Green Party manifesto: Why young voters should go green

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett and MP Caroline Lucas speaking at the 2015 Green Party Manifesto Launch. Image: Muna Fadhil

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett and MP Caroline Lucas speaking at the 2015 Green Party Manifesto Launch. Image: Muna Fadhil

The Green Party came to Dalston yesterday, Tuesday, when Natalie Bennett and Caroline Lucas presented their election manifesto at the Arcola Theatre promising an end to ‘business as usual policies’ and calling for a ‘peaceful revolution’ to end austerity.

This is a policy that sees an end to the disastrous policy of austerity that’s making the poor, the disadvantage and the young pay for the greed and the fraud of the bankers,” Lucas said.

The main focus of the manifesto called for an end to budget cuts on public services and:

  • an end to the privatisation of the NHS,
  • cutting rail fares,
  • tackling climate change by investing in renewable energy,
  • scrapping university tuition fees,
  • raising minimum wages,
  • creating more jobs
  • abolishing the bedroom tax.

To fund it the Green party suggest 60 per cent income tax on those earning more than £150,000 a year and introducing a one per cent “Robin Hood tax” on banks and tax dodgers.

The policy is clearly aimed at younger voters -but more than 50 per cent of young voters chose not to caste a ballot in the last general elections,

Given the popularity of Russell Brand, who calls on people not to vote at all, EastLondonLines asked Bennett why young people should vote for the Green Party or any other party? 

What I would say in response to Russell Brand is not voting means you get counted in the: “We’re happy enough with how things are so we haven’t bothered” group. I would say to everyone: “register to vote.” 

Obviously I’d opt for you to vote green on polices like having zero university tuition fees, paying off student loans, having no zero hours contracts, making the minimum wage a living wage, really tackling the housing crisis, dealing with private rents that are soaring out of reach, building social housing, all of those things I think, I hope, will inspire millions of people to come out and vote. But I would say to you make sure you do vote whoever you’re voting for,” Bennett said.

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