Local Election Time again May 2nd 2019 - Tubecast #01 - Housing for Locals

The first in a micro series of video-blogs created to support my bid as Green Party candidate for the Mersea and Pyefleet in the Colchester Borough Council elections on May 2nd 2019. Not only am I up against the usual suspects it is a tougher field this year as the only UKIP candidate standing in the borough is in my ward plus a new independent, my friend (perhaps fiend!) and the popular current Mayor of West Mersea.

It is hard to call and the results will be of great interest to all the other parties and independents represented!

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Is C & M Safe and Quiescent..? Video #008

Filmed on the beach at West Mersea opposite the decommissioned Bradwell Nuclear Power Station I ask that awkward question...

Happy New Year!

Irradiation and Contamination... Video #007

Monitoring UK Nuclear Power Video #006

Monitoring Electricity Energy Mix Video #005

As you can see from the extra navigation links above this is an area of great interest to me. In this video I look at a couple of ways you can examine the UK Energy Mix data via computer here and also using a smartphone app.

At the time of writing (12:30pm Sunday 25th November 2018) this is matching set of screen shots from the app which compares the Carbon Intensity and Current Generation:

Nuclear Regulators and Reactor Types... the Interviews

In August I was able to catch up with my good friend Jim Stewart and he was gracious enough to provide interviews to enable two videos to be made, one on Nuclear Reactor types in use in the United Kingdom (see below) and, firstly, information about the Nuclear Regulators working in the UK (above)...

Still Standing and Green through and through

Mersea & Pyefleet

Mersea & Pyefleet

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Robert Davidson	1,373	42.0	3.8
	Independent	John Akker	1,202	36.8	New
	Green	Peter Banks	374	11.4	1.4
	Labour	Barry Gilheany	219	6.7	7.7
	Liberal Democrat	Gemma Graham	99	3.0	2.6
Majority			171	5.2
Turnout			3,267	40.5	1.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	20.3

So here are the results from last week's election... in the Colchester & District Green Party target ward of Castle we missed out by just 11 votes. My vote was the 2nd largest in the Borough.

As you can see all the candidates gave votes away to the single issue Independent candidate Mr Akker. However, this is contrary to his press statement "Mr Akker also pointed to the 374 votes taken by Green candidate Peter Banks, adding: “While of course they are completely entitled to stand, they have taken away crucial votes from another, stronger candidate who is also opposing over-development”.

Ouch!

Help Make Mersea Green 3rd May 2018...

#VoteGreen2018 in the Colchester Borough Council Elections on May 3rd 2018
Download full A4 leaflet here.

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

The Other Beast from the East

The Other Beast from the East

It has been a busy time lately. BANNG has attended a number of meetings and Prof. Andy Blowers has been involved as an expert in the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) consultation process. And on top of that the weather has thrown a wobbly which has potential implications on the decisions for energy policies.

New sites for old

There have been two important meetings. One concerned the Government’s consultation on reviewing the siting criteria for new nuclear power stations. For all of us concerned about the Government’s headlong rush towards more ridiculous nuclear development it is vital to respond to this consultation. (Please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-policy-statement-for-new-nuclear-above-1gw-post-2025-siting-criteria-and-process)

Three BANNG representatives (Andy, Varrie and myself) were invited to London for the BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) Nuclear Forum session to discuss this consultation. Andy Blowers was also asked to represent Colchester Borough Council, which, in contrast to Maldon District Council, is also opposing the Bradwell site.

A number of NGOs were represented, including the NFLA (Nuclear Free Local Authorities), plus groups opposing new nuclear power at Wylfa (Wales), Sizewell B (Suffolk) and Moorside (Cumbria). It is at meetings like these that you can discern the similarities and differences relating to the proximity of a proposed site in your own area.

Clearly the Government is attempting to extend the time period allocated for selecting potential new nuclear sites. The sites included in the previous consultation on the siting criteria in 2008 should have had power stations generating by 2025 and even Hinkley Point C (HPC) has only a remote chance of being up and running by then. So apart from HPC, the Government is carrying all the sites (including Bradwell) forward to 2035. One astonishing admission at this meeting was that the Government has decided, at this stage, not to review, revise and update the energy policy put forward and agreed in 2011. For example, despite the radical changes that everyone knows have occurred, the policy statement on renewable energy will remain unchanged. And yet renewables now contribute more to the energy mix which surely means that the overall energy plan needs to be updated.

