers’ lives at risk through reckless driving

Legal Barriers: The law should be on the side of walking rather than making it harder for walkers

We want to see:
• Amended legislation which requires an independent review when there is an objection to orders to gate alleyways, which are used by people of foot
• The protection and promotion of public access, and green space to be made accessible, safe, and well-maintained, through use of the planning process in both town and country

Conservatives to put a brake on IT spend

The Guardian reports that Philip Hammond want's to kill of IT spend in government to save cash. "These include halting spending on new IT projects, and cancelling any underperforming contracts even if they are underway, as well as putting a brake on discretionary spending, clamping down on expenses, IT spending and similar areas."

This is the typical Tory bosh about saving money... they need to make vast number's of civil servant's redundant to make their figures work. If they also remove all of the IT systems that are automating the process of government they will need more people to keep the process running - either that or the few civil servants left will be working unsustainable hours keeping the wheels of government moving.

George Osborne looking down his nose at you oiks, at a press conference on 29 March 2010. Photo: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

This to me just shows what the Tories are: they represent an era that is at and end; their morals are questionable (Ashcroft etc); and their idea's are out of date. If they get in it will send us all back to the stone age with policies that will leave us a poodle to the United States.

Face painting for Brightwalton School's Egg Hunt

More face panting again today, this time for Brightwalton School and their Egg Hunt day. I hope it raised lots of money for the school and I hope the kids enjoyed having their face painted!

Want to know if there is a Green Party candidate in your area?

Want to know if there is a Green Party candidate in your area? Head over to http://www.greensarecoming.org.uk/ and type in your post code.

Adrian Hollister supports CAMRA charter to save local pubs

With five pubs closing every day across the country, Adrian Hollister the PPC for West Berkshire Green Party has given full support to CAMRA's Beer Drinkers and Pub Goers Charter.

The Charter aims to halt the decline of a great British institution that is often the heart and soul of rural and local areas. Each closure has a devastating effect on local economies, causing job losses and depriving communities of the £80,000 that each pub injects.

In line with long-established Green Party policies on local sustainability that aim to increase local investment and the circulation of local finance - thus encouraging social enterprise and cohesion, the three Green PPCs welcome CAMRA's efforts to:

- Promote the interests of Britain's pub goers
- Champion well-run community pubs
- Rebalance alcohol taxation to support beer and pubs
- Reform the beer tie to deliver a fair deal for consumers
- Support the role of well-run pubs as solutions to alcohol misuse

Adrian said: "I am proud to be in a community with an award winning local pub (Chaddleworth) and can see the vitally important contribution to local sustainability and social cohesion. I fully support CAMRA's commitments to protect these institutions, and encourage all other Green PPCs to do the same."

ENDS

Notes:

CAMRA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-led consumer group with a growing membership of over 110,000 individuals.

The full Charter can be found at: www.camra.org.uk/charter

Green Party policies to increase local investment and the circulation of local finance within the community include the development of democratically accountable Community Banks, designed to encourage
local people to invest in local economic activity.

On Tuesday 16th March CAMRA and the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group met for public debate in Parliament on "Who Will Save the Pub?"

For further information please contact:

Adrian Hollister
Green Party Parliamentary Candidate West Berkshire

Adrian Hollister pledges support for the Woodland Trust

As a candidate at the general election I believe that creating new woods and planting trees is a priority if we are to tackle challenges such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, wildlife loss, improving public health – both physical and mental – and shaping places where people want to live, work and spend their leisure time.

I will promote the creation of new native woods and trees by:

1. Committing to working for the expansion of native woodland cover throughout the duration of the next Parliament.

2. Contacting my party leader and asking them to adopt the Woodland Trust’s manifesto as a basis for expanding, enhancing and protecting the natural environment.

3. Ensuring that native woods and trees are high on the agenda at the election by publicising my support for the Woodland Trust’s manifesto.

Adrian Hollister said, "Maintaining an environment that supports our natural wildlife, plant diversity and the health and wellbeing of the people in our communities is essential for sustainability."

