Today I presented the petition to Sheffield City Council, calling them to stop using Glyphosate. This forced a debate, which was very positive. The conclusion, after some debate about who it should be referred to, was that the Executive Cabinet will make a decision about this. (The Lib Dems and Greens voted for this, LabourContinue reading “Sheffield Council debate Glyphosate”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Information for Councillors on Glyphosate
This presentation is being sent to all members of Sheffield City Council prior to the Glyphosate debate on July 7th. Details of the rally are here.
The Council declaring a Nature Emergency should be on the front page!
A letter to the Sheffield Star Dear Editor Sometimes I am perplexed by your choice of front-page story. Today you lead on another revamp of Fargate, but on reading the article there are few details of the plan apart from the Council takeover of one shop. On page 16 in a single column, you hideContinue reading “The Council declaring a Nature Emergency should be on the front page!”
Solidarity with Palestine
May 15th is marked every year as Nakba (Catastrophe) Day. It commemorates the expulsion, during 1948-9, of 700,000 Palestinians from their land. Today Israel’s oppression has become so entrenched that Human Rights Watch report in April 2021 states “Abusive Israeli policies constitute crimes of Apartheid. Here’s my video from the vigil. Please sign this petitionContinue reading “Solidarity with Palestine”
It’s our economic system that is in need of a psychiatrist
To the Editor of the Sheffield Star Your correspondent S Thompson was highly amused that Dr Bing Jones is so terrified of the dangers of climate change he chose to sit in Ecclesall Road to warn us all about it. Let’s think for a moment why he is so terrified. When CO2 concentrations were lastContinue reading “It’s our economic system that is in need of a psychiatrist”
Labour Councillors and the Green New Deal
A group of Sheffield Labour candidates have been promoting their support for the Green New Deal This Tweet really saddened me because it is so obviously untrue. Green Councillors and candidates have been campaigning for a Green New Deal for many years. All the Green Party candidates support a Green New Deal for Sheffield. NationallyContinue reading “Labour Councillors and the Green New Deal”
The Groves Naturewatch project
Some fascinating citizen science has developed during the lockdown, in the roads between the Botanical Gardens and Hallam University where I used to study, called the Groves Naturewatch Project. Founded and championed by Lera Miles and botanist Gerry Firkins and helped by many local residents the group are building a database of all the livingContinue reading “The Groves Naturewatch project”
Banking Brandalism
Back in my student days I supported the campaign to end the racist Apartheid regime in South Africa. A big part of that campaign was to persuade the banks, notably Barclays, to stop investing in the country, to speed the fall of the regime. Roll on nearly half a century and today we find BarclaysContinue reading “Banking Brandalism”
Ban “smart” motorways
Back in the ’90s when my three children were teenagers, we were driving on a motorway on our way to a festival. My wife and kids were singing along to a tape. The motorway was busy with August bank holiday traffic. Ahead of me on the hard shoulder was a lorry. Suddenly, without warning, theContinue reading “Ban “smart” motorways”
Democracy only works when citizens are involved.
The Government have announced that the local elections, postponed from May 2020, will go ahead this May. But due to the pandemic volunteers from political parties will not be able to distribute leaflets. They can, however, pay a delivery company to do this for them. This will give parties with rich individual or corporate backersContinue reading “Democracy only works when citizens are involved.”