Concerns about Bradwell

BANNG also had an important strategic meeting with the Nuclear New Build departments of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency (EA). This event was co-chaired by BANNG’s Andy Blowers and the EA’s Simon Barlow. The meeting was attended by senior representatives from the EA and ONR and 6 from BANNG. Andy Blowers once again was also able to represent Colchester Borough Council.

The EA and ONR opened the meeting with presentations on the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) and outlined the siting criteria procedures, and touched on the problem of managing spent fuel on-site over the long term. There was discussion of specific issues raised by BANNG: the proposals for Bradwell B; marine concerns; Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI); transport logistics; and climate change.

During the meeting it became clear that the regulators do have serious concerns around the marine ecology and particularly cooling water insufficiency regarding Bradwell B. However, the BANNG representatives were puzzled by the confidence shown in the reactor design and in the prospect of decommissioning and safely managing nuclear wastes on-site for at least 100 years, which is longer than the industry has even been around.

Reasons to be cheerful?

It was reassuring that our considered logistical and scientific concerns are being taken seriously. However, it was less reassuring to be told that we were the only organisation so far to have requested any sort of meeting or discussion.

I do think there is some room for optimism though. It is possible that at least one or two of the sites listed as potentially suitable for new nuclear development will no longer be able to meet the criteria. Also it is possible, sadly less likely, that the current Government will actually see some fiscal and moral sense not to proceed with such vigour with the new nuclear power stations. It could be they are looking for a way out of the monumental mistake that they are championing.

Significantly, over the extreme weather period last week the lights did not go out even though there were all sorts of issues with the current ageing fleet of Nuclear Power Stations. In fact it was wind power that supplemented the energy needed even though a component from coal fired stations was also called on. The latter supply was principally requested because the gas supplies were being diverted from energy production to domestic heating as the temperatures plummeted.

Which leads to a fear that the Government will just revert to the outdated thinking of requiring ‘base-load’ electricity and use the inclement weather as an excuse to continue to navigate toward nuclear. Let’s hope that wisdom prevails.


Article first appeared in the Mersea Island Courier 17th March 2018

One more sleep...

No vote is wasted, ever. And a vote for the Green Party really counts. Furthermore in this General Election there is the exciting prospect of returning more Green MPs to join the outstanding Green figurehead Caroline Lucas who has served her Brighton Pavilion constituency as the sole Green Party Member of Parliament since 2010.

The Green Party comes under unjust criticism from people that are either entrenched in a pre-conceived view or those that have clearly not investigated the manifesto and the policies it covers. I candidly admit there is an unfortunate (and incorrect) image of the Green Party membership that we are all tree hugging vegans who want to return to more primitive times. The big irony is that the Green Party is actually the ONLY political party that has the clearest objective to protect our planet from us all being forced back to earlier times by the onset of irreversible climate change.

I encourage you to check out your Green Party Parliamentary candidate and if you're local to me then please get out tomorrow and vote for Blake Roberts our outstanding candidate for the Harwich and North Essex constituency.

P

Where do we Go Green from here?

So having just worked up to the County Council Elections we now find ourselves hurtling toward the big one, General Election 2017 (hashtag GE2017!). With our sole defence of the Green Party seat in Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas has worked tirelessly to both be a fantastic MP as well as a figurehead for the Green Party. So what are the options?

Progressive Alliance...
This seeks to make deals with the other progressive, left leaning parties to step aside if this represents the best prospect to take a seat from the Conservatives. This needs to be able to work both ways on an "I'll scratch your back if you scratch my back" basis. This worked brilliantly for the Richmond Park bi-election when the Greens actively canvassed for Sarah Olney of the Liberal Democrats who then defeated Zac Goldsmith (albeit an independent candidate by then having abdicated his Tory seat). Similarly The Lib Dems are not standing against Caroline Lucas. However, this principle is fraught with risk and the potential for one party to renege after the other has given way is ominous. The very latest is this is not going to be Green Party policy this election.

Shifting Sideways...
One of the prominent Green European MEPs, Molly Scott-Cato, is moving across to stand as an MP for Bristol West. Whilst her reputation precedes her and she has a highly visible public profile she is standing against a female Labour MP who turned in a 5,763 majority in 2015. Another example is former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett who will now be standing for the Sheffield Central constituency.

Location, Location, Location...
I have to claim a particular interest in this approach! I am proud to have been born and bred on the Isle of Wight where the Green Party candidate for the island constituency is Vix Lowthion. She secured 13.4% of the vote in the 2015 General Election but that was then behind the now spent force of UKIP (21.2%) and the recently disgraced Tory MP. Furthermore she is riding on the crest of a huge increase in support for the Island's Greens in the recent county elections along with the justifiable anger about the potential of Fracking sites on the garden isle.

