As the Government prepares to reveal its legislative framework for the coming year in the Queen's speech, the Green Party has urged ministers to adopt its Green New Deal for real economic and social change.
The Green New Deal, inspired by FD Roosevelt's revolutionary New Deal of the 1930s, is the brainchild of nine of the UK's top financial and environmental experts, including Green Leader Caroline Lucas MEP. Its ambitious aim is to tackle the credit crunch, create new green jobs, and boost the UK's failing economy - while at the same time slashing carbon emissions.
Green Party leader, Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, said:
"The Green New Deal shows why the Queen's Speech should have at its core an increase in public spending to fund hundreds of thousands of jobs for plumbers, electricians, roofers and installers who will form a 'carbon army' trained up to insulate every home in the country. It should also include green energy measures such as solar panels installed on the nation's roofs, turning every building into a mini-power station."
The Green New Deal includes:
Dr Lucas added:
"Investment in a ‘Green New Deal' will create jobs all over the country. Alistair Darling's tax cuts will have limited long term benefits as people are likely to increase immediate spending largely on imported goods."