Greens came second to Labour in Wingrove and South Heaton wards in Newcastle, and in Wardley & Leam Lane and Lobley Hill & Bensham in Gateshead as the LibDem vote crashed and Tory voters stayed at home. And we also came a strong third in several wards both in Sunderland as well as Tyneside.

But as John Pearson, Green candidate in Wingrove says:

"There's no mystery. The two parties I beat are currently unpopular per se and our campaigning over a number of years has built up a strong core vote we can rely on."

And despite the over-emphasis on national politics in the media, Greens in both Newcastle and Gateshead benefitted from votes earned through our strong campaigning on local issues like the Newcastle-Gateshead Local Plan and threat to the Green Belt.

Andrew Gray, Green candidate in South Heaton emphasises that there is a lot more work to do - and appealed for more people to join the Green Party and engage in politics:

"We still need to build the party, with bigger meetings and a bigger base of core supporters and sympathisers. People are sick of all three of the larger parties and are looking for a genuine alternative to vote for. We know we have that real alternative - that we really do offer something different - we just need to get our message across."

Green results in Tyne & Wear reflected results elsewhere with the Green vote holding steady and increasing - resulting for example in 3rd place in the London Mayoral elections, and Greens doubling their seats on Edinburgh City Council from three to six.

Greens take strong exception to both these statements.

Sandy Irvine, Chair of Newcastle Green party and local candidate in West Gosforth, a leading member of the protest coalition in Gosforth who spoke at the first public meeting on the Nature reserve proposals, said:

‘The One Core Strategy started life under the Liberal Democrats - and it was flawed from the start. Labour just added to it. Only two Liberal Democrats played any significant role in the Green Belt battle. The others were conspicuous by their almost total absence at every event. On the council their interventions were weak. The one Independent councillor did more than all the Liberals in the Council Chamber put together as witnessed by everyone in the gallery.'

Tony Waterston, the Green Party candidate in South Jesmond commented:

‘I'm shocked that the Liberal Democrats say we ‘can't win' in Jesmond as our vote has steadily been rising over the last two years and with the Conservative withdrawing, we have everything to play for. Elections are volatile in the present climate and in Jesmond it is the Greens who have the vision, not the failed Liberal Democrats. Clearly Chris is afraid of losing this time round.'

Background

The Green Party policy on the Green belt proposals is posted on this website.  

The GP is running candidates in six local electoral wards in Newcastle and is growing significantly in numbers over the last two years. GP candidates are being elected to councils all over England, have one MP in Parliament and two Members of the Scottish Parliament.

Shoppers were then asked who they would most trust to support Shields Road shops. Nearly two-thirds would put their trust in the local traders themselves. The final question asked shoppers to name their favourite shop on Shields Road. A wide range of shops was mentioned, with local fruit and vegetable shops just in the winning position, and the second-hand/charity shops a close second.

"Local people have a deep love of their neighbourhood shops, and many wanted to share their ideas and enthusiasms with us," said Andrew Gray, the Green Party candidate for South Heaton ward (which includes Shields Rd) in Thursday's (May 3rd) Council elections (2)  "They were particularly enthusiastic about seeing more events in Hadrian Square, and clearly thought that the best solutions for our neighbourhood businesses would come from the traders themselves."The survey also asked shoppers to guess how many people are employed on Shields Road. The actual number (over 1,000 (3)) surprised most of those surveyed, but demonstrates the range of businesses and services operating around Shields Road, and the effectiveness of independent shops in supporting local employment (both directly, and via contracts to other local businesses such as tradesmen and professionals".

"The results were remarkable and revealing," commented Tony Waterston, the Green Party candidate from South Jesmond. "The Council needs to listen to local residents, who clearly know best what kind of support their own streets need. We want to see greater devolution of power to neighbourhoods, and to end the city-centre bias and dependence on retail growth within the One Core Strategy." (4)

NOTES

(1) The survey questions and results are as follows. Results for each option are given in brackets, with the number of responses first then a percentage.

