Peter Tatchell, the Green Party's spokesperson on human rights, has outlined a number of reasons why the Greens stand as a social justice alternative to disillusioned Labour voters.
In an article for the Guardian's commentisfree website, Tatchell writes:
"The Green party embraces the social justice agenda that Labour has long abandoned. We are more than a party of environmental protection. We are also a party of fairness and equality, with progressive policies on jobs, housing, education, health and pensions."
"Labour has become the party of war, privatisation and attacks on civil liberties. The Labour government promoted the financial deregulation that led to the banking crisis, resulting in bankruptcies and mass unemployment ... While the Labour government has promoted a stealthy privatisation of public services, the Greens oppose privatisation and defend public services as essential components of a just society and a decent quality of life for all citizens. We reject Labour plans to close post offices and to privatise the Royal Mail."
"Greens put the common good before corporate greed, and the public interest before private profit. Our synthesis of the best of the red and the green integrates policies for social justice and human rights with policies for tackling the life-threatening dangers posed by global warming, environmental pollution, resource depletion and species extinction. The future is bright - bright Green."
The full article can be found at: www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/jun/03/vote-green-brown