Expenses, Transparency, and Real Change

A week is a long time in politics. Frankly, when an expenses scandal is breaking, a day can be a long time in politics. As a poll to be released on Monday has revealed, 34% of people would now consider voting Green, and in London that figure will be even higher, due to our historically significant Green vote. The most recent polling indicates that the Green Party is up to 11% nationally - a figure that would not only re-elect Jean and Caroline Lucas, but also elect Peter Cranie in the North-West and Rupert Read in Eastern region. Peter Cranie has an analysis on his own blog.

It is a shame that some voters are thinking of turning to UKIP as they react to the disgraceful revelations over MPs expenses. After all, of the 12 MEPs elected for UKIP last time, two of them were convicted for fraud, and one of them joined the neo-fascist grouping in the European Parliament. In contrast, the UK's two Green MEPs are the only UK grouping to receive a 100% rating from the pressure group Open Europe for the transparency and accountability of their finances, as this press release details.

And, of course, as well as being scrupulously honest, our Green MEPs also happen to have the most progressive politics of anyone standing for election on June 4th. Check out the newly released Green Party European Manifesto to find out exactly what they are saying on the issues that face the European Parliament!