May 18, 2012 An Interview with Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion MP and Green Party leader
Caroline Lucas, the Leader of the Green Party and Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion talks in this interview to the BHFP and the journalist Charalampos Xekoukoulotakis about various issues of local as well as general interest.
In this interview, Mrs. Lucas talks about her priorities in her capacity as MP for Brighton Pavilion, which include housing, fuel poverty, local transport, health services and education.
Expressing her concern about the consequences of rising unemployment and cuts to frontline services on her constituents, Mrs. Lucas says: “the Conservative-led government’s proposals to roll back the state and cut jobs, taking money out of the economy when it is already weak and without providing anything like a job creation strategy, are hugely damaging.”
The Leader of the Green Party also expresses her concern about the dominance of the big supermarkets, which she regards that certainly poses a serious threat to our local independent retailers and adds: “the Government, together with local planners, should be far more resistant to the efforts of chains to saturate the market to the detriment of smaller producers.” Mrs. Lucas also stresses that “it’s highly unlikely that Green party would choose to enter into a coalition with the main parties any time soon.”
-Which issues do you regard as your priorities in your capacity as MP for Brighton Pavilion?
From the many hundreds of emails and letters I receive from constituents every week, I know that housing, fuel poverty, local transport, health services, and education are at the heart of people’s concerns about the future – and these are among my key priorities as the local MP. Housing, for example, is a real issue in Brighton. There are over 10,000 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in Brighton and Hove, and much of the housing stock is in the privately rented sector where rents are high. Huge numbers of people will be affected by the Government’s changes to housing benefit, and there’s a risk we could see a sharp rise in homelessness as people fail to meet the high costs of their homes and as repossessions increase. Furthermore, because of poor insulation and low energy efficiency standards – particularly in the private rented sector – combined with ever increasing energy bills, fuel poverty now affects over 5,000 households in Brighton Pavilion alone. The dire housing situation must therefore be addressed with far greater urgency, with more affordable private and social housing for the city, as well as better measures to promote energy efficiency.
- Around 100,000 jobs across the public sector have been cut in the past few weeks alone, according to a dossier which has recently been published by Unison. The jobs lost over the past few weeks include 1,600 at the Heart of England NHS Trust, 1,200 council jobs in Hampshire, 1,000 in Norfolk and 400 in East Sussex. Are you concerned over the impact that cuts have on your constituents?
I am profoundly concerned about the consequences of rising unemployment and cuts to frontline services on my constituents. The Conservative-led government’s proposals to roll back the state and cut jobs, taking money out of the economy when it is already weak and without providing anything like a job creation strategy, are hugely damaging. The job losses you mention are just the start – the draconian cuts could lead to half a million jobs losses in the public sector, with major private sector losses as well. Given the importance of the third sector in Brighton, the reduction in public funding for not-for-profit service providers and charities could hit local people especially hard. With its misguided faith in the private sector’s ability to magic jobs out of thin air, and its failure to consider any alternatives to savage reductions in spending, the Government is exacerbating rather than tackling the unemployment crisis.
- Which are your thoughts on local independent retailers and the competition they face from supermarkets and chain stores? Should the government provide any support for the local independent retailers?
The dominance of the big supermarkets certainly poses a serious threat to our local independent retailers – which is why the Government, together with local planners, should be far more resistant to the efforts of chains to saturate the market to the detriment of smaller producers. Furthermore, according to the Competition Commission, the dominance of any one retailer in a local area has a negative impact on consumer choice. And the ‘pile ‘em high’ ethos of supermarkets wreaks havoc on the environment and generates an incredible amount of waste. Thankfully, Brighton has a well earned reputation for being a place where independent businesses can thrive – and local people won’t shy away from a fight when it comes to protecting their communities and supporting independent enterprises. Last year, I worked with local campaigners to oppose the building of a new Tesco on the Lewes Road Community Garden site. More than 4,000 people signed petitions opposing a new store and supporting the garden, which was set up by “guerrilla gardeners” in 2009 on the site of a former Esso petrol station. Thanks in part to this public pressure, Tesco decided not to seek to open a store on the site – a real victory for local democracy.
- How do you react to the fact that by the end of March 2011 more than 300 Police staff at Sussex Police will become redundant?
These redundancies came out of the latest Sussex Police Authority budget, which local Green councillors voted against. Cuts like this are likely to make our streets less safe and to hit the most vulnerable hardest, as resources for liaison work with victims of domestic violence or LGBT hate crime, for example, become increasingly scarce. We’ve seen a series of cuts at Sussex Police over the past few years – first under a Labour Government, now under a Tory-led coalition. On a more positive note, however, there are signs that Sussex police will now focus greater resources on Neighbourhood Policing – a move which I would welcome.
- The Prime Minister had set as his priority the National Health Service (NHS). Judging by the state in which the NHS is in your constituency, so far, do you think that this is the case?
