Greens Launch Glasgow East Campaign

The Scottish Green Party candidate in the Glasgow East by-election, Dr Eileen Duke, today launched the party's campaign at Easthall Park,near Easterhouse, at the site of a community-owned wind power project. Accompanied by the Party's two MSPs and by Green Councillors, Dr Duke outlined the benefits that community ownership of energy generation could bring to areas like Glasgow East.

Speaking in front of two community-owned wind turbines at Easthall Park near Easterhouse, Dr Duke said: "All the other parties claim to care about the rising cost of livingin Glasgow East, but not one of them has done anything to insulate household fuel bills from soaring oil costs.

Greens believe in an "energy-generating democracy", where local people could be paid when their excess energy goes back to the grid. Instead of being landed with ever bigger bills every month, families here could be turning high energy prices to their advantage. "The other parties have nothing to offer on this issue.

The SNP just obsess over who owns our dwindling oil supplies, which would have no effect at all on fuel bills. At the same time Gordon Brown goes to Saudi Arabia to plead for more oil, ignoring the clean energy opportunities on his doorstep.

"Greens want to give communities access to all sorts of renewable energy, not just in community centres but in homes all over the country, especially in places like Glasgow East. Efficient homes and community energy are not rocket science, so why are the other parties failing to deliver? Unless we act now, these problems will only get worse. A strong Green vote in Glasgow East will be a vote to end fuel poverty, tackle climate change and cut bills for hard pressed households."

Scottish Green Party Co-convener Robin Harper MSP added: "Eileen Duke would be the first MP ever sent to Westminster with a comprehensive vision on fuel poverty and climate change. She understands what we need to do to ensure our communities don't bear the brunt of the global energy crisis, and that the business-as-usual approach the other parties offer is increasingly unaffordable.

"Sometimes problems like climate change and the rising cost of living seem too big to do anything about, but innovative local projects like Easthall show what communities can do to cut their bills and cut pollution at the same time. There has been no leadership from Labour in London or from the SNP in Edinburgh on this issue. Anyone who wants to make a positive statement for the here and now as well as forfuture generations can do so by voting Green."
From: Glasgow Green Party