Am I the only member of the Green Party appalled by Natalie Bennett’s speech? Probably, in the general euphoria caused by surging membership. There was a brief mention of not trashing the planet. But you wouldn’t have thought that humanity is facing the gravest crisis in the whole of its history. The scientists are now pretty much unanimous. Unless we quit fossil fuels urgently and decisively our children will inherit a terrifyingly devastated earth. Fossll fuels are so embedded in our way of life getting rid of them will be extremely diffiicult, and will only happen if people are profoundly and urgently inspired to create a new and much better post-fossil fuel world. Brief references to not trashing the planet won’t do it. The Green Party is full of people who say ‘don’t stress apocayptic scenarios people don’t like it’. But the public aren’t all stupid nor are they lacking in concern for their children. They just don’t realise how dire our situation is because none of the political parties will tell them for fear of unpopularity. I’m so disillusioned to find this patronizing and, although I recognize it’s not intended to be, even cynical attitude even in the Green Party. What is so galling is that if the public were given strong leadership they would rise to the occasion and vote Green in huge numbers. Nobody wants their chidren to live terrible lives, but people don’t believe in any real sense that it will happen. But it will if we don’t stretch every nerve and muscle to avert it. What could be more inspiring and exciting than saving the earth for our children? Why won’t this party just tell people the truth that the scientists are telling us and let them decide on what they want to do about it? Why is the Green Party so feeble and timid on climate? Why wasn’t it red top headline in Natalie’s speech? This is a crisis so big and so urgent we have to put everything else aside to deal with it. Natalie Bennett is clearly not going to do that. So fed up with what I call the dustbins in Brighton attitude in this party.
