One of our Councillors, Brent Cheetham, has launched a campaign in favour of a proposal to site an Anaerobic Digestion plant in his area. The plant aims to turn waste into energy and non-chemical fertiliser. Unfortunately, the local parish council (run by conservatives) oppose the proposal and believe, as Brent stated in a recent letter, that (the plant) to be some kind of ‘baby-eating fire-breathing moloch of biblical times.’ It looks as if David Cameron’s ‘Green agenda’ has not been embraced by the rank & file

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Cllr Brent Cheetham

We in the National Liberal party have made our pro-green views and our support for the decentralisation of economic and political power, quite clear. We have not been fooled therefore by the Conservatives ‘conversion’ to a green agenda and their much vaunted Localism bill.

To illustrate our concerns, I will highlight a local example of their actions not matching the words.

In my Hertfordshire parish of Northaw and Cuffley there is a proposal for an anaerobic digestion plant. The parish is staunchly Conservative (I am the only non-Tory councillor) and is home to their ex-Chairman, Cecil Parkinson. Some local farmers have proposed placing an Eco-friendly Anaerobic Digestion plant, shielded by trees, on the very edge of the parish. Such plants have been supported by environmentalists and those of a green orientation for over 20 years. They basically convert waste foods into a chemical free fertilizer, whilst supplying energy to the national grid. There are many benefits e.g. reducing methane emission from landfill sites, reducing reliance of fossil fuels, reducing or eliminating the energy footprint of waste treatment plants, displacing industrially produced chemical fertilizers, reducing vehicle movements and reducing electrical grid transportation losses.

Anaerobic digestion plants are also recognized by the United Nations Development Programme as one of the most useful decentralized sources of energy supply. Such plants have been operating safely in Europe for over two decades; Germany alone has over 2,500 all doing their small bit for the environment. We in the UK however, are very much behind the rest of the world when it comes to green issues and “AD” plants are only just beginning to be built in any numbers.

Bearing this in mind and Conservative Central Office keenness to extol their green credentials, you would have thought that local Tories would welcome such a proposal with open arms? Not a bit of it!

The local parish council, of which I am a member, is led by an ageing Tory ‘Grandee’ who also happens to be a Tory district councillor on Welwyn and Hatfield council, and has opposed the plant being built. Their reasons range from safety, to health to ascetic issues, none of which can be supported by scientific evidence.

Given this opposition, I e-mailed Charles Walker, Conservative MP for Broxbourne, to ask for his support for this green initiative. I asked Mr Walker whether we could count on his support for renewable energy supplies, such as anaerobic digesters. I stated that “I understand that the government has a target for energy supplies to be supported by 15% from renewable sources. As no doubt you are aware, anaerobic digesters are seen as being very green orientated and also supply chemical free fertilizers. I will not bore you with the other green benefits such plants attract, as I am sure you already have the details to hand PS did you know your nick names is “Charlie boy” or “Charles the boy walker “? Charles Walker responded “I have my concerns about the viability of green energy, preferring the nuclear option myself “ I replied “I feel a new nickname coming on, “ MR RADIOACTIVE” sorry could not resist that one ha ha!” to which he e-mailed back “such a nickname could prove toxic !”

Banter apart, grass roots Tories and at least one top spokesman, do not even support their own head office policy on green issues. If the government cannot even carry their own party on these issues, what hope can we all have for future?

The application of the UK’s veto over the ‘Eurozone club’s’ attempt to use the EU to sanction their proposed measures, has been welcomed and horrified in equal measure.

For Eurosceptics, it is seen as the first time that the UK has ‘stood up to the EU’; for Europhiles it threatens to ‘isolate’ us from the rest of Europe.
In essence, the Euozone is in crisis i.e. certain member countries are unable to service their debts. The club’s leading members i.e. France and Germany are proposing a (part) ‘fiscal union’ e.g. restricting members control over their budgets. For the UK this would be a further unacceptable loss of sovereignty. The ‘club’ wanted to amend the Lisbon Treaty (the last relevant piece of EU constitutional legislation). Whilst it would not have directly affected us, it would have allowed the ‘club’ to use the EU’s mechanisms to regulate their proposed ‘fiscal union’, despite it only being relevant to 17 out of the 27 EU countries. David Cameron says he feared that the EU would have been then used to introduce legislation that harmed the UK’s interests e.g. a financial tax on banks etc.

About Sovereignty, not rewarding big business backers

This is odd since that could have been vetoed separately in any case? Furthermore, prior to the recent fateful summit, the PM was talking of getting the UK exempted from some of the EU’s social legislation e.g. the Working Time Directive. This is in line with the Government’s proposed changes to UK Employment law, which will also favour the Employer and, in our opinion, more about rewarding big business party backers. In other words, if David Cameron had got his business opt-outs, he would have signed up to the Eurozone proposals!

The only reason not to sign up to those proposals is the same reason we should not join the Euro i.e. it leads to greater economic and political integration and further erodes our sovereign ability to decide upon future policies. The Eurozone’s proposed fiscal union was/is leading to a two-tier EU as predicted and on paper gives the UK an opportunity to renegotiate its’ relationship with the EU (see http://nationalliberal.org/?p=3199).

Renegotiate now!

However, we did not foresee the reported possibility of the other nine non-Euro countries signing up to the Euro-zone club? Thus, rather than an emerging bloc of non-Eurozone countries developing in a separate direction and offering an alternative vision, we may indeed see the UK isolated. The answer to that is not a climb-down or ‘surrender’, but an early attempt, whilst in a relative position of strength, at renegotiating our position within the EU. The result of which would be put to a referendum that would also have to include an ‘In or Out’ option. Failure to do so now will put us in a much weaker position if, as Cameron has stated, we leave it until the Eurozone gets its act together as they will then be in no mood for concessions?

