Ellie Chowns MEP

New Year, Green Projects & EU Citizens

Posted on 12th January 2020 by Media Team

Happy New Year greetings to everyone. I won’t pretend that it’s not a little difficult to be happy about the UK leaving the EU at the end of this month or the general state of our politics. More another time about the dire need for proportional representation to ensure a fairer democracy, something which I will be looking to campaign on. For now though, I am coming to the end of what has been a wonderful and productive experience as Green MEP for the North West. However, I have a lot to complete both in the NW region and in EU Parliament – with the help of my fantastic staff, as we ensure we maximise our impact before the end of January and try to leave a positive legacy.

Looking Ahead

Transport

We will launch our detailed report on sustainable and active transport in the North West on Friday 24 January in Lancaster. This report follows up on the Green New Deal in the North West report, with more detail about the challenges and mechanisms for ensuring investment in transforming our public and active transport systems in the region.

Research and Innovation

The future of research and innovation funding…particularly as we will now no longer be a full member of the Horizon Europe research funding programme within the EU.

We have a report coming out imminently on this and I will also be following this up with an event in the European Parliament on Wednesday 22 January about the importance of research and innovation in meeting our climate targets and the policies described in the European Green Deal – the European commission’s first attempt to introduce such a concept (good news). With a range of policies across the board, as Greens we are not totally convinced that the proposals are deep enough or bold enough.

The Occupied Palestinian Territories

During my last week, not only will I finally publish a report on the occupied Palestinian territories using some of the information I gathered during my visit there in August and the numerous initiatives within the European Parliament, I will also be hosting an event in the Parliament looking at how trade in goods from the occupied Palestinian territories can be properly regulated according to the principles of international law.

The Green New Deal Presentation at Steady State Manchester

Just three days after the election, one of my MEP office team members, Laurence Adams, who was the key researcher behind our Green New Deal for the North West report spoke at a ‘Green New Deals and Greater Manchester’ event hosted by Steady State Manchester, a group working to promote alternative approaches to economic development that respects planetary limits.

Laurence gave a short presentation of our report, outlining what the challenges are in our region and how a Green New Deal of the kind put forward by the Green Party could be transformational. In particular, we made the point that we must work hard to retain ownership of the principles of a ‘Green New Deal’, which are at risk of becoming watered-down. It is fundamental to the Greens’ model that any Green New Deal worthy of the term must meet the six key principles we set out in our report:

-Recognising the Emergency
-Making a Fair Contribution
-Ensuring a Just Transition
-Investing Public Money for Public Goods
-Localising Democracy
-Rethinking Measures of Success.

A local member of Labour for a Green New Deal was also due to attend and put forward Labour’s position, but after the dire election result, was still too crestfallen to attend.

EU Citizenship

As the true impacts of Brexit unfold, one bad news story at a time, it is important that we pay close attention to what’s being offered. We’ve had much correspondence about the issue of ‘Associate EU Citizenship’ and my fellow MEP, Ellie Chowns has put together the following important information:

We continue to believe that the UK is best placed within the EU in terms of our economic interests, strong environmental and social standards and, of course, the benefits of freedom of movement. The proposal of associate EU citizenship is, therefore, at first glance, an undeniably attractive proposal for those of us who wish to stay a part of the European project and retain the rights we have long enjoyed as its citizens.

Associate citizenship isn’t a formal proposal. Charles Goerens, a Luxembourgish MEP, first proposed this amendment to a report on possible future changes to the EU treaties by the Constitutional Affairs Committee (AFCO) in the European Parliament. This was not a legislative report and could not create the status of associate citizenship by itself, and the proposal was ultimately withdrawn prior to the vote with Mr Goerens issuing this explanation on social media.

So far it has been agreed amongst legal experts that to achieve associate citizenship for the UK would require a treaty amendment agreed to by all remaining 27 EU member countries, and then ratified by their national parliaments or by referendum. Unfortunately, this would take a long period of time and is unlikely to happen, and while we support freedom of movement, this right must be reciprocal and enshrined for both Britons and Europeans. In this respect, associate citizenship would discriminate against Europeans.

My Greens/EFA colleague, Jill Evans, commissioned researchers at Swansea University to explore this associate citizenship question and the House of Commons library published legal opinions on EU citizenship that is online here.

Despite the strict legal issues, remaining open to the idea of an associate citizenship, if anything, sends a clear message to the UK government that citizens want to be empowered and remain part of the EU.

I’m keeping a watching eye on this – among all the other Brexit-related developments!

Here’s a link to the GreenWave Voxbox, where we discuss citizen rights post-Brexit with other MEPs.

Meanwhile this week

Good

It is good to see this progressing and to have to opportunity to sign the declaration before my role here ends:

“The Intergroup on Welfare and Conservation of Animals launched DECLARATION ON A TRANSITION TO NON-ANIMAL SCIENCE calling on the EU Commission to establish a concrete strategy to phase out the use of animals in areas of research, education and testing.”

