2nd June - Born Day

On 2nd June at around 8pm, our grandson Matthew was born. I must admit my initial thoughts were focussed on the health and welfare of our daughter who had not experienced  a pleasant day up to the birth.

I'm not what you call natural grandparent material; anyone who knows me from my work life will know that I do not naturally bond with young children. However my immediate thoughts were that my family had its first 21st Century man.

Birth reminds us of our own mortality, something that we really need no reminding about, so inevitably we try to shuffle such thoughts to the back of our minds.

Drifting off to sleep some time around midnight, I received a call from my son in law to say that our daughter was losing too much blood and might need a blood tranfusion. In minutes we were heading to the hospital, me driving. The rain lashed down as we made our way through a near deserted Chelmsford.

Fortunately my daughter didn't require the transfusion. We were able to talk and see our grandson for the first time. After what had been a traumatic day for him too. He slept soundly, just turning occasionally to stretch out his arms.

Here was a new born baby only 5 hours old. After a stay of about a hour I drove home my eyes on the road, but my mind very much returning to an issue that I'd reconsidered only a couple of days earlier.

When my mother was born in 1925 the world's population stood at 2 billion, last year it reached 7 billion, projections suggest that by the time Matthew is an adult it will be heading towards 9 billion.
My mind turned to the type of world Matthew will inherit, the problems his generation will face.
Will "his people" be able to feed themselves, by that I mean everyone across the world. Will poverty and starvation be a thing of the past or a recurring curse ? Will there be enough water to drink ? How will they light and heat their homes ? How will they learn ?

Recent talk of "future people" hit me between the eyes last night, as future became present. Those of us capable of ensuring that there are necessary resources for future generations need to make them a priority. My grandson Matthew should inherit a world not beset with the problems that mine and previous generations have created.

Utopianism and Green Politics

I travelled to Norwich for the second time during May. This time it's not for political campaigning, instead I headed to UEA to listen to Jonathan Porritt deliver a lecture in a series called Philosopher Kings. porritt's theme was "Utopianism and Green Politics"

In the late 1980s when I started researching environmental policies and politics while working for a MEP on the European parliament's Environment Committee, Jonathan Porritt was very much the public face of the English Greens.

While the German Greens were making electoral headway in a country with a proportional system, Porritt appeared to plough fallow land back home. In 1989 in the Euro elections the greens polled 15% of the vote, but with the UK still rooted to FPTP for Euro elections at this time, they won no seats.

Over 20 years have passed, and I spent the two hour train journey reading Porritt's "Going Green". Obviously the book is to an extent time framed, but it is a readable account with sharp observation.
Before the evening I sense that Porritt while maintaining his membership of the party seemed rather tangential to it, and its leftward path under the leadership of Caroline Lucas.

Porritt's talk was always thought provoking, never allowing the listener to settle into their comfort zone. He challenged a largely green sympathetic audience of approaching 300 , to ask why their message had not created a positive narrative with the electorate. He argued that as a party we failed to appreciate or accept the aspirations of the people. It was no good simply blaming FPTP.

He said that the bulk of the population accept the environmental problems that the earth faces, but not our solutions.He challenged orthodox views on technology. Could technology be the friends of the Greens ? All to often he said we appeared either technosceptic or worse technophobic.

Of course from a green perspective technology can't resolve all environmental problems unless consumption is tackled as well. In reply Rupert Reed argued that it wasn't greens who were utopian, it was those who thought we could continue on with the "business as usual" approach. He talked of "unspeak", the development of language and concepts that imply that it is possible to tackle issues such as climate change without drastic action, the term "sustainability" he argued was a perfect example of "unspeak". While accepting that Greens are often seen as foretellers of doom,he said we needed to raise the alarm, rather than simply being alarmist.

Rupert Reed  pursued the view that growth offered no solutions, that more stuff was no solution.
As I travelled back to Essex, this theme held my attention. I tried to think through the contradiction. At first glance people do want more stuff, especially in the field of technology, how can the Greens sell their message when coming up against what seemed a huge barrier ?

The more I thought, the underlying issue seemed to be the reduction in the size of public as opposed to private provision. Today culturally we've accepted that the public provision won't be there, so we seek out private solutions. In the days before the Porritt lecture I wanted to prepare myself by reading some of his writing. Did I go to the local library ? No, I bought the book (admittedly second hand). On our allotment I had a discussion regarding grass strimmers. The ones the allotment holders buy are next to useless, and are anyway underused. Why don't we club together and buy a quality tool, that we can all access ? As I got off the late night train  people left public transport that was both efficient and clean, and jumped into their private cars. Why ? Because the idea of late night rural public transport would be considered unrealistic in the UK.

Until we tackled the lack of community and public provision, together with the distribution of wealth in our society, our hopes of opening the electorates' eyes to the limits of growth will be a utopian dream.

!0 years after

The past and future of AFC Wimbledon

This week has marked the 10th anniversary of the birth of AFC Wimbledon. On 28th May 2002, the FA killed Wimbledon FC and sanctioned the franchising of football. The decision to allow Milton Keynes Dons defied the concept of clubs having roots in a local community. Wimbledon was to be uprooted and thrown 60 miles away up the M1. Not surprisingly Dons fans adopted the mantra " never forgive,never forget".

