Wyre Forest Green Party's general election candidate is urging people to stop and think before they get in their cars, at the start of Green Transport Week (16-24th June)

Kate Spohrer was selected as parliamentary candidate for Wyre Forest at a special selection meeting in March. She lives in Wolverley, and she shops and works locally. Ms Spohrer recently made the decision to step out of the traffic jams she was sitting in on her journey to work in the Black Country, and start her own business working from home.

She said this week: "Green Transport Week aims to raise awareness of transport impact on the environment, highlight transport alternatives, make people stop and think before they go somewhere, and send a message to the government on green transport and environmental issues.

She says: "I firmly believe that quality of life can be greatly improved by a more simple lifestyle, and that many more people would make the same step as I did, if only they had the confidence to do so. Sadly, however, the other main political parties keep preventing ordinary people from being able to make these choices, because economically they simply don't allow us the choices, preferring to keep people in a povery trap or in the rat race than enable them to get started on a more wholesome, healthy, locally based working life.

Ms Spohrer said:"I am particularly concerned about the effects our modern transport and shopping habits are having on our health, environment and well-being. These are the main issues I am campaigning on, both before and during the general election. If this is something you are interested in you need to vote Green."

Ms Spohrer stood in Wolverley, Cookley & Wribbenhall division in the Worcestershire County Council elections in 2005. She has twice contested Aggborough & Spennells ward (Wyre Forest District Council), in 2005 and 2006, and gained 6% of the vote in Wolverley ward in this year's local elections, beating the Liberal Democrats. She was also parliamentary candidate in the South Staffordshire constituency in 2005, campaigning against the extension of Wolverhampton airport. Kate is a founder member of Wyre Forest Green Party.

This will be the first time that the Green Party has contested the parliamentary seat of Wyre Forest. In the European Parliamentary elections in 2004, the Green Party scored 1,698 votes here in Wyre Forest.

Said Ms Spohrer:“Green transport policies put disabled people and pedestrians at the top of the hierarchy, followed by cyclists and public transport. Thanks to high levels of traffic, pollution in Kidderminster centre is much higher than is safe to breathe, affecting all who live, work, study and shop here. And they are a major cause of climate change.

“This is not just a question of transport, but also of planning. Facilities should be accessible to all who need them without excessive travel. We need to support local businesses in Wyre Forest and more facilities should be provided locally, not in distant developments using up green fields outside communities. Green Transport Week is a time to think about these issues”

more details about Green Transport Week: visit http://www.eta.co.uk/page.asp?ref=GTW

Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for Wyre Forest Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG

Wyre Forest Green Party Press Release 22nd March 2007

Brown's Budget: Complacent in a moment of crisis

Green candidate says: "Brown is gambling with the climate"

Kate Spohrer, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Wyre Forest, today responded to Gordon Brown's budget, deeming it a failure to tackle climate change:

"It is not prudent to gamble with the climate - Gordon Brown's failure to act now on tackling climate change means we will pay later - as the Stern review has shown.

"After 6 months of rhetoric on climate change, there is a shocking absence of substance in this budget. Brown is being complacent in a moment of crisis. Brown needs a new golden rule - carbon cutting".

Ms Spohrer went on to criticise the specific measures and targets outlined in the budget with regard to the environment:

"An additional 50 per cent for green grants for homes equates to just £6 million - peanuts.

"A 30% increase for top band vehicles to £300 this year and £400 next year flies in the face of the govenement's own research about the price difference requried to change behaviour. We need to see a rise to at least £1800 tax for the worst gas guzzlers to ensure people but greener cars.

"Exempting zero carbon homes from stamp duty sounds good but means little - it will not incentivise installation of micro generation and insulation measures.

"If he had raised fuel duty by 19p that would have cut carbon more than the rest of this budget put together - some 19 million tonnes over the next year.

"Brown was right to reject VAT on domestic flights as having limited impact. But he has copped out - Greens would have slapped an additional £100 on Air Passenger Duty on all flights to reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonnes.

"Cutting corporation tax is another step towards reducing the tax burden on big business - a step in the wrong direction."

Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for Worcester Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG

Wyre Forest Green Party Press Release 20th March 2007

The Green Budget: Counting the Carbon as well as the cash

UK's first-ever carbon-costed budget

The Green Party today unveils a budget that takes climate change seriously, presenting the first ever budget of its kind - a Carbon Costed budget.

Wyre Forest Green Party parliamentary candidate Kate Spohrer said "This is a budget for the planet, for real prosperity, for justice and above all, a budget to deal with climate change."

"The Green Party believes we need to reduce the UK's emissions by around 90 per cent by 2050, to have a fighting change of staving off devastating climate change. This means annual reductions in the region of 6 - 9 per cent.

"Our Carbon Costed budget does just that, presenting a package of measures that will save the UK 7.5 per cent of carbon dioxide emissons in 2007/2008.

"We are the only party prepared to accept that ecological factors mean that infinite growth is impossible on a finite planet, and to come up with practical policy measures to deal with that reality. We are also the only party to recognise the truly radical cuts required to our emissions."

The Party's budget makes various proposals, estimates the budget effect in 2007/2008 and also estimates the net carbon dioxide emissions reductions that would follow.