Keeping it Local...
I am delighted that our Colchester and District Green Party able to field two candidates as two constituencies cross our patch. Mark Goacher, a relatively seasoned campaigner, stands in Colchester and one of our rising stars, Blake Roberts, stands in the Harwich and North Essex constituency (which covers Mersea Island).

So where do we go from here?
The very good news is that it is looking promising for Caroline Lucas to be returned to the Houses of Parliament for a further term. For some others, such as Vix and Molly, there is a real chance of gaining at least another seat.

Locally, however, it is really tough...
Potentially Colchester is a marginal seat as there may be a strong Lib Dem challenge from Sir Bob Russell. I think it is more likely the Conservative Will Quince will increase his majority. I think both Mark and Blake will garner enough votes to be a worthy component of the Green Party national vote and I commend them to you.

P

It's been a Hard Day's Night...

Candidate	Party	Votes	%	Change
John Jowers	Conservative	2525	48.67%	1.67%
John Akker	Independent	1058	20.39%	20.39%
Bry Mogridge	Labour	533	10.27%	-5.13%
David Broise	UKIP	474	9.14%	-18.66%
Jo Hayes	Lib Dem	317	6.11%	1.71%
Peter Banks	Green	281	5.42%	0.12%
	Electorate	Turnout	% Turnout
	14344	5188	36.17%

In fairness I'm still recovering from Polling Day for the Essex County Elections last Thursday 4th May. Despite the ignominy of trailing back in last place I do celebrate the 280 folk that care enough to vote for a vision that includes the survival of our planet beyond our own generation, thank you!

The Greens have gained seats nationwide and we do have some promising prospects for the forthcoming general election but it seems the image of The Green Party is still seen as just a bunch of tree hugging, sandle wearing vegan hippies that want to switch the lights off...

The trouble is I found the prejudice about the party is so deeply embedded when I chatted with voters. Many are simply not prepared to even discuss the fallacy of their perceptions and fiercely want to protect their position of one I can only describe as wilful ignorance. Equally I experienced a warmth and respect from both unexpected sources and those already in my circle of friends. Above all the heartfelt messages of support and encouragement I received yesterday cheered my spirits no end, my spark returneth!

Now it is onward to the General Election 2017. The Colchester and District Green Party have a fantastic candidate for the Harwich and North Essex constituency in my colleague Blake Roberts who will be saying hello soon!

Once again a HUGE thanks, you know who you are!!

P

Planes, Trains and Automobiles...

Whilst the film "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (click for trailer) is set in the United States and the internal plane travel is not so prevalent over her in the UK there are a couple of apposite analogies to our current times.

Firstly The Green Party vision for transport would centre on the middle option or, indeed, all local mass transport systems such as trams and buses. Within the Manifesto there is a commitment to taking the railways back into public ownership along with encouraging people to use the bus, cycle or walk locally. I remember seeing a roadside placard proclaiming "Cheap Flights - Costing the Earth" on the A120 near Stansted Airport; cutting, clever and correct!

Early in the film, without giving a spoiler, a freak snowstorm results in all flights being cancelled. I doubt the notion of Climate Change was at the fore in the scriptwriters mind, however, it gently illustrates the power of nature over best laid plans. Of course, as signed up Green Party members we are strong on Climate Change policies which include the reduction of the Air Pollution that air flight, ships and road transport contribute. Here technology is providing some answers, as in electric vehicles, but psychologically we still need to be less wed to car ownership regardless.

More disasters befall the two main characters, brilliantly played by Steve Martin and the late John Candy. As the story unfolds, despite their seemingly irreconcilable differences, they have to form a strategic alliance to make any sort of progress. Which neatly leads me on to the second analogy, that of co-operation between political parties.

Since becoming involved in entry level politics I have met good, principled people of all political persuasion. Inevitably there are some that I share more values with than others. I have seen firsthand how consensus has such a positive effect on moving projects forward and the well-being of the participants.

So I suggest parties must determine the best way of working together, whether that be in coalition or progressive alliances. Using a nod toward music let's see harmony above hostility...

See you at the Polling Station!

P

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Douglas Cameron Banks
Colchester and District Green Party all of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

It started off so well... Election Fever

This is the election week my brain was focused on, working towards Thursday 4th May. I had a plan worked out day by day, I could see a pathway forward. But now these County Council Elections have been completely overshadowed by the snap General Election coming up next month. Of course, there were rumblings that a May / June General Election could be on the cards yet it still feels as though everyone has been caught on the hop. And the cost of having another election day not in sync with the County Elections must be yet another waste of the public purse that could be better spent elsewhere.

