Live webchat with MEP/Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, Mon 1 June, 12.30pm-1.30pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

We're pleased to flag up that Caroline Lucas is coming on to MN for a chat.

Caroline has two children, is the only woman leader of a UK political party and has been an MEP for the South East region for a decade (and is hoping to be re-elected on 4 June).

Please join us - the list of potential topics to discuss is huge (climate change, the economy, the expenses row, 'toxic' toys, the Green 'New Deal', animal rights...).

As usual, if you're not sure you can make the chat but have a burning question for Caroline, please post here and we'll pass them on.

[CarolineLucas]

Ninjacat I can understand why you'd be worried about letting the Tories in and leaving us open to the same old business as usual which has been failing us for decades and this is precisely why we need a change in the system of voting.
People like you don't feel you have a real choice to vote for what you believe in, because of the perception that only the three main parties will ever make it into power.
Things are exciting at the moment thanks to the expenses scandal. The current government, and to a large extent all the parties in Westminster have lost all moral authority. We have an unprecedented chance to make changes to the system of voting and to bring into parliament people who look and sound like the people they represent.
With a system for proportional representation we can get more diversity into Westminster. More women. More ethnic minorities. People are angry at the current electoral system which practically guarantees a minority government. (only 37% voted for the current Labour government). We've long campaigned for a fairer voting system and this could be the best chance we've ever had to get it.

Even if we didn't get a change in system we deserve, it's still worth voting Green because the more people show their support in us, the more the other parties will HAVE to adopt our policies and listen to our ideas.

And the good news about the European Elections on Thursday is that they are under a form of proportional representation, so that green votes can really translate into more Green MEPs!

[CarolineLucas]

Dear Thingone - Essentially, I want to do all I can to ensure that the Greens keep our seat in the European Parliament, as well as making a breakthrough at Westminster. But let me assure you that I wouldn?t try to do both jobs myself! (it?s illegal, even if you were mad enough to try!) If I were to win in Brighton Pavilion at the General Election, the MEP seat would pass automatically to the next Green candidate on our list, so it wouldn?t trigger a by-election ? the Greens would be assured of keeping the seat. In the European Elections, voters put their cross against the name of the Party rather than against an individual ? each Party puts up a list of candidates, and the number who are elected is in proportion to the number of votes the Party gains in the election.

[CarolineLucas]

Hunkermunker thanks for the link. Breast milk is a natural and renewable resource and I'm quite keen on those on the whole.

Although we?d certainly want to give as much support as possible to women who choose to breastfeed (and that means ensuring they get as much time as they need with midwives and health visitors), I?m anxious that women who don?t or can?t aren?t made to feel bad about the decisions they make ? I?d say that Green Party policy would be about supporting women in whatever they choice they make, and making sure they have enough information to make an informed choice.

I think we need to make it easier for people to breastfeed ? I vividly remember that, as a Green Party County Councillor in Oxfordshire, I was thrown out of the debating chamber for breast-feeding my 3 month old son, and accused of bringing the Council into disrepute!

We want better quality midwifery care where the midwife continues to see the woman for a month after the birth, because let's face it it's often after the birth where we really need help and advice. At our spring conference we passed a new strong maternity policy:

HE305 All women will be entitled to the care of a single midwife
through prenatal care, birth and the first month of post-natal care,
in line with the model of care currently provided by independent
midwives. This will be made possible by initiatives to improve the
recruitment and retention of midwives.

I very much support the work of Babymilk Action, a wonderful group which campaigns against Nestle?s policy of trying to persuade women in developing countries that bottle-feeding is a better way to feed their babies. In some of the poorest countries of the world, this can be an absolutely terrible thing to do, because the water which they need to use to dilute the milk powder if frequently contaminated, leading to babies becoming ill, or even dying.

I?ve taken action recently against some publicity from the European Parliament which used a bottle-fed baby to symbolise family life, as I was concerned that once again breast feeding was being made invisible.

[CarolineLucas]

Hi champagnesupernova - I wouldn't want to set myself up as perfect at all!! But what I do strongly believe is that government action should make it easier for everyone to live a greener lifestyle . In many EU countries, for example, it's much easier to recycle, and there's much better, more affordable public transport.

[CarolineLucas]

Thank you ToughDaddy

[CarolineLucas]

Hello Policywonk My real concern is that the vast majority of politicians still have no grasp of the urgency with which we need to act to avoid the worst of climate change. The new Obama administration in the US is certainly very helpful, and it?s true that China is much more engaged than it has been in the past, so I think we will get some kind of treaty in Copenhagen. But I?m still concerned that the targets it contains will be nowhere near ambitious enough. The Green Party believes we need to start making emission cuts of around 9% a year from now on ? yet the targets other Parties are discussing come nowhere close to that.

[AddisonMontgomerySheppard]

Ooh! A fellow WingNut!
Who's your favourite character?
(with apologies for quite such a shallow question!)

Why do you think Americans don't have the same apathy for politics that we do?

[CarolineLucas]

Hello NotPlayingAnyMore - I've had a quick scan of the thread you linked to which throws up lots of issues. It can often be a tough choice with a family to feed, especially in this climate when, for example, chickens which have had a higher standard of welfare are often more expensive than those which have been cramped in a box and treated with all the compassion of a bag of spuds.