WHICH OF THESE WOULD BE BEST FOR SHIELDS ROAD?
(a) New retail development at Pilgrim Street (3, 10%)
(b) Regular street fairs at Hadrian Square (26, 90%)

WHO DO YOU TRUST TO SUPPORT SHIELDS ROAD SHOPS?
(Shoppers could vote for two options on this question.)
(a) Newcastle City Council (5, 15%)
(b) Local traders (21, 62%)
(c) Mary Portas (5, 15%)
(d) ASDA (1, 3%)
[2 people opted for 'none of the above']

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED ON SHIELDS ROAD?
(a) under 100 (4, 15%)
(b) between 100 and 500 (12, 46%)
(c) between 500 and 1,000 (7, 27%)
(d) over 1,000 (3, 12%)

NAME YOUR FAVOURITE SHOP ON SHIELDS ROAD The following were named:
Fruit/veg shops (5),
Second-hand/Charity shops (4),
Morrisons (3),
Iceland (2),
Other shops (all independents) (4),
and one vote for 'all of them'.

(2) Andrew Gray is Green Party Candidate for the South Heaton ward (which includes Shields Road), in Thursday's elections to Newcastle City Council. He can be contacted on 07579 965254 (mobile) or 0191 334 1210 (work/daytime).

(3) The employment figure of over 1,000 comes from 'Shields Road Regeneration Update', a report by the City Council's Area Based Regeneration Director East to South Heaton Ward Committee, 14 September 2011 (para 3.3).

(4) A leaflet summarising the Greens' response to the survey questions is online as is the press release for our formal objection to the One Core Strategy and the Objection itself.

Stephen Watson commented:

"Local people have had little chance to feedback on the Council's plans. By taking it to peoples' doorsteps we have allowed residents to see the extent of the clearly unwanted plans. "

The Gateshead Green Party believes that the Council under the guidance of its Labour leadership has avoided getting feedback from local residents because it fears a backlash against its "strategic" plans. Stephen Watson commented:

"I am amazed at what Labour has NOT done in Gateshead. In Newcastle 115,000 homes were contacted directly about the planned changes to which areas of the city were being proposed as available for new homes - Gateshead council handed out a few leaflets in the Metrocentre and the town centre. No wonder they only received seven complaints. We have taken the information of which bits of greenbelt are being torn up on to the doorsteps of those directly affected and have received more 300 complaints - each of which will now need to be dealt with by the planning department".

The lack of transparency on the issue has been stark. The local Labour party has continued to say that the permission is for outline approval only with little likelihood of any building work taking place. Yet this contradicts the consultation documentation which states "Leam Lane has an estimated capacity of 1201 new dwellings." and "The phasing of this site is set to begin at the earliest possible time, (around 2014/15), because there are no significant constraints to development." Stephen Watson said:

"Diggers will be ploughing up the green fields of Leam Lane with two years despite these hollow reassurances. These changes are turning our local fields into a goldmine for developers and it is local people who are set to lose out".

David Byrne, co-ordinator for Gateshead Green Party pointed out:

"Although the threat to Leam Lane is bad enough, this is not an isolated threat to the Green Belt. The Green Party in Newcastle, North Tyneside and elsewhere in Gateshead is challenging Councils on Local Plans and proposals to build spawlimg housing estates on Green Belt and greenfield land when the real need is for regeneration of our urban areas." 

Andrew has campaigned over many months for measures to support the Heaton shopping and business districts. Speaking on Sunday afternoon, he said
"Residents in Heaton are increasingly concerned about the state of Chillingham and Shields Roads. Any proposals that favour the large chain stores will kill off more of our local shops. As well as leaving our high streets less viable, this will hit hard other local small businesses, from plumbers to accountants. Our neighbourhood economies in Newcastle are already fragile and need extra support during the current depression. Local shops employ far more people and contribute much more to our communities than the super-stores that will benefit from a change in Sunday trading laws."

