A Green party candidate won a seat in the Leeds city council elections yesterday and he and his supporters celebrated by unfurling a Palestinian flag and shouting, “Allahu Akbar”.
I was curious to see what green policies he actually held because surely a Green party candidate would be championing segregated bike paths, low emission zones, protection for our wildlife, advocating a plant-based diet, and increasing biodiversity. But no, aside from a photo of him tending what looks like an allotment, green policies there are none.
What happened to the Green party? I used to think my views aligned most closely with them but for several years now I’ve felt that’s no longer the case as the party has got tangled in identity politics, stifling of free speech, and now it seems, foreign wars. I don’t think my views have changed greatly. It’s they who have changed. I will definitely never vote for a party that openly supports terrorists either.
Mothin Ali has deleted his Twitter account now whether because someone advised him this was not a good look or maybe he realised himself but not before someone took a screenshot of his Tweet on October 7th when Hamas invaded Israel – because let’s never forget who started this war.
Since the Tweet no longer exists I wanted to confirm he really did say that and it was not doctored so I searched Google and it still comes up in Google’s results, at least for now so I took a screenshot myself.
I’m not the only person to be concerned with the left’s abandonment of free speech. Peter Singer is quoted in the Australian Financial Review this week – Left has abandoned free speech: Singer –
“What used to be things that were generally accepted by people on the progressive side of politics have shifted – and freedom of speech is a basic example”
On the occupation of universities by pro-Palestinian protestors he says it’s completely reasonable for universities to remove the protestors saying,
“I think they’re [universities] against things that are clearly illegal, that are trespass and causing harassment and abuse of university faculty and staff.
“The students who are pro-Palestine are perfectly free to speak, but they’re not free to occupy buildings.”
We have religious freedom in this country and our politicians are free to follow and practice any religion they desire. But I take exception to faith-based leadership which is when religion becomes a basis for policy. Decisions made by governments should be based on evidence, not religious belief because not everyone is religious and those who are religious follow different religions. You cannot lead a diverse population and make sound policy decisions for that population if your policy comes from your personal religious belief because it won’t speak to the population who don’t share that belief. If however, policy is based on sound evidence and can be argued with reason and logic then it is policy for everyone. I think we should all be concerned when politicians start chanting, “Allahu Akbar”.
And finally, it just seems a bit odd to me for someone to win an election in Britain and then raise a flag for another country at the election victory party. If I were to stand in a local election then raise a flag for New Zealand or Australia, I would hope a few eyebrows would shoot up because I’m not living in either of those countries. I’m living in the UK and a politician, especially a local council politician, should be advocating for local issues.
To end, I’ll share a photo I took on Friday of my allotment, which I cycled on my cargo bike to, and that I use no pesticides or poisons on and where I’m careful to use netting that won’t tangle and kill the local wildlife. Does this make me more of a greeny that Mr Ali?
rachel.blog 
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