Please see below an outline of the measures proposed. The full carbon costed budget outline can be read online at: http://
www.greenparty.org.uk/files/reports/2007/Green_Party_Budget.pdf

Green budget - count the carbon as well as the cash:

• Package of measures will save 7.5 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions in 2007/8
• Taxes on carbon-intensive activities to be spent on environmental measures and VAT reduction
• Cut in basic rate of VAT gives £14bn back – almost £250 each, including children
• Worst gas guzzlers to pay £1800 tax disc, raising £8bn
• Restoration of fuel duty escalator means cost of petrol will be £1.07 per litre this year, cutting emissions by 3 per cent
• £3bn to be spent this year on more buses and cheaper rail fares
• Air Passenger Duty raised to £100 – cuts total emissions by 1 per cent
• Climate Change Levy paid by businesses to double – saving 2 per cent of carbon emissions
• £500 million boost for renewable energy grants – saving 1 per cent of emissions with cleaner electricity
• Standard rate of VAT cut from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent
• Money raised from new 60 per cent income tax for income over £100,000 to be spent on children, pensioners and affordable housing
• Cheaper meals out, hotels and entertainments – VAT reduced to 5 per cent to boost tourism within the UK
• £12bn to be raised by taxing incomes above £100,000 at 60 per cent
• Old age pension to rise 19 per cent to £100 per week
• Child Benefit increased by £5 per week for each child
• £1.5bn more to be spent on more social housing
• Means testing for personal care for the elderly to end
• 60 per cent more to be spent on recycling
• Council Tax rises curbed: Government grants to local authorities to be increased by £2.4bn

Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for Worcester Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG

Wyre Forest Green Party Press Release 9th March 2007

Wyre Forest Greens choose general election candidate

transport a top priority for parliamentary hopeful

The Green Party has chosen its candidate to fight the next general election here in Wyre Forest.

Kate Spohrer was selected at a special selection meeting on Thursday (8th March). She lives in Wolverley, and she shops and works locally. Ms Spohrer recently made the decision to step out of the traffic jams she was sitting in on her journey to work in the Black Country, and start her own business working from home.

She says: "I firmly believe that quality of life can be greatly improved by a more simple lifestyle, and that many more people would make this step, if only they had the confidence to do so. Sadly, however, the other main political parties keep preventing ordinary people from being able to make these choices, because economically they simply don't allow us the choices, preferring to keep people in a povery trap or in the rat race than enable them to get started on a more wholesome, healthy, locally based working life. If this is something you are interested in you need to vote Green."

Ms Spohrer stood in Wolverley, Cookley & Wribbenhall division in the Worcestershire County Council elections in 2005. She has twice contested Aggborough & Spennells ward (Wyre Forest District Council), in a by-election in 2005, and the full council elections in 2006. She was also parliamentary candidate in the South Staffordshire constituency in 2005, campaigning against the extension of Wolverhampton airport. Kate is a founder member of Wyre Forest Green Party.

This will be the first time that the Green Party has contested the parliamentary seat of Wyre Forest. The general election could be as far away as 2010, but there has been talk of a 'snap' general election later this year. In the European Parliamentary elections in 2004, the Green Party scored 1,698 votes here in Wyre Forest.

At the selection meeting, Kate Spohrer said:”I am particularly concerned about the effects our modern transport and shopping habits are having on our health, environment and well-being. These are the main issues I will campaign on, both before and during the general election.

“Green transport policies put disabled people and pedestrians at the top of the hierarchy, followed by cyclists and public transport. Thanks to high levels of traffic, pollution in Kidderminster centre is much higher than is safe to breathe, affecting all who live, work, study and shop here. And they are a major cause of climate change.

“This is not just a question of transport, but also of planning. Facilities should be accessible to all who need them without excessive travel. We need to support local businesses in Wyre Forest and more facilities should be provided locally, not in distant developments using up green fields outside communities.”

Said Ms Spohrer:”Judging by our rising share of the vote across the West Midlands, more and more local people are fed up with the other main parties, and are turning to us in ever larger numbers. People now have an alternative to the ‘business-as-usual’ policies of the other main parties, a party that has social justice and sustainability at its heart – the Green Party.”

ENDS

Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for Wyre Forest Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG

Wyre Forest Green Party Press Release 28th October 2005

Green Party "very pleased" at By-election Result

Aggborough & Spennells contest first test of new Party

Kate Spohrer, Green Party candidate in this week's Wyre Forest District Council by-election in Aggborough and Spennells ward, has declared herself very pleased with the result, the first time the Greens have stood for the District Council.

Ms Spohrer, an award-winning author of a book for young people with a Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and leading authority on educational matters, recently helped to launch Wyre Forest Green Party; the by-election was their first electoral test.
The by-election, called due to the death in August of Conservative District Councillor Maureen Aston, took place on 27th October. Her husband John Aston retained the seat for the Conservatives. Ms Spohrer gained 33 votes, 2.5% of the total.
Ms Spohrer commented: "This was the first test for the new Wyre Forest Green Party, and we are very pleased with the result. It shows that local people want to vote for Green issues, and will do so when given the chance. We weren't very far behind the Labour candidate.

We will now be working hard to build on this start, and intend to field candidates in the District Council elections in May next year, when many more people will have the chance to vote Green.

"People know that one more Conservative, Labour or LibDem on the Council won't make any difference - their policies seem to be converging at an ever-faster rate. But a Green Councillor on the local authority would make a big difference to local people and to Wyre Forest. We intend to give local people a real choice in local elections here from now on" .

Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for Wyre Forest Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG

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Printed, Published and Promoted by Chris Lennard on behalf of Worcester Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern WR14 1DG