The e-petition on the government website calls on the government to abandon proposals to lift opening hour restrictions for the large superstores during two months this summer. As well as the need to protect local shops, it highlights increased pressure on shop workers, and supports the campaign to keep Sundays special. The text is below, though the petition will not be available for signature until it has been checked by a government department, which may take up to 7 days.

Until then, Andrew will be calling on local councillors, MPs and members of the Lords to campaign against the plans, and to ensure that the emergency legislation required does not get an easy ride through Parliament.

NOTES

(1) Petition text (to appear at epetitions.direct.gov.uk):

DON'T CHANGE SUNDAY TRADING RULES DURING OLYMPICS

Abandon plans to relax Sunday trading rules for large shops during the two months of the Olympics in summer 2012. Allowing large stores and retail parks to open 24/7 will harm small shops who will lose trade to chain stores. Local economies will suffer and local shopping streets lose business. The loss of small businesses, and of local trade and professional contracts will increase unemployment long-term. Pressure on shop workers will increase, causing particular problems at times of celebration and school holidays. The special status of Sundays free from mass-consumer culture will be eroded, and this temporary relaxation will increase pressure from large corporate lobbies for a permanent change in the rules. Outside London especially, these plans are damaging and should be abandoned.

The voluntary farm association which helps run the farm called for people to sign a petition to demand the council to change their mind and give them more time to find a way to take over. Their plea for help resulted in a massive community campaign, supported by Greens in Gateshead, South Tyneside and right across the region. By the time of Council budget meeting at the end of last month, the campaign had delivered 3,232 signatures on the petition, both online and on paper, as well as lots of media coverage. This succeeded in putting enough pressure on the council that they have relented. They deferred the total withdrawal of funding till 2013 and will fund the farm on a ticking over basis till then.

The voluntary farm association say they now have time to establish a good partnership to take the farm on in one year's time. Clare Satow from the farm association (and the wonderful Bill Quay Fabric Workshop) expressed their thanks to everyone who signed the petition and said

"We have been greatly strengthened in our resolve by the support you have given us. We have been overwhelmed by the numbers of people writing to them and coming to the farm and telling them how much they value the farm."

Shirley Ford, Green Party regional coordinator, says she is keeping in touch with the farm association to see how their plans progress and if there is any further support they need. She found huge support for the farm at the school in South Tyneside where she works, where all the staff signed the petition and spread the word to their friends and families. They all said how much they love the farm, having taken both their own children and classes from the school to have a valuable taste of the countryside on our doorstep.

We also look forward to many more wonderful Green events at the farm, like our mini green festival last June.

"This is welcome news. So - although it is always dangerous to count the proverbial chickens before they hatch, it seems that vigorous opposition from a boardbased campaign has paid some dividends."

He added that there is still a need for vigilance, stressing that the campaign must be maintained not just in Newcastle but across Tyneside and pledging continuing Green Party support to those fighting similarly disastrous plans in West Moor (North Tyneside), Bensham (Gateshead) and elsewhere - and also the massive demolitions planned for eg Bensham.

"There is no place for 'NIMBYIism' and the needs of those at the bottom of the housing ladder must be addressed in any revised Core Strategy - but we don't need to build expensive executive-style developments or yet more 'business parks' when many existing ones are half empty."

"But" he concluded "the fundamental problem has not been resolved. The council's commitment to population growth and economic expansion will inevitably bring back, at some stage in the future, the threats to wildlife habitat, farmland and other areas that must be kept from so-called 'development'.

Finally - Sandy argues - while the Green Party played a significant part in the campaign (1) - the campaign is succeeding because it mobilised a wide range of people in the local community, with many 'apolitical' people getting heavily involved. Several LibDem and Labour activists came off the fence and joined the campaign, putting the interests of the community before the interests of the Council - and the work of the Natural History Society of Northumbria has been absolutely invaluable.

Shirley Ford, Co-ordinator of NE England Green Party put in a final word:
"This may be the first victory in a long war, but it does show though that when communities raise their voices, the councils can be made to listen. We hope that they will now do more than listen - and agree, with their Gateshead colleagues, to revise the Joint Plan, and restart the consultation and decision-making process in a far more open and transparent manner."