THE National Liberal Party supports the right for everyone to determine the future of their respective nations without any outside pressure or influence.

In our article State of the Union – A Federal vision of 22 November, 2011, we noted that, for the United Kingdom, we currently favour a federal system based upon Liberty, Democracy and Independence.

However, in the spirit of free speech – and to promote a genuine debate on subject – we’re more than willing to host guest articles relating to the future of the UK. Thus we’d like to invite readers to submit their ideas. Do you support our federal idea – or are you in favour of the union, a confederacy, some form of autonomy or self-determination? No matter what your preference, just e-mail your article to natliberal@aol.com

Our first guest article is from Glasgow-based Andrew Hunter. He gives a potted history of Scotland and asks the question “Do Scots want to leave the UK and is Federalism the answer?” Andrew’s views are broadly in line with ours and he sees federalism as heralding the “further decentralisation of authority and giving the British public a real say in the running of the country.”

–Do Scots want to leave the UK and is Federalism the answer?

THE STRAIGHT answer to the first part of the question is a fairly resounding “No”. According to opinion poll figures published in The Daily Telegraph of 22 November 2011 only some 28% of the Scottish electorate favour full-blown independence with a majority of 53% against and a further 17% “undecided”.

The process of the formation of the United Kingdom took a little over one hundred years to complete and at the current pace of political sentiment in Scotland it could take another hundred years to dissolve. In 1603 James VI of Scotland, (and I of England), ascended to the English throne after Elizabeth I died without an heir, thus uniting the crowns through his legitimate succession to both thrones. In 1707 the Scottish and English Parliaments united. The reasons for this were greater in number than for the uniting of the crowns and can be briefly summarised thus: Scotland’s economy had suffered a hammer-blow through the failure of the ill-conceived Darien scheme and the country needed the 18th century equivalent of a bailout, England was keen to secure its northern border by eliminating Scotland as a possible jumping-off point for a foreign invasion, Scottish merchants were keen to access English markets and the English were keen to avoid any questioning of who should succeed Queen Anne. As a result of this union both England and Scotland ceased to exist, becoming “South Britain” and “North Britain” respectively. At the time there was little unrest in Scotland over the union as Scotland’s Parliament was never as active in the life of the country as was England’s and for most of its existence was little more than a rubber-stamping operation. Assurances over the continued independence of the Scottish legal system and the Church of Scotland were enough for most Scots of the time. Read more »

THE National Liberal Party is well known for its annual campaign which encourages folks to ‘Shop Locally This Christmas!’ And this year is no exception.

With the possibility of a double-dip recession – and dire predictions for Britain’s social and economic future – we must do all in our power to support our local shopkeepers and our local economy.

Our campaign is based on moral, social and economic grounds.

Morally, we think that it’s both just and right to support local shopkeepers. In some cases, family-owned and run concerns have served the local community for generations.

Socially, we feel that local shops form part of the ‘glue’ that helps to maintain community spirit. WE can do no better than quote the writer and campaigner, John Papworth on this:

“Think for example of how shopping in a family-owned shop in a village high street means one is relating to ones neighbours, supporting the local village economy and generally playing an active, even significant, social role. Whereas in an out-of-town supermarket one is socially comatose and undermining the social significance of the local community economy. One ceases to be a citizen, one becomes a customer.”

Economically, money spent locally is more likely to stay in – and benefit – the community. Spending in giant supermarkets only serves to build the profits and power of the corporate might of the supermarkets. Additionally, their ideal is the complete opposite of ours. They believe that ‘big is best’ whilst we say ‘small is beautiful!’

With this in mind, we’d call upon all of our members and supporters to Shop Locally This Christmas!

Support your local shops

YES it’s that time of year again – Christmas is coming! But in your haste to do the shopping, don’t forget the local shops and businesses in your area. Give them an early Christmas present by shopping locally today.

The National Liberal Party knows that times are hard and price considerations are obviously very important, but many small shops depend on their Christmas trade to see them through much of the following year. At present, many shopkeepers are hit hard by the recession – caused by the credit crunch – high interest rates and the criminal bank debt-system.

The shopkeeper, as a self-employed businessman or woman, plays a vital role in the local economy. (And don’t forget that these small shops collectively employ hundreds of thousands of workers throughout the length and breadth of Britain). Local shops are not only important for the elderly and young mothers, but are part of the glue that helps to maintain community spirit – a place to bump into friends, neighbours and relatives.

If we don’t support our local shops and businesses today, we may loose them forever. Then people will have no other choice to travel directly into the nearest city or town centre for the smallest of items. This may be ok if you have your own transport and are fit and healthy. However, the elderly or young mothers wouldn’t really look forward to beating a path through the massive Saturday shopping crowds found in our large towns and cities.

The message is clear. For the community spirit to survive and prosper, we must give local shops as much trade as possible. The National Liberal Party says support your local shops, shopkeepers and shop workers. Shop locally this Christmas!

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Oh the nation of great philosophical tradition,
You’re a cradle once of European civilization;
Oh the home of Homer, Socrates, Pythagoras, Aristotle and Plato,
We pity you, for the gathering grey clouds above you.

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Philosophy, logic, ethics, science and poetics,
Knowledge all born amid your critical thoughts,
From times of antiquity, flourished your enquiring thirst,
Today though, changed times burden your economy to burst.

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Philosophised once you wisdom to the world,
Plundered now have you all great knowledge of (g)old;
Let not the current economic ignorance sink you deep into debt seas;
Instead, let the rays of economic prudence pierce through the hanging grey clouds

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Jason

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© All rights reserved. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate-whether for sale or non-commercial distribution, should be addressed to Jay A.Jasan,, e-mail: Jason_jesuthasan@yahoo.com 17 November, 2011