Bernard Little, Sheffield Central, Green Party

 link / contact details for potential supporters
www.sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk



 i.
 what do you think is the most important issue in this election?

The fact that we have less than ten years to act on climate change to avert the possibility of a global catastrophe. The need to wrestle the control of our democracy from the hands of corporations is next. To build a foreign policy based on co-operation and fairness not agression and exploitation.

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

Because I have been working for 20 years in this city to build a green and practical alternative and elections are an useful time to offer people that alterative. Sheffield Central constituency contains the ward where we already have an elected Green Party Councillor and where our vote is the strongest. Why the Green Party. Because it makes the connection between social justice and environmental security and thus offers us peace and a future.

 iii.
 what kind of vote are you expecting on May 5th?

I would very much like to save our deposit.

 iv.
 aside from the vote what are you hoping to get out of this campaign?

Build on our credibility and thereby get a large tranch of Green's within Sheffield City Council. 

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

Economic Globalisation and the despicable War on Terrorism.

 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?

Yes but it is the very last resort. The needs of predatory economies like global capitalism is no excuse to go to war.

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

Public Services like transport, education, our health system and the post office.

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

I think this is an ill-informed policy. The idea that nuclear power is carbon neutral ignores the entire nuclear cycle where CO2 is produced at every point of production other than fission. There are only deposits of uranium that is of high enough grade in Australia and Canada to use in a nuclear reactor. The idea that nuclear power is sustainable is as the Busy Report concluded baseless. We would need over 20,000 nuclear reactors across the planet to meet present demand. The volume and danger of storing highly dangerous nuclear waste for hundreds of thousands of years is frankly preposterous. Nuclear Power Stations are an obvious target for terrorists. If the War on Terror was actually real governments would have closed them down.

 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?

A repeal of the legislation that locks people up without trial. A real commitment to support for Human Rights both domestically and internationally.

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

Do you think that participatory democracy is more important than elections?

Do you think that a citizens income would restore justice to people.?

What would you use to measure progress in place of GDP?
 

2005