ENDS

Notes: The Green Party has played a significant part in the campaign...

The huge public meeting that kicked it off was co-chaired by a Green Party member from Newcastle and the keynote speaker was a Green Party member from Gateshead

Green Party  members also helped to organise other key protests.

There was even a Green Party 'badger' on the mass ramble that was the culmination of the campaign:

• The ‘retail-led' development envisaged in the Strategy will just lead to more empty shops.

• The speculative housing developments is economically unsound and will not help those most in need.

• Fit housing that should be refurbished will instead be demolished in Bensham while many other areas will be blighted as the threat of large-scale development hangs over them,

• Any jobs it might create are not those that will help to really reduce unemployment.

• Traffic congestion will be made much worse in several parts of Newcastle and Gateshead.

• Farmland we will need in the future will be lost

• There is a real danger of serious sewage pollution of the Ouseburn from the new development

• A critical wildlife habitat, Gosforth Nature Reserve, will be irreparably damaged as will other vital open spaces in areas like Dunston Hill.

Local Greens criticise the way councillor Henri Murison tried to get the Strategy through ‘under the radar'. Few had even heard of it until a mass protest at the November council meeting forced the council to extend the consultation period and give more publicity to the plan.
Greens are also worried that the Strategy might be a smokescreen for big road schemes in areas like Haddrick's Mill roundabout. It will inevitably create such severe congestion which could then used to justify the bulldozing of property to make way for new road works.
Andrew Gray, the Green Party candidate in South Heaton ward, made the following comment:
"The Councils wrongly claim that there is no alternative when, in fact, there are plenty of examples of better initiatives in several other cities and towns. We draw attention to many in our Objection.
"The two councils are using the forthcoming National Planning Policy Framework to justify a bad plan. It is the same old mix of wishful thinking and bad policy we saw in the ‘Going for Growth' programme.
"We Greens think that the current Core Strategy is so flawed that it would be better to go back to the drawing board. Otherwise a Planning Inspector might just throw it out and we'll be left with the nightmare of a developers' free-for-all."

The full response is downloadable in PDF format from here or from the Downloads section of this website.

North East Green Party Co-ordinator, Shirley Ford (1) explains:

"The government is looking to save £3 billion a year by increasing employer contributions to public sector pensions - effectively a tax on public sector workers to pay for the fiscal deficit. Yet public sector workers are paying the same VAT and national insurance increases as everyone else, they are subject to a pay freeze, and hundreds of thousands are losing jobs due to the cutbacks - especially in the North East.

"This is simply unfair - especially when we know that this same government cancelled the tax on bankers' bonuses that would have raised £2 billion. We should remember whose greed and irresponsibility triggered the financial crisis in the first place."

Green Party member, Tony Gair (2), from Jarrow adds:

"Government claims that public sector pensions are unsustainable because members are living longer are simply untrue and are contradicted by their own figures. Both Lord Hutton and the OBR show that the cost of these schemes is projected to fall significantly in the future (from 2% of GDP in 2015-16 to 1.4% of GDP by 2050 according to the OBR).

"The myth that public service pensions are gold-plated is being peddled by government to try to bolster their argument that they have to cut public sector pensions because they are unaffordable and unfair on private sector workers. In reality, the median pension in the public sector is just £5,600 a year while the average pension for a director in a FTSE 100 company is £220,000 a year.

"Yes - most private sector workers have seen their pension schemes cut drastically, but slashing public sector pensions will do nothing to improve private sector pensions. The government is simply attempting to join private sector employers in a race to the bottom for the vast majority of workers."

Green activist, Vicki Grist (2), from South Shields is outraged:

"It is an absolute scandal that of the nearly £30 billion spent on tax relief on pensions each year, two thirds goes to the 1 in 4 taxpayers who earn enough to pay higher rates of income tax!

"The Green Party argues that there can be no sustainable society without everyone getting a fair share of the cake. Action to defend public sector pensions is part