The NHS will be put under significant additional pressures as the council cuts back on its own services for the elderly and others that are vulnerable in society. These reductions are going to be very challenging for all public sector bodies, but especially for the NHS, which will have to deal with the realities of a budget freeze while at the same time undertaking the biggest re-organisation in its history. It’s crucial that we do all we can to safeguard our local NHS services from the consequences of the Government’s proposed reforms to the role of GPs and primary care trusts, which effectively open the door to private service providers. As creeping privatisation picks up pace, we must defend the principle of free healthcare at the point of service.
- What are your thoughts on the challenges faced by primary and secondary schools in your constituency?
I work closely with primary and secondary schools in my constituency to explore ways to make sure that our local education system is as good as it can be. One key problem in the constituency is the location of secondary schools; it’s clear, for example, that parents are keen to see new secondary school facilities in central or east of the city. Another concern has been the increasing focus on Academy schools, such as in the cases of Falmer and Portslade. Under Government proposals, existing schools could become Academies without any real consultation with pupils, parents, school staff or the local authority. The concerns of all those people with an active interest in the future of the school can be just overlooked by a board of governors. The priority has got to be the best possible local education for our children, but the evidence suggests, time and again, that academies are a distraction. Perhaps it’s also worth mentioning that I met earlier this year with the heads of Brighton’s sixth form colleges to hear about how cuts to what is known as ‘entitlement funding’ will impact on the quality of learning and support they can offer students. I also put down an Early Day Motion on this issue and secured a meeting with the lead Minister and representatives from Varndean, BHASVIC and City College.
- What is your policy towards universities and the fees imposed recently on university students by the coalition government?
We have a vibrant student population here in Brighton, and I’m proud of how active they have been in opposing the scrapping of the Educational Maintenance Allowance, cuts in college funding and the huge hikes in university fees. Many people will be priced out of going to university – and those who do go will be saddled with huge debt. This is unacceptable for a society which values social mobility and inclusiveness. It is incredibly frustrating that the Government hasn’t even considered alternatives, such as a business education tax on the top 4% of UK companies, which would generate enough annually to abolish tuition fees and take our public investment in higher education up to the average in other comparable countries. I have joined with students and staff at Brighton’s universities to speak out against the devastating cuts and creeping privatisation which threaten the future of our higher education – and marched alongside local students at the demonstrations in recent weeks. I’ve also been pressing ministers in Parliament on the scrapping of the EMA, the extortionate fee rises and the controversial ‘kettling’ technique which we have seen used by police against young protesters.
- Could your party be part of a coalition in the near or distant future?
It’s highly unlikely that Green party would choose to enter into a coalition with the main parties any time soon, although on a day-to-day basis in Parliament, I’m happy to work with people across the political spectrum and build alliances on important issues where there are shared aims.
- Do you still believe that Brussels are more efficient than Westminster?
Mr. Xekoukoulotakis, I never thought I would look back on Brussels and say ‘that was an efficient system’! But, actually, in comparison with Westminster, in many ways it was. I have been really shocked by the lack of efficiency here in the UK Parliament. Half a dozen votes in Brussels would take you a couple of minutes, but thanks to our antiquated voting system, half a dozen votes in Westminster can take you an hour and half. That is not a good use of anybody’s time and it certainly isn’t a good use of taxpayers’ money. Westminster is a beautiful place, a site of great history and culture, but it’s stuck in the past. I published a report in November, The Case for Parliamentary Reform, proposing measures to drag Parliament into the 21st century – like an electronic voting system, an end to late night sittings, and curbs on MPs’ speaking time to ensure a better quality of debate and greater participation. Many MPs have already expressed support for some of these ideas, so let’s hope it’s a first step towards change.
- What would you finally like to say to all those in your constituency who voted for you and elected you as their MP?
It’s an incredible honour to have been voted in to represent the people of Brighton Pavilion and I want to let people know that I am doing all I can in Parliament to stand up for everyone in the constituency. I hope I can show that a single MP can make a difference, and that a Green voice in Westminster is crucial if we are to really hold the Government to account. On the issues that we all care about, issues like health, housing, transport and education, I pledge to stand firm and fight for the best possible deal for Brighton Pavilion.
Interviewed by Charalampos Xekoukoulotakis
Charalampos Xekoukoulotakis
E-mail: charalamposxekoukoulotakis@yahoo.co.uk
There is not a word here about the actual known preoccupations of Caroline Lucas. These are her support for Palestine/Gaza against Israel and her passionate opposition to nuclear power.
On the first of these, she is perhaps briefly silenced by the terrible human rights attrocities currently being revealed elsewhere in the Middle East and Central Asia.
On the second, she may not like a local audience to know how hard she works to stymie the only viable alternative to coal/gas/oil that is essential to keeping their homes warm in Winter and our systems of transport working. Windmills and solar panels can’t do it, in the UK, unfortunately. Nor can there be much more insulation of UK homes because, mainly, it’s already been done.
Caroline Lucas going on marches in her duffle coat does not solve strategic issues.