The three man commission who presided over the execution of Wimbledon FC declared that the formation of a club such as Wimbledon Town would "not be in the wider interests of football."

Two days later hundreds of us, angry and frustrated, crowded into the Community Centre in St Georges Road SW19 determined to fight the move to Milton Keynes and also to build an alternative. Within days trials were being arranged and a place in a football league was being secured. It's ten years ago and now I'm so pleased that I wrote a book to remind myself of that first year. My book, "A unique solution," is I hope a fans book, the story of a Wimbledon fan who threw himself into AFC Wimbledon.
In the those months I travelled around the counties to the south and west of London to clubs barely known in their own localities. I watched as journeymen non league footballers became our heroes, playing in front of gates of around 300.

Naturally as the club secured promotion after promotion we have grown and evolved. Arguably we've become more professional. Nevertheless I still feel there's something of the village store as opposed to the supermarket about AFC Wimbledon.

How appropriate therefore that just days before the 10th anniversary about 70 of us gathered at the same community centre to discuss how we could raise up to £2 million to help develop the ground to ensure our survival in the football league. At that moment I'm reminded that as well as negtiating several promotions in the last ten years we have also bought a football ground, extended the main stand and roofed and extended the home terrace.

In many ways it's been an amazing journey that I wouldn't have missed being a small part of, and one that has of course not ended. In fact possibly the most difficult parts still lay ahead.

The Zombies at the Jazz Cafe

The Jazz Cafe is a short walk from Camden Town tube station, it's a Wednesday in mid May and we're queuing up because we have tickets to see a band - The Zombies. We're on the early side but the venue begins to build, we bump into a couple of AFC Wimbledon supporters, and fill the time till the band come on at 9pm.

The Zombies were one of the first wave of British bands after the breakthrough of the Beatles. There most well known "hit" ' She's not there' dates from 1965. After the cult album Odyssey and Oracle in 1967 (with the successful single, Time of the Season) the Zombies drifted away.

Members reemerged, keyboard player Rod Argent fronted his own band and had a number of rock anthem singles during the 1970s, meanwhile vocalist Colin Blunstone released a number of solo offerings, and had what I'd describe as radio hits. The song "Say you don't mind" has kept Blunstone on my radar for best part of 40 years.

The band play two sets of over an hour a piece, the musician and sound quality is excellent. During the evening Rod Argent explains that a blue plaque has just been erected outside the pub in St Albans where the band first met to reherse in 1961. At the moment I realise that the founding members are now approach sixty seven years of age. Yet they still perform with enthusiasm and vigour.

The whole evening is a tribute to the enduring nature of rock music, the band and the audience have lived life but still are prepared to come out and play or listen to songs that filled their youth or early adulthood. As Colin Blunstone hit the high notes,the sight of a great singer still on form, lifted my spirits no end.

A new Green leader

I decided to reprint Carolin Lucas' article from the Guardian in full, because it contradicts so much of what we expect in British politics. In my lifetime I've grown accustomed to Prime Ministers and party leaders desperately cling on  to political power like a shipwrecked passenger hangs onto a piece of wood as it floats by. As Tony Benn always said in his speeches "no one gives up power voluntarily", it seemed like the first law of politics. However the shock resignation of Caroline Lucas disproved my theory.

Since becoming the Green Party's first leader she has propelled the Party into uncharted waters. Winning its first seat in the House of Commons, in spite of the First Past the Post electoral system, but perhaps as important she has ensured that the Greens represent the most coherent opposition to the cuts and austerity agenda of the Con Dem government.

Her leadership has ensured that the Greens have been firmly rooted on the left of British politics, combining the centrality of ethe environment with the need for social justice. In my opinion correctly analysing that one is impossible without the other.

The work/life balance of being a MP , Part Leader and main media spokesperson would challenge any politician, and her decision to focus on her role as Brighton Pavilion's MP is one that commands the utmost respect.

In the weeks ahead the Green Party must find a new leader, they are going to be big boots to fill.

Caroline Lucas steps down as Green Party Leader

Comment is free

Why I'm stepping down as leader of the Green party

A strategic approach to leadership is a natural step in keeping with green principles – it's time to make space for others

• 
• • Caroline Lucas
  • guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 15 May 2012 11.51 BST

'I look forward to channelling even more of my energy into representing the people of Brighton Pavilion.' Photograph: Haydn West/Rex Features

In September, I will reach the end of my second term as the first national leader of the Green party of England and Wales – and I've decided not to seek re-election for another two-year term.

When I first joined the party back in 1986, it was a core article of faith for many members that we should not have a conventional leader in the traditional mould. It's true that formal leadership carries risks. Presenting one image as the "face" of a party can attract some people, but put off others. At a deeper level, if leadership is about concentrating power in the hands of a single person or an inner circle, it is damaging to the cause and can lead to poor decision-making.

