The Green candidate for Gloucester, Bryan Meloy, highlights the plight and flight of public services under New Labour. 

The byline is "Don't let local services become a distant memory" - and emphasises that we all have the right to local services within walking distance of our homes.

Download the leaflet:

 Gloucester General Election Leaflet (171 KB)  
 

Bryan Meloy - first ever Green Party candidate for Gloucester

After only 2 years of existence, Gloucester Green Party are in a position to fight their first ever general election campaign.

Gloucester Green Party have selected Bryan Meloy as their parliamentary candidate.

Bryan speaking at a Green Party meeting in Gloucester last night, said: "I, like many others, have been sorely disappointed by the Labour government. It has failed to deliver most of its election manifestos and now looks like another version of the Conservative Party that we were so pleased to see the end of in 1997. Labour's failure made me realise it was time for real politics based on people working together to get the best for all, including future generations."

Bryan Meloy said: "We have, under Labour been taken into a series of wars under a succession of false pretexts. Not only are billions of pounds being spent on these illegal and immoral wars, but tens of thousands are dying in them and hundreds of thousands being made homeless and stateless. War has never produced security and understanding, only by giving the Middle East fair treatment can we expect to contribute towards stability in the region. Likewise, we should be busy signing contracts with Iran for the transfer of renewable energy technologies. If we want to undermine Iran's nuclear energy programme, we ourselves should be offering real alternatives based on cooperation, not intimidation."

Bryan Meloy continued: "Sadly judging by past performances the 'traditional' political parties won't do any of these things, and that's why we need a strong Green voice in Parliament. The Green Party, unlike the Liberal Democrats, was unequivocal from the start in our opposition to the immoral, destructive and illegal war on Iraq."

Bryan Meloy lives in Gloucester and works for a local charity. He has petitioned the County Council for a GM Free Gloucestershire and organised last years hugely successful Green Fayre.


Greens in Gloucester have to be realistic - The politics of fear will win

Bryan Meloy, who received over 10% of the vote in Moreland ward in last years' Council elections, said: "We have to be realistic. Most voters will stay at home and allow the fear-mongers to stay in power, but every single green vote sends a message that the business as usual politics of Westminster is no longer good enough, it needs a thorough sorting out. Voters are fed up with the pantomime politics of Westminster, where policy setting is not about long term vision or strategic thinking, but more about what marketing experts have identified will sway people to vote one way or the other."

Bryan Meloy continued: "Look at labour’s 'six pledges' with their total failure to mention climate change, that’s despite Tony Blair just one week earlier naming it number one challenge. Look at the climate of fear that all three parties are stoking up, so they can frighten people into voting for them, so that they can lock people up at a whim. Look at the race to find a scapegoats led by M Howard, followed closely by Charles Clark: immigration, asylum seekers and gypsies/travellers. The more vulnerable the target the better, because there’s less chance of anyone speaking out for them. Except for the Green Party".

Bryan Meloy also spoke about the Greens support for a scaled-down European Union without controls over agriculture or fisheries, and without the Euro or a European Constitution. The need for tax redistribution from defence and from quangos to local government and public services.

500 word statement from Bryan Meloy

After only 2 years of existence, Gloucester Green Party stand their first ever general election campaign.

I am 43, have a degree in Geology and until 1999 I worked as a Museum Curator. I now work for Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol Service as a Project Worker and live in Moreland Ward where I last year stood in the Local Government elections. I was a founder of Gloucester Green Party 2 years ago and am delighted that we are already in a position to stand a General Election candidate.

I, like many others, am sorely disappointed by the Labour government. It has failed to deliver most of its election manifestos and now looks like another version of the Conservative Party that we were so pleased to see the end of in 1997. Labour's failure made me realise it was time for real politics based on people working together to get the best for all, including future generations. I believe the 3 main parties offer virtually the same things, and in standing as Green Party candidate I offer Gloucester another option, that of politics based on respect, equality and cooperation.

I believe that politics shouldn't be about power at any price and fear, as the other parties would have it: it should be fun and it should be about communities that work together, cooperating and agreeing a consensus. It should be about hope. With this in view I co-ordinated last years hugely successful Green Fayre and have promoted a number of bands in a City pub. I also helped to collect a petition of 800 signatures, (which the Green Party presented to the County Council) asking for a GM Free Gloucestershire, and organised a number of speakers for open meetings in Gloucester.

I continue to campaign strongly against the War on Iraq and the Green Party, unlike the Liberal Democrats, was unequivocal from the start in our opposition to the immoral, destructive and illegal war on Iraq.

In their pledgesLabour totally fail to mention climate change, that's despite Tony Blair just one week earlier naming it number one challenge. The Greens offer the only real policies designed to tackle this problem.

Billions of pounds are being spent on Labour's illegal and immoral wars; hundreds of thousands of people are dying in them and hundreds of thousands more being made homeless and stateless. War has never produced security and understanding. Only by giving the Middle East fair treatment can we expect to contribute towards stability in the region. We should be offering real alternatives based on cooperation, not intimidation; to help end Iran's nuclear energy programme we should be signing contracts with them for the transfer of renewable energy technologies.

We offer a different attitude to other parties and every single Green vote sends a message that the pantomime politics of Westminster is no longer good enough. Voters are fed up with parties whose policy setting is not about long term vision or strategic thinking, but more about what marketing experts have identified will sway them to vote one way or the other.

Look at the race to find scapegoats led by M Howard, followed closely by Charles Clark: immigration, asylum seekers and gypsies/travellers. The more vulnerable the target the better, there's less chance of anyone speaking out for them. Except, for the Green Party.