Hustings at Downe House School

It was a fascinating hustings today at Downe House School. The questions were very good, showing the diversity of background and depth of intellect in the audience. The interesting and different thing to me though was within the panel. Tory, Lib Dem, Labour and Green Party represented. It was interesting to see how three of the four on the panel, myself (Green), Labour and Lib Dems were all interested in discussing the issues directly, praising policies where appropriate even from other parties; but it was the Tory boy who alone attacked at every opportunity at least one of the other panel members. It's as though he had something to hide and by not answering the questions directly and providing a controversial and confrontational answer that somehow he was 'winning' points. I felt a little embarrassed for him at times as I don't think he realised that everyone else was talking 'co-operative politics' and he alone was in the old school of 'confrontational politics'.

To me this seems to sum up the Tory offering - old fashioned and perhaps even school bullies for whom self and wealth is more important than friends, community and well being.

So, Richard Benyon, I do hope that you have an opportunity to grow up; move out from your school boy ways; and perhaps learn to be a better and selfless person.

The great mouse hunt begins

The great thing about having your own land with barns is that you have a lot of flexibility - at least in terms of what you can do and what you can store. This year we were able to secure a large number of bags of kindling and general firewood from off-cuts and general wood waste. So up I trundle with a landy full of bags of wood and logs and I safely stored them in the driest part of the barn for safe keeping. I brought back the last two bags a couple of weeks ago now and busily set about using the wood in the fire - which has been an especially good boost over this cold winter. Anyway, most of the way through the second bag I noticed the dogs going bonkers at the bag. The usual alarm bells went off in my head thinking it was rats or similar (something the dogs especially love to chase when we walk the field boundaries), so I dropped the bag and let the dogs loose. After a few minutes of the dogs sniffing like a loss-less vacuum cleaner should they came up with nothing apart from a lot of old leaves, a few seeds and what turns out to be a very large mouse nest.

This normally wouldn't be a problem, but the bags were stored in my outbuilding and there were no sign of the mice. So I did perhaps not the most humane thing and left the dogs to stuff around the whole of the outbuilding looking for other signs of life, but they were not interested in anything but their large bag of dog food (no surprises there). So thinking that this was an old nest I cleared everything up and didn't think any more about it.

In hindsight this may have not been the best tactic. Last week whilst moving the filing cabinet I noticed a trail of little bits of paper underneath the filing cabinet. It's not one we use often and generally stores our serious 'to keep but no need to look at' type documentation. So with a slight opening of the top draw of the cabinet it was clear that all was not well with my files. Only a super enthusiastic shredder would have done a better job on them. They were just piles of paper dust. But alas no sign of mice.

With my finest Shelock Holmes hat, pipe and super large magnifying glass I followed the shredded paper trail to find my first nest. I say my first as that day I found three others the last of which the dogs firmly pointed out were in my tool box. It's a plastic thing, industrial enough to stand on and no obvious holes in them (I have a few of them). Anyway, the dogs were going mad telling me that the tool box was 'hot' - actually one dog (the boy dog) was insistent that I should look at the big bag of dog food - daft thing.

With tool box in hand I took it outside and gave it a thorough examination. In one corner there was a small hole with neatly nibbled edges. Out of that hole was a small nose and whiskers. I'm not sure who was more shocked: me the mouse or the dog. Anyway the mouse got a away and the daft dog just sat there looking at me as though it was my fault. The inside of the tool box was a mess - smelly old mouse nest with bits of paper, bag and anything else the mouse could gnaw away at in there.

Feeling slightly more confident I went back in the outbuilding with the dogs and let them loose again. No surprises that the boy dog went straight for the big bad of dog food again. I know he's a little (well ok a lot) motivated by food, but this was a little unusual for him so I went over to the bag to look it over. It's in a clear plastic bag so I could see through into the brown contents. Sure enough in one corner was a little hole and yet another mouse nest. I shouldn't have chastised the poor dog so much but to be fair he did find a nest so I gave him a treat.

After a good sweep out and a clean of every cupboard, work surface and nest area I felt quite confident that they were now all gone. At least I felt confident until yesterday when I opened one of my tool cupboards to find a ruddy huge nest on the top shelf. How the bleeding heck the things managed to get into a closed cupboard I've no idea, but get in there they did. Electrical wire, some tools, gloves and anything non metal has had a bite or two. So another round of cleaning has begun and tomorrow I'm off to find some mouse traps. Humane ones if I can find them, if not it back to the basics and off with their nibbly little heads.