But leadership is also a powerful tool that can draw people in and inspire them. Trying to sell abstract ideas to the public rarely works. People want to see the human face of an organisation, to help them understand what it is there for and to judge if they trust it. So when the decision was finally made in 2007 to establish the roles of leader and deputy leader of the Green party, it wasn't about sacrificing a principle to gain some votes. It was about changing the way we worked to help communicate our passion and principles in a more effective way. It is an example of how we found the right balance between principles and pragmatism, and how the party had become more self-confident.

It was always my view that leadership, for the Greens, did not have to be about seizing power and holding on to it at all costs. Leaders must have confidence in their abilities as well as their cause. But to ensure that every individual in the movement feels a personal responsibility, they should also be eager to share out the responsibilities of leadership with others, from shaping policy to maintaining morale. In other Green parties around the world, leaders have often been the first to recognise that the time has come for others to take up that responsibility; a healthy contrast to seeing traditional politicians clawing at their desks in a vain attempt to hang on to power.

I am hugely honoured to have served my party in this role, and proud that during the four years of my term, we've moved Green politics forward to a higher level, with the party by far the most influential it has ever been. We have seen significant breakthroughs, not only in Brighton & Hove, winning our first seat at Westminster and our first ever local council, but also nationally, with further breakthroughs on to new councils in the recent local elections, as well as establishing ourselves as the third party, ahead of the Liberal Democrats, in the elections for London mayor and the London Assembly.

Green politics has shifted from the margins to the mainstream of British political life. As the party grows, buoyed by a new generation of activists and underpinned by the achievements of our outstanding elected members, now is the time to make space for other talented Greens to come through and take us even further forward. For me, this decision is about staying true to green principles. We're lucky to have a wealth of capability and experience in our ranks, and taking a strategic approach to leadership is a natural step in maturing as a party and nurturing future electoral aspirations. I'm confident that the next leader, whoever they may be, will be able to build on our momentum.

Now I look forward to channelling even more of my energy into representing the people of Brighton Pavilion, speaking out in parliament on behalf of my constituents and doing all I can to defend them against the coalition government's disastrous economic policies. I will continue to be a lead advocate for the party, and will hold the government to account on its environmental and social responsibilities.

The Greens have a clear vision of how we must now move away from our broken economic system – which for too long has kept us dangerously dependent on the bankers' gambles, toxic debt and on the plundering of natural resources – and towards a fairer, more sustainable economy. People are increasingly recognising that we are a credible alternative to the three main Westminster parties, and as communities up and down the country feel the consequences of savage yet self-defeating austerity – paying the price for a crisis they did not create – that Green alternative has never been more necessary.

 

 

The End of the Season

A week ago the Dons ended their first season back in the Football League. The bare fact is we finished 16th, and if you'd offered me that last August I'd have bitten your hand off. Survival was all I care about. However the problem with the season was the start exceeded all expectation, during September some supremely optimistic supporters were talking about our play offs chance. Of course it couldn't last and it didn't. A month away in Australia, ensured that we missed a number of truly mediocre performances, and by January we were heading down the table rapidly. A few loan signings steadied the ship, but clearly are not a long term solution. It was not until mid April that supporters could relax in the knowledge that our league place was secure.
It was no surprise to hear that managerTerry Brown had released 13 players at the end of the season. At the beginning of the season Brown had talked of developing a young squad and giving the players who had secured promotion "a chance" to play league football. Of course he was not helped by the departures of Kedwell and Gregory, however their replacements Jack Midson and the restored to fitness Sammy Moore have been the two shining lights. Brown obviously felt that most of the players released could not take the Club any further than midtable league 2, and therefore it will be a summer of seeking replacements.

Meanwhile on Sunday in brilliant sunshine the Premiership season came to a close. It will surely go down as one of the most memorable as it was finally decided in the last two minutes of "time added on" with Manchester City finally defeating 10 men QPR to secure the points necessary to secure their first championship since 1968. Of course Sky and the media in the rush to jettison any football prior to the creation of the premiership in 1992, have decided to largely ignore Arsenal last minute victory at Liverpool in 1989.

For me my main interest on Sunday was Arsenal's game at West Bromwich Albion. The situation was that Arsenal had to better the result of Spurs to nail down 3rd place and  secure a place in the Champions League for next season. Within 2 minutes a lead had been established only to then fall behind to two goals that both exposure holes in the defence. Fortunately the stand in keeper for West Brom had a 'mare and he largelt gifted Arsenal two goals to allow the Gunners to hang on for a 3-2 victory.

Significantly Arsenal have finished above Spurs  yet again, and have qualified for the Champions League for the 15th consequtive season, something only accomplished by 3 clubs in Europe. As the curtain falls all talk is whether Robin Van Persie golden boot winner and Arsenal captain will commit his long term future to the club. He has one year left on his contract, and Arsenal again find themselves in the situation of trying to keep a player much in demand, with clubs such as Manchester City hovvering overhead like vultures waiting to pounce. Talks are scheduled for later this week, so I'm sure that this is a topic that will be revisited soon.