THE GREEN Party has pledged to create a 'Green New Deal' to combat the climate emergency.

As part of its coverage of the general election, the Gazette is looking at the manifestos of all of the parties that are standing in the area.

Previously, we spoke to all of the candidates, and you can read them on the website.

The party says that things cannot go on as they are in the face of the climate emergency, which has seen increasing discussion over the last few years.

Their Green New Deal will have several strands, including energy, housing, transport, industry, food and income.

They pledge to replace fossil fuel with renewables, saying they want 70 per cent of the UK's electricity to be generated by wind by 2030, whilst also providing better insulation on homes.

This will start with major heating upgrades for one million homes a year, and building 100,000 new energy efficient council homes a year.

Co-leaders Sian Berry and Jonathan Bartley say they will ensure that there is safe walking access to local shops and schools, or all residents live within one kilometre of a rail, tube or tram station, or 500 metres of a 'high frequency bus service'.

There will be a ban on the production of single use plastics in packaging.

The Greens will also introduce a Universal Basic Income, replacing all current benefits but housing, which will pay adults £89 per week regardless of employment status. According to the manifesto, it will result in around a 6% increase in disposable income over five years for someone in full-time work and paid the average salary.

There will be increases on this figure for pensioners, disabled people and those on housing benefit.

Brexit

The Greens are "a proudly pro-European party and are unequivocally campaigning for Britain to Remain in the EU".

They say that they will support a second referendum on Britain's future, and then campaign to remain.

Should the UK end up remaining, then the Greens would fight to transform the EU, and the UK, to alleviate the concerns of those that voted leave.

This would involve allowing members of the EU parliament to initiate Europe-wide legislation, as well as allowing EU citizens to propose reforms to treaties.

They will also make institutions, such as the European Central Bank, more transparent.

NHS

The Green Party say they will "reform" the NHS - by increasing funding by at least £6 billion per year, each year until 2030.

There will also be a £1 billion a year put into nursing higher education, which will see nursing bursaries reinstated.

They will stop privatisation of the NHS by repealing the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Other policies

Other policies promised by the Green Party in their manifesto include:

  • An increase of education funding of £4 billion per year
  • Plant 700 million trees by 2030
  • Scrap tuition fees, and write-off debts of those who paid the £9,000 per year fees.
  • Invest £4.5bn-a-year in social care
  • Spend £2.5bn on cycle routes
  • Scrap the first past the post voting system