Green Party policy is about making environmentally friendly (or welfare friendly) choices more affordable. For example, organic food doesn?t have to be more expensive than non-organic ? it?s a result of the taxation system we?ve chosen to implement. If we taxed labour less, and pesticides more, we could completely reverse the current price signals.

People often ask me whether it?s better to buy local (which might not be organic), or to buy organic (which might have been flown in from the other side of the world). Not easy! On balance, I?d say local first, and obviously, best of all, local and organic.

Allotments are great, and obviously a more affordable option. And some friends of mine have got together to share one, so they don?t have to give up huge amounts of time to keep it going..

Good luck with your environmental studies degree project.

[policywonk]

What's a Wing Nut?

Or should that be... What is the Green Party's position on Wing Nuts?

[policywonk]

The organic/local versus international Fair Trade debate is interesting, isn't it?

Oxfam advises people to give up one portion of meat per week, and to replace it with a Fair Trade product from a developing country.

If all Westerners stopped eating produce from developing countries in Africa and Asia, it would have a terrible effect on those countries' welfare, wouldn't it?

[CarolineLucas]

hi Legacy - sorry to be a bit slow in getting back to you - the questions are coming faster than i can type

And thanks for your very kind comments on Question Time (I always get so nervous before doing it...)

I'm very lucky in having a supportive family and fantastic staff, but I must say I do still find it hard to juggle everything. I spend a lot of time wishing I could be with my kids more - but I honestly believe that I'm doing my small bit to help try to make sure there's a liveable planet for them, and for all other kids - it's as serious as that - though I hope that doesn't sound over dramatic .

It's definitely not too late for you to get involved and stand as an MP or MEP - and in terms of what you get out of it - well, a fantastic group of people who share the same ideals and goals as you do, a real sense of purpose, and a lot of grey hair!!

[Peachy]

'HE305 All women will be entitled to the care of a single midwife
through prenatal care, birth and the first month of post-natal care,
in line with the model of care currently provided by independent
midwives. This will be made possible by initiatives to improve the
recruitment and retention of midwives'

I would voice my support for this; in a previous life I worked with famillies under stress and we often found there was a gap between MW and HV as MW was not allowed to viosit after a set time whilst HV was sometimes unavailable- sick leave, holiday etc: flexibility is the key IMO.

The citizens income....... as a Carer with 2 disabled children it would obviously be very handy for me, but how would this support job retention, or encourage those who can to become self supporting? Is it fro a limited duration or on top of wages- in which case would we not see the Tax Credit effect where all rents etc have risen to meet the rise in income and as such those who were at the bottom (usually the most vulnerable) still are in effect at the bottom?

As a successful parent yourself, how do you think we can support parents of disabled children into work? there is currently a massive shortage of childcare that allows for them to study and become employed, but it uis cheaper for the government to pay a very low carers income and not address the problem.

[Spidermama]

PolicyWonk a Wingnut is someone who watches the West Wing.

[policywonk]

Yes, come on Caroline, we're all lefties here

Tell us what the Greens are going to do, taxation-wise.

[policywonk]

Blimey, I'm a WingNut and I didn't even know it!

[CarolineLucas]

Dear Spidermama - basically, the toxins were substances that can cause cancer. The toy industry weren't too pleased about having to make changes, but the pressure we built up in the parliament and amongst the public was extensive, and I was delighted with the result (some of the worst ones are now banned)- although there's still more to do.

[Legacy]

(Am VERY impresssed by Caroline's typing speed - had assumed she had a minion to do it alongside her....! )

[CarolineLucas]

Hi Hatwoman - just to clarify that the words about this being a break from electioneering weren't mine!! Talking with the public is a key part of election campaigns (and a key part of being elected!), and I'm really enjoying it

[AddisonMontgomerySheppard]

I always thought that about you policywonk!

[policywonk]

Heh YOU, Sir, are a character from Gray's Anatomy and I claim my five pounds.

[Legacy]

Well Caroline, you can always sneak back to Mumsnet under tihs name, or an alter ego.... the perfect antidote to a tough day in Brussels/Strasbourg...

[CarolineLucas]

hi Leningrad - I have mixed views on whether people should be forced to vote - we should look into it. But I'd rather we changed the electoral system, so people feel more inspired to vote!! With the first past the post system, it's not surprising that lots of people feel it's not worth voting, because the result is a foregone conclusion.

In terms of paying for our policies, the citizens' income will cost a lot less than people think, because it's not means-tested, so it requires a lot less bureaucracy.

But we'd also reallocate a lot of existing spending priorities - no Trident nuclear weapon replacement (£78 billion over 30 years), no ID cards, no huge road building, a windfall tax on energy company profits - for starters!

[gizmo]

I agree with you about the urgency of the climate change situation, Caroline, but doesn't it need to be presented with some care?

What I find most irritating about the situation is the paralysis it seems to induce. People are believing there are no solutions, or none that don't require them to radically change their lives, whereas there are lower impact solutions, but without political will power they are being smothered.

[ahundredtimes]

THANK YOU so much for answering my questions. I am sorry for my ignorance - that was hugely helpful.