Why is he standing against Socialist Alliance candidate Paul Foot who will have a similar platform?

Does he recognise that the only solution to environmental deterioration is the replacement of capitalism with a system that respects the rights of people and the environment above all else? And this system can only be socialism?

Does he believe the ownership of land is a more significant factor, than the ownership of the means of production, in society?

in solidarity.

I think that Green Candidates should stand against the likes of Paul Foot. People have more faith in the Green Party than they do in the SWP/ Socialist Alliance candidates. The SWP always said that they would not stand for elections as they saw the parliamentary road as flawed.So why the change? Can't beat them join them eh. The guru Cliff would be turning in his grave.
We in the Green Party believe in issues that affect everyone and are not interested in the political posturing that the SWP are involved in. Capitalism is not going to fall in the imediate future but the planet could.
Vote Green
Get involved

I think that Green Candidates should stand against the likes of Paul Foot. People have more faith in the Green Party than they do in the SWP/ Socialist Alliance candidates. The SWP always said that they would not stand for elections as they saw the parliamentary road as flawed.So why the change? Can't beat them join them eh. The guru Cliff would be turning in his grave.
We in the Green Party believe in issues that affect everyone and are not interested in the political posturing that the SWP are involved in. Capitalism is not going to fall in the imediate future but the planet could.
Vote Green
Get involved

I think that Green Candidates should stand against the likes of Paul Foot. People have more faith in the Green Party than they do in the SWP/ Socialist Alliance candidates. The SWP always said that they would not stand for elections as they saw the parliamentary road as flawed.So why the change? Can't beat them join them eh. The guru Cliff would be turning in his grave.
We in the Green Party believe in issues that affect everyone and are not interested in the political posturing that the SWP are involved in. Capitalism is not going to fall in the imediate future but the planet could.
Vote Green
Get involved

When the Greens were part of the coalition government in Germany they approved nuclear transports and police beating up their own supporters.

At least Paul Foot has a realistic view of the capitalist system and will use the position of Mayor to support people fighting back. Like he supported those parents occupying the nursery against council cuts. The Greens on the other hand will just get co-opted just like their German colleagues.

The Green candidate should stand down.

Actually, the SWP has never rejected standing in elections. (In the 70s they stood a few candidates).
It has always argued that Parliament is an institution that grew up under capitalism and is extremely limited as a tool for radical change.
The world we all hope for can only come through the mass action of ordinary people.
As to the Green Party, whenever they had any power they've sold out (viz. Germany, France etc.).
They believe in change from above (through Parliament/UN).
They are the Liberal Democrats of the Anti-capitalist movement.
Generally, though I think it's better if all left wing candidates (of various Socialist/Green parties) try and co-ordinate where they stand, so they don't stand against each other and split the left wing vote.

By the way the Paul Foot is the Socialist Alliance (not the SWP candidate), though the famous journalist is indeed a member of the SWP, the Socialist Alliance is a coalition fo various groups and in the past has stood many non-SWP candidates across the country.

Also. . .
If you want to get involved, don't bother joining the Green Party they do very little from my experience.

Would people stop confusing the Socialist Alliance with the SWP, they are two different entities. Yeah OK the SWP is a PART of the Socialist Alliance, but that doesn't mean that they run it! The SA is an attempt to unite the Left under one banner, albeit with little sucess at the moment. I agree with Antionus Cliffus Jnr, the Green Party will sell out the moment they have any power, and I'd rate the SA over them any day. However, I'm not sure about Marxist_Mike's "standing against the Socialist Alliance" comment though, chances are that if the Green candidate wasn't present, the majority of people who would vote Green would either vote for one of the main parties or not at all, rather than vote Socialist Alliance, since the term "socialism" puts people off, unfortuantely.

Peace/solidarity, TJA

Not entirely sure why the Greens should stand down, considering that they have consistently come second to Labour in most Hackney wards, and are standing a local candidate who has real links to a vibrant, involved, community-led party.

Maybe Paul Foot should stand down?

Just a thought.

Matt

Ideally, the radical reds and greens should get together, -as we all know that it is capitalism that is exploiting the people and degrading the planet.

As someone involved in environmental activism, I work with people of many political hues, including red and green and black others and want to see a combined challenge to the arrogance of corporate power.

In Hackney it is the Foot campaign is really rattling the Milbank New Labour machine. In this case, I think that a victory or good showing for the Socialist Alliance would cause a bigger upset to the whole political spectrum than the greens would.

The Green Party in the UK has some socialist leanings, and has a already got a few councillors and people on the GLA- but as a whole is seen to gain votes from a lib dem middle class sort of constituency.

Labour has abandoned its traditional key supporters in the mass of the poulation - the working class and trades unions. There is a gaping vacuum to its left on the key issues of public services, environment, housing, transport, war and work.

If socialists start winning support in elections and fill this vacuum, the alarm bells will start ringing in the political establishment of new labour elites and media.

It will show that the labour 'heartland' vote can not be taken for granted, that working class people will not be pissed upon by Blair and his Tory agenda.

Thats why many people are gonna go all out for Foot.

This is only one tactic amongst many to encourage the real thing: That is the spread of direct action and direct democracy amongst the general population. The occupation of the Hackney nursery against closure by kids and parents being a brilliant current example of this.

Yes - where were the Green candidates elected to the London Assembley when those parents were occupying that nursery?

Shouldn't they have been down there banging the media drum and getting as much support as possible?

In fact I haven't heard them say a dickie bird since they were elected. Not much has happened tho' - only 911, the war in Afganistan, the biggest public sector strikes for decades, another war in Iraq ...

There are lots of criticisms that can be made of the Green Party, but lets try to make fair ones, rather than just making stuff up. The fact that you haven't heard much from the GLA members might (shock, horror) be that the mainstream media don't cover what they have to say. They all opposed the war in Afghanistan, they all oppose the war in Iraq, they all oppose PPP and PFI, Jenny Jones came out on the Police Complaints Authority condemning strongly police behaviour at several demos, including Mayday...to suggest that they aren't doing anything is just wrong. So come on, be fair...

Matt S