With more than 200,000 animals used each year in the EU for the primary purpose of education and training, this initiative will have a huge impact for good.

The link to the declaration can be found here.

Bad

You couldn’t make it up, but then again:

“Counter-terrorism police placed the non-violent group Extinction Rebellion (XR) on a list of extremist ideologies that should be reported to the authorities running the Prevent programme, which aims to catch those at risk of committing atrocities.

“XR featured alongside threats to national security such as neo-Nazi terrorism and a pro-terrorist Islamist group. The guide, aimed at police officers, government organisations and teachers who by law have to report concerns about radicalisation, was dated last November.”

This article, discovered by The Guardian, is dark and threatening to those who are simply campaigning to protect the life, nature and the environment and I am certain will be challenged. I agree with my colleague Molly Scott Cato MEP who said this is:

“A sign of a state out of control and failing democratic standards.”

Where hope lies

Localism!

I am being asked a lot about what I will do after the end of January.

I have of course kept both of my local councillor roles on at Lancaster City and Lancashire County Council during the last seven months, and will return to them with renewed determination (and I believe, support) to ensure local action by our councils on the climate emergency. As the MEP office, we will be producing a short report on good practice so far in the regions – and I have no doubt that people support local low and zero-carbon initiatives which can also transform our local economies, adding to the quality of daily life. Better public transport and support for active travel, more local services, expanding and promoting biodiversity in our public green spaces and supporting community initiatives just as a start.

I am sure many of us will be turning to the well established Green truism for creating a better future: “Think Globally, Act Locally.”

But first, this coming week will be my last visit to Strasbourg and the formal plenary of the Parliament and there is lots on the agenda I will be participating in.

Onwards

UK Green MEPs Welcome Extinction Rebellion Protests

Posted on 8th October 201910th October 2019 by Media Team

Yesterday, Extinction Rebellion kicked off two weeks of global demonstrations, demanding world leaders act now to tackle climate breakdown. The UK’s Green MEPs have welcomed the protests in a joint statement: ^[1]

“Our planet is on the brink of a climate catastrophe. At this critical moment in history, it’s truly inspiring to see so many people take to the streets and demand our government acts now.

“Our Prime Minister wants to treat protestors like criminals, yet he’s happy to wine and dine with the bosses of the corporations destroying our environment.

“It’s clear which is the right side of history. We urge the UK Government to open its eyes, face facts, and act now to safeguard all of our futures.”

Gina Dowding, Green MEP for the North West said:

“The sheer number of people involved in the Extinction Rebellion protests is heartening and I wholly support their efforts. I hope to stand with Rebels next week during a conference trip to London, and show solidarity with their mission to make the climate emergency one that the UK government acts upon with urgency.

“In the North West, we have been battling the climate-wrecking fracking industry, as they have tried and failed to frack in Lancashire. The industry has been so very deceptive when it comes to promoting natural gas as a climate solution. It is not a ‘bridge fuel’ nor a time to use fracking as a transition – fracking is another fossil fuel extraction technique, responsible for increased global methane emissions.

“The time to move to renewable energy is now and the UK government must drop support for dirty fossil fuels and back renewable energy and a Green New Deal.”

ENDS

[1]. Signed by: Scott Ainslie (London), Ellie Chowns (West Midlands), Molly Scott Cato (South West England and Gibraltar), Gina Dowding (North West England), Magid Magid (Yorkshire and the Humber), Alexandra Phillips (South East England) and Catherine Rowett (East of England).

Brexit, Brexit & Brexit (again)

Posted on 9th September 201924th September 2019 by Media Team

More focus this week on this failed and failing venture that sees our politics and our international relationships in such disarray, and the people of our country divided, uncertain and under pressure. The notion of Brexit alone, never mind its implementation, is costing vast sums of money, time and energy that would be better spent on the urgent things that matter more.

I could list reams of issues from the NHS, to the very survival of our species in a climate catastrophe. In this never-ending loop of political turmoil, it seems that almost everything this week had a ‘taint ‘of Brexit’ about it. I went from signing a ‘Brussels Declaration‘, to calls for a People’s Vote UK in Parliament Square, to Wilmslow for a well-attended debate on the climate emergency…all while arranging travel plans for young climate campaigners this coming week and young women from the NW next month to come to the European Parliament. Everything feels urgent as the horizon keeps changing and these opportunities could disappear.

Brussels Declaration

In Brussels, a Cross Party Group of UK Members of the European Parliament got together to sign a Declaration; committing ourselves to work together in the face of Brexit and calling on our EU colleagues to support us.

MEPs from Green, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Alliance (Northern Island), Plaid Cymru and Scottish National Party signed Brussels Declaration stating:

We, the undersigned UK Members of the European Parliament, representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, declare as follows:

The proroguing, or shutting down the UK Parliament in order to limit scrutiny of the implications of a potential no deal Brexit is completely unacceptable. Limiting the opportunity for MPs to debate, vote and crucially, to legislate, cannot be the response to a referendum in which Leave campaigned for the UK Parliament to “take back control”.

