Green Party Leader on LBC

[Westdene Seagull]

A certain NSC poster has been very quiet on the two Bennett threads

 

[BLOCK F]

A certain NSC poster has been very quiet on the two Bennett threads

Funny that.
I was thinking just the same!

 

[Guinness Boy]

Personally I'll be voting for who i think will best represent my constituency, such is my disdain for the major parties at the moment.

In the General Election so will I. In the local? Anyone But Green.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

In the General Election so will I. In the local? Anyone But Green.

I would vote for Lucas if I could but I can't.

Local will be 2 x Tory and my last vote will go to a certain Mr Perry.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

That's the end of her career. What a shambles.

Whilst I have no sympathy for the Greens, apart from their actual green ideals (their implementation is another thing), and I know their policies on non-green issues are nothing short of barmy, but she had a brain-freeze, she went blank ...many people say we should not have career politicians, well if you don't this is what you'll get more often - people making mistakes, normal people do. If you don't want lifelong politicians you need to accept things like this.

Having said that, I've aways found her particularly inept and quite unlikable .... But my point stands.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Surely you'd have to resign over that. She's a massive handicap to them.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Not the best interview, Natalie is not a patch on Lucas

That said unlike UKIP who claim to be different, the Greens are a real alternative to the 3 main parties. Yes, they have some crack pot ideas, but stick to their core ethos. A lot to be said for that...

The Quakers have an even better core ethos but they're not asking us if they can run the country. Nothing difficult about having lovely ideas that don't work.

 

[MattBackHome]

Whilst I have no sympathy for the Greens, apart from their actual green ideals (their implementation is another thing), and I know their policies on non-green issues are nothing short of barmy, but she had a brain-freeze, she went blank ...many people say we should not have career politicians, well if you don't this is what you'll get more often - people making mistakes, normal people do. If you don't want lifelong politicians you need to accept things like this.

Having said that, I've aways found her particularly inept and quite unlikable .... But my point stands.

I totally agree. Of course people make mistakes. This wasn't brainfreeze though - this was straight-up lack of preparation. I'd be livid if I was a green.

I also find her unlikeable and inept - but I do wonder how much of that is a Moyesian result of having to follow the competent and likeable Lucas.

 

[jakarta]

According to Green Party sources, Natalie Bennett is "considering her position"

Up a smelly creek sans paddle I would have thought.....

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Baroness Jones seems a tad touchy as well ...

'Baroness Jones raised eyebrows at the event when she appeared irritated by a number of questioners and told one journalist, who asked about the cost of the party's policies: "Yes, I wish I hadn't picked you, thank you for asking that fascinating question." '

 

[halbpro]

Seriously, why didn't she just say she didn't have the figures to hand? Admit she should have been more clued up before the interview and move on.

What really is unfathomable is that she recently went on TV and got completely humiliated for not knowing the figures behind her policies, yet, as the LBC clip shows, she then went on the radio and again didn't have adequate figures! At this point we only have three possible scenarios. A) the figures have never been costed and are likely pie in the sky estimates ungrounded in anything resembling fact or B) she's knows the facts but would rathe humiliate herself publicly, multiple times, than reveal them - or C) She's an idiot.

And the thing is even if the figures are bad can she not say something like "Of course it's a significant investment, but one that's needed to secure affordable housing for thousands of families, and by using new green technologies we'll be able to drastically lower the upkeep and energy costs of these homes, easing the burden on hard working families long term."

 

[Gwylan]

The one thing I will say about this car crash of an interview is that at least she's discussing housing, something none of the other parties is tackling seriously (beyond a few platitudes).

I was discussing this with a friend the other day (whose wife is a local councillor for one of the major parties) and expressed amazement that no party is talking about the housing issue and the difficulty that young people will have getting a home in the future (or indeed, now). It should be near the top of the agenda but it's the great unmentionable

 

[Eeyore]

Why on earth isn't Caroline Lucas still the leader?

Well this is the point. She is seen as very credible in political circles. And she can carry an interview well.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I just hope that Caroline Lucas (and other minority party MPs to be fair) are judged on their performances as constituency MPs rather than this sort of nonsensical interview from on high.

Let's be clear - UKIP, Greens, Respect and a good few others are not going to be in a position to dictate national policy. At best, they might influence it. So why should we even pay attention to interviews detailing macro level policy for such insignificant parties?

Personally I'll be voting for who i think will best represent my constituency, such is my disdain for the major parties at the moment.

But this was the Green Party Leader talking about one of their main manifesto policies! Her performance was worse than bad, it was scary. She didn't have ANY idea how much ANY PART of the policy would cost, or how much would be raised in taxes by disallowing mortgage interest relief which, as an accountant, I can see would wreck the rental market overnight.

The fact that they are ahead of the Lib Dems in the polls is a joke. This fiasco is manna from heaven for the other parties, particularly Labour. I doubt whether Farage will be too happy either. He's already had 2 significant TV shows that raise questions about UKIP's fitness to govern and now Bennett has made her minority party look bad too.

If the main 3 parties eat a huge slice of humble pie between now and the election I could see many of the protest voters coming back on board. Even the SNP's YES campaign hinged on revenues from North Sea Oil which have been slashed in recent times, so Scotland would have been fvcked if independent with SNP in charge and this oil crisis.

 

[Camicus]

Well this is the point. She is seen as very credible in political circles. And she can carry an interview well.

Caroline Lucas stepped down when she was elected as an MP so she could concentrate on that role.

 

[Eeyore]

The Green Party may have made the wrong choice as leader, although the saving grace is that they are not seen as a party of government. Her 'performance' shouldn't affect voting trends in areas where they have numbers. There are a number of credible candidates, although Brighton Pavilion is the only seat expected to be won.

 

[Eeyore]

In the General Election so will I. In the local? Anyone But Green.

It's pretty much a straight choice between Labour and Conservative in your ward locally, as well as nationally. For one of those I know you would soon lay face down and choking in your own blood before you put a cross against them.

 

[Eeyore]

Caroline Lucas stepped down when she was elected as an MP so she could concentrate on that role.

Yes, and looking at local polls it appears she is in a good position to be returned again. A lot of folk see her more as an independent than a Green. Which helps her cause.

 

[Murray 17]

The one thing I will say about this car crash of an interview is that at least she's discussing housing, something none of the other parties is tackling seriously (beyond a few platitudes).

I was discussing this with a friend the other day (whose wife is a local councillor for one of the major parties) and expressed amazement that no party is talking about the housing issue and the difficulty that young people will have getting a home in the future (or indeed, now). It should be near the top of the agenda but it's the great unmentionable

I think the reason nobody is discussing housing is the fact that nobody could build the number of properties needed. If we have a shortage now, and our population is increasing by 250000 every year, what chance has anybody got?

 

[Camicus]

Yes, and looking at local polls it appears she is in a good position to be returned again. A lot of folk see her more as an independent than a Green. Which helps her cause.

Caroline Lucus is a one off. Its a shame there are not more MPs like her. I know a few PPC for the greens and for the most part they are honest decent people. Shame they have been let down by the party leadership