So I fear the turnout this week will be derisory. Intriguingly, though, it could trigger some interesting results, possibly yielding healthier returns for those that choose to canvass diligently. Here, in my division of Mersea and Tiptree, there is a strong, independent candidate with seemingly limitless funds giving the current incumbent something to be concerned about. In contrast, my campaign, as the Colchester and District Green Party candidate, has been fiscally hampered by voluntary prudence so, instead, I have concentrated on using this blog along with other Social Media portals Twitter and Facebook.

I stood as a candidate for the first time last year in the Colchester Borough Elections and was delighted similar literary efforts resulted in a healthy increase in votes and percentage share. I am hopeful the trend will continue again this time and will be honoured if you see fit to help achieve that goal by Voting Green!

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Douglas Cameron Banks
Colchester and District Green Party all of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Embracing change for the Common Good -#MyManifesto

#VoteGreen2017 in the Essex County Council Elections on May 4th 2017
Download full leaflet here, folds down to A5 landscape orientation.

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Being Green #MyManifesto week four

Take me Higher - Aspiration not Austerity
Everyone needs encouragement whether starting out or later in life. There has to be a culture in which aspiration is encouraged and nurtured [read more]

Ban the Bombmongers...
Tory Sir Michael Fallon's extraordinary statement declaring the UK's Nuclear arsenal is no longer considered just as a deterrent but as the possibility of a first stike... [read more]

Stop calling us Ordinary, we're all Extraordinary!
I know I'm not the only one who gets infuriated when politicians refer to the general public as 'Ordinary People'! How very dare politicians unilaterally decide to distinguish themselves as Extraordinary whilst implying the rest of society isn't? [read more]

Learning not Loading - Love your Teachers
So everyone needs to value our teachers more. Let us allow our teachers to inspire without the enormous burden of endlessly having to submit data [read more]


and from:
Being Green - #MyManifesto week three

Don't throw your love away - Love not Litter
My local rant about the weekend litter around the bins on Mersea has received more views, to date, than all the previous blogs below [read more]
Be Ye Transformed - Rich but not Wealthy  Part Two of my previous day's post as we still consider the ramifications of the forthcoming snap election whilst in the throes of challenging for the local county council elections [read more]

Equality not Inequality - Looking Through You
A reaction to the news of the snap election focusing on how inequality blights this country and increases poverty [read more]

What is Normal? Discover not Dismiss
Celebrating the diversity of the human condition. Therefore relishing campaigning for more support for those that need to rely on extra care - whether from disability, illness, old age or dementia and championing the many Guardian Angels in our midst [read more]


and from:
Being Green - #MyManifesto week two

Welcome not Waiting - transforming finances...
A criticism levied at political parties when they criticise a rampant austerity policy is “how will you pay for everything?”. For the Green Party some major contributions to the public purse seem all too obvious with the response “stop commissioning white elephants”! [read more]
Homes not Houses - Wherever I lay my hat, that's my home...
It seems every hamlet, town, village and city is under pressure to accept unsustainable housing quotas. The Green vision is for the creation of affordable, energy efficient homes rather than comply with excessive, energy hungry property developments. [read more]

Health not Wealth - Song for Nye
We need to recapture the vision of Nye Bevan and restore the NHS to its rightful place of a fully funded public service to all rather than a creeping privatisation primarily serving shareholders. It is abundantly clear the NHS needs substantial investment and appears to be feared by some members of the current government. [read more]

Trust not Terror - Mersea Island beach hut fire... My short report and photographs from the morning after. I support our police, military and emergency services receiving extra funding rather than the crippling budget cuts they are enduring. How much better would it be if our communities and the true public servants felt secure and valued? [read more]


and from:
Being Green - #MyManifesto week one

May the Fourth be with you...
One month until May the Fourth be with you when it will be: Essex County Council elections day too! [read more]

Travel not Traffic
The Green vision is to re-vitalise and re-own public transport as well as encouraging cycling and walking. Problems of congestion and parking are simply caused by too greater dependence on private cars and the more on the road the greater the air pollution. [read more]

Nature not Nuclear
Old nuclear has served its time but left a dangerous and lengthy legacy of radioactive waste. It is urgent and essential to invest in developing renewable technologies for the future of our country and planet. [read more]

Respect not Reject

In these politically turbulent times politically we need to be a country that offers empathy toward those who suffer from the terror of trafficking and war.

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Take me Higher - Aspiration not Austerity

To make an idea come to life is always going to involve hard work. The ratio of inspiration to perspiration is always going to favour the latter! However, there has to be an environment in which aspiration is encouraged and nurtured.

Ironically, sometimes the energy for embarking on a visionary project can be birthed in the very circumstances you want to leave behind. Even relative poverty can be the driver to pursue your original idea. But that should never, ever be used to justify Tory style policies of austerity.

The Green Party is committed to building a fairer and more equitable society with policies that will give the opportunity to be aspirational:

• Citizen's Income - where everyone has an income regardless. This actually saves taxpayer's money
• Three Day Weekend - a vision to improve health and wellbeing - yielding more efficiency and safer productivity

Furthermore their is a rational commitment to reducing spending on flagship, grandstanding projects:

• NO HS2
• NO Hinkley Point C
• NO Trident renewal

Let's move away from complacency and cynicism. They are the greatest hindrance to aspiration.

And on that note it is just one week to the Essex County Council Elections, make your voice heard by voting Green!

P

Ban the Bombmongers...

Although I consider negative campaigning somewhat of a soft option I could not let this moment pass. A couple of days ago the so called Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today's programme stated "We have made it very clear that you can't rule out nuclear weapons as a first strike". Now this is an incredibly dangerous statement that has serious implications.

Firstly I think it is important to recall that it was this same Michael Fallon that, on the appointment of Jeremy Corbyn to Labour Party Leader, repeated ad nauseam on news broadcasts that Mr Corbyn's dire faults included "a threat to our national security". This is because of Mr Corbyn's history with the Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament (CND). Ever since the criticism of the Labour Leader has been relentless in respect of his views that he would not consider pressing the nuclear button in response to a nuclear attack. Good for him!

Secondly Parliament has been persuaded that the whole point of the Trident renewal programme is based on the premise of the UK needing a Nuclear deterrent. However, this latest statement, which included that chilling phrase "first strike", therefore means the Tory government no longer considers our nuclear arsenal as a deterrent but one of an initial attack as a Nuclear Aggressor.

I put it to you that Sir Michael Fallon is a danger to our national security, a warmonger and, along with his cronies, is not fit to serve this country. Ban the bomb, ban the Tories and Vote Green for our National Security...

Here endeth the Lesson

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Stop calling us Ordinary, we're all Extraordinary!

I know I'm not the only one who gets infuriated when politicians refer to the general public as 'Ordinary People'! It seems to appear during every Party Political Broadcast, quoted during interviews and used by BBC Questiontime panels. It is such an insult! How very dare politicians unilaterally decide to distinguish themselves as Extraordinary whilst implying the rest of society isn't?

People are ALL extraordinary and, if I am to make my point completely inclusive, EVEN politicians!!!

It is inevitable that whatever career or vocation you follow that there is a 'bubble' factor in that it takes a degree of extra effort to look beyond the boundaries you find yourself in. However, that should not be used as an excuse to continue to use inappropriate categorisations of the 'Other'.

In the Green Party we are blessed with having such an extraordinary Member of Parliament in Caroline Lucas. If you have yet to read her book 'Honourable Friends?' then now is the perfect time before this snap General Election to see why voting Green is Extraordinary!

P

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Learning not Loading - Love your Teachers

My first proper, full time job was as a schoolteacher. I'd just left university (UEA), having struggled through my physics degree, and had not secured a job despite having run a up a sizeable debt buying my first Hammond organ. The doors of the music business were not flung wide open and I was bandless and, frankly, clueless!

As one of the first ever Uni graduates from my old school, Gaynes School Upminster, I visited to say thanks to teaching staff and found myself promptly ushered into the headmaster's study and interrogated as to my career plans. My two cunning, alternative plans of becoming a rock music star or steam engine driver were, putting it politely, frowned upon! However, I walked out with a completely unexpected job offer.

As it turned out it was another couple of years before it became possible for me to take the plunge into full time music. But my time in the teaching profession was formative and I loved it. It is clear to me that the job has radically changed since back then. Now there is a disproportionate onus on submitting data to faceless bureaucrats rather than being the role model that inspires the next generations.

And teachers are given such a hard time in the press! I find the whole business of parents going to court to challenge schools about taking time out during term time astonishing... no one ever mentions the scandalous outcry that would ensue if teachers decided they should take advantage of out of season air fares?

So everyone needs to value our teachers more. Let us allow our teachers to inspire without the enormous burden of endlessly having to submit data.

And thanks, you certainly inspired me...

P

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD