Cllr. James Abbott, Braintree, Green Party

Peace. No more wars.

ii.
why did you make the decision to stand in this constituency and for this party (as an independent)?

I have been a Green member since 1988 and have stood in Braintree for the Greens at each election since 1992. Its one of the most marginal Tory/Lab seats in the UK but the Green vote doubled in 2001. In Braintree District (slightly bigger than the constituency) around 4,500 people voted Green at the 2001 county council elections.

iii.
what kind of vote are you expecting on May 5th?
It would be good to break the 2,000 level and save our deposit.

iv.
aside from the vote what are you hoping to get out of this campaign? More members, more supporters and progress on building support for specific policies such as opposition to more major roads through the countryside and support for our anti-war stance (the local Labour MP supports the war).

v.
in your view what is the greatest threat to our civil liberties at the moment?

The dangerous combination of media and Government working together to spread excessive fear of "threats" and use this to bring in even more draconian laws. The real threat to people comes from climate change and war.

vi.
Blair has taken us to war three times since coming to power (not including the occasional ad hoc bombing raid) in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq. Can war ever be justified?

Only in the most extreme circumstances of self-defence as a last resort. Blair and Bush started the Iraq war on blatant lies and should face the courts for war crimes.

vii.
There is very little left to privatise in this country, if you had your way what would be brought into public hands?

The railways, water companies, air traffic control and health service cleaning.

viii.
Some environmental campaigners have started talking about nuclear power as a way to bring down CO2 emissions - what do you think of this?

Its stupid. Even after 50 years of the nuclear industry, they don't know what to do with the waste. If successive Governments (including this one) had put the £ billions they have sunk into propping up nuclear into renewables we would have had a more advanced and greener energy network by now. The future is wind, solar and conservation.

ix.
Asylum and immigration will be central issues in this election.
What action on this issue would you like to see the next government push through?

Ensure UK position as safe haven for refugees. Reduce causes of economic and forced migration by working for peace, ending arms trade and increaing UK aid to poor countries.

x.
What question do you wish was on this list but doesn't appear?

"In the year 2100, what do you think the world will be like on current trends ?"