In the continuation of the spirit that UK MEPs have worked in since the 2016 Referendum we commit ourselves to continue to work across party lines and declare that it is vital that MPs do likewise.

We were all elected just four months ago with clear mandates. We are working together. We call upon our European friends and colleagues to assist domestic efforts in keeping the door open to us. Brussels declaration

Trip to EU Parliament for aspiring young women leaders

Monday 9 September 2019, I’ll be with our 15 young climate campaigners en-route to the European Parliament, where they’ll find out more about the climate work we do, meet with other MEPs and spend time with other young climate campaigners from Brussels. And in just a few weeks time (wonder what the political view will look like then!) my amazing team and I are arranging a trip for young women in the NW to visit the European Parliament to meet and hear from other ‘young’ women who have an interest in community building about ways to develop community leadership skills. These wonderful opportunities are EU sponsored and serve to unite us, find shared solutions and create networks and links that can fuel change. I dread to think of the UK without these warm, welcoming connections with our European family.

Rallies in London

On my way home mid-week I stopped off in London to stand with others in Parliament Square to join a rally with ‘pop up’ speeches by a range of prominent MPs including our wonderful Caroline Lucas. All spoke passionately for No Deal to be taken off the table, and a People’s Vote to help re-clarify what exactly the people want. Caroline, however, made the most important point about the need for root and branch reform of our democracy, a call for proportional representation and a written constitution.

On Friday last week, I was back in London to join three of my fellow UK MEPs and protesters outside the Arms Fair (the DSEI). Scott Ainslie, Green MEP for London, highlighted the shame that London hosts the worlds largest arms fair; Ellie Chowns MEP for the West Midlands called out the illegality of the UK’s sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia that are now proven to be used to target civilians in Yemen; Catherine Rowett Green MEP for East England and I both highlighted the intractable links between climate change and war. Apart from the tragic human cost of war, waging war is by definition the most environmentally damaging activity that any government could undertake. However, this leads to a vicious spiral of destruction: not only does climate change result from war, it causes further conflict.

Rarely mentioned by the media, the conflict in Syria was preceded by the worst drought on record between 2007 and 2010. Climate-related extremes causing drought and water shortages, failing crops and resource shortages give rise to the desperation of populations that create the conditions for armed insurgencies. We were all honoured to speak to the protesters as they sat in the road trying to cause delay and prevent the delivery of the world’s deadliest weapons to be on show next week.

You can watch my speech here.

Responsibility for Horizon Europe (funding for research and innovation)

As UK MEPs, we have divided up the allocation of places in the various committees within the European Parliament. These committees are spaces where MEPs really get to grips with European legislation. I have previously said that I was delighted to be given a place on the ITRE Committee responsible for Industry, Research and Energy. Of course, there are lots of threads of work addressed by each committee and this week I was delighted to learn that the Green EFA group has allocated me a role in developing the Horizon Europe programme on its behalf. I am now officially ‘Shadow Rapporteur’ (sorry for the Euro-English!); in effect, that means along with our Green group specialist advisors, I will work in a cross-party subgroup on that specific theme.

Horizon Europe replaces the previous Horizon 2020 fun. It has been massively increased to around £120 billion and in April this year, the Green group got a commitment passed that in this new programme, 35% of the fund must be spent on climate-related research. At a meeting of the committee I raised the question to the commissioner on how important it is that mechanisms are in place to ensure that this binding agreement actually gets implemented.

Meanwhile this week…

Good:

It’s hard to find the good but I think it’s important to celebrate this week the fact that there are MPs who have sacrificed their careers for the good of the country and to work cross-party in what seems, at least from outside Parliament, a constructive way to prevent our Prime Minister from trashing our democratic norms completely.

Bad:

There is still no certainty at all on what the next few weeks will hold. It is becoming clearer that a general election is likely to be called within the next few months but exactly how – we may know by next weekend. Personally, I totally agree with the Green Party’s stance that the Brexit question should be resolved before a general election by a People’s Vote. However. it’s important to have reservations when reflecting how the previous referendum campaign was conducted in the uncharted territory of Facebook, internet campaigning, dark money, and exploiting the absence of elections-regulation. With Dominic Cummings the unelected advisor to our Prime Minister and one of the key protagonists of illegal activities including illegal elections’ spending. I do recommend again for anyone who has access to Netflix to watch ‘The Great Hack’.

Where hope lies:

With the young. This week’s trip with young people from the NW to the European Parliament will I know, be as beneficial for us as it will be for them. There is clarity and wisdom in the messages sent by young climate activists that is refreshing in the world of politics and it’s important that we listen and act with the urgency they demand. With the upcoming (worldwide) Youth Strike 4 Climate on 20 September 2019, and the amazing work of Greta Thunberg in igniting and uniting youth – there IS every reason for positivity.