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Jim D'Avila Bill Hughes
Labour Party Green Party
Are you happy that you live in a country where the gap between rich It is a great honour to be standing as Swindon's first Green Party
and poor has become the most severe since records began, not by candidate for a Parliamentary election. I have lived in Swindon since
accident or by mismanagement, but because it was planned? 1972, am married with two grown up sons and two cats.
Where people, some of them children, sleep on the streets I have been secretary ofSwi n don & District Green Partysince 1983
because social services changes leave them little alternative? and have stood in many local elections since. I was also the Green
Where housing subsidy has been cut for the 'have-nots', yet Party candidate for Wiltshire in the 1989 European election gaining
lavished on the 'haves'? 22% of the vote. Nationally the Green Party got 15% of the vote
In which Her Majesty's Inspectors, reporting on the schools to putting green issues centre stage of the agenda.
which most ofus send our children (even if Government Ministers The Green Party offers hope for the future against the present
don't), find one in four unsatisfactory? backcloth of recession, world starvation, population explosion, re-
Where the trains run late and dirty - or don't run at all, not sources running out and increasing pollution. The other grey parties
because we lack an effective Citizen's Charter, but because levels of are offering more of the same - uncontrolled economic growth - live
subsidycommonpiace in Europe are here seen as somehow immoral? for today and forget tomorrow!
Where record home repossessions and mortgage arrears, fuelled Mankind must live in harmonywith nature ifwe are to survive. Also
by a tripling unemployment to 11.8%, has caused hardship to it is vital we learn to live together in harmony and peacefully. Now
thousands in once Boom Town Swindon? the 'red menace' of the Soviet empire has disintegrated it is an ideal
Where thousands more still struggle to pay the Government time to produce a real peace dividend - scrap the insanity of nuclear
imposed Poll Tax after its architect, Mrs Thatcher, has long been weapons like Trident and all other offensive military technology.
despatched? Productive resources should be put to ecologically sound enter-
The Government had a golden opportunity to start to tackle all prises such as renewable energy sources of solar, wind, water, cleaner
these problems if they really cared. Instead we were treated to a use of coal, massive energy conservation schemes. Agriculture must
'Budget of marginal tax cuts and gimmicks'. be converted to organic systems and all aspects of industry must
What good are these when our children are expected to learn in conserve resources through making things to last, easy to repair or be
over-crowded classrooms and jumble sales are held to buy school recycled.
books? What good are these when we have to wait months and Our economic and social infrastructure must be improved by
months for routine hospital operations? What good are these when working on a human scale, whether transport, education, water and
the roads in Swindon are blocked with traffic? What good are sewage systems, methods of taxation and social security. Instead of
marginal tax cuts when you have no job? the massive nationally controlled bureaucracies such as the schools
It's now time for you to choose. National Curriculum which involve mountains ofpaper work, schools
Labour has the policies, the priorities and the team ready for should decide their own curriculum and methods. Local community
Government. Policies to rebuild and renew the public services in banks will ensure our money is used for the benefit of local people,
health and education, in transport and local government. Policies our Basic Income scheme will ensure financial security for all, local
to regenerate manufacturing and bring economic recovery. This, community ground rent and resource taxes will mean we develop a
I believe, is what people want. sound economy without destroying our environment or exploiting
In thirteen years of power, the Tories have wasted the unique our people.
opportunity provided by North Sea oil revenues. The income from Co-operation not competition is the key to future development.
privatisation and a higher tax burden have all been dissipated with We must not be dominated by the economic madhouse of the EEC
so little to show for it. Then they brought in the Poll Tax and now where huge multi-national companies decide our fate and where
propose the Council Tax. The results ofthe Government's neglect, Britain is struggling to trade with a pound grossly overvalued in the
incompetence and irresponsibility are plain to see everywhere. straightjacket of the ERM.
Their economic policy was just one big experiment - and it has Racism is growing - Greens propose vigorous anti-racist measures
failed miserably. The Government should not be allowed to go and would guarantee equal opportunities for women and for all
unpunished for their arrogance. minority groups.
It's time for them to go. We advocate a Bill ofRights, Freedom oflnformation Act and a fair
It's time for a change. Time for a Government that believes in electoral system using the additional member system.
Britain and the British people, a Government that will invest in 9th April is your chance to say 'save the planet' and start living as
Britain and the British people. a human race again.
It's time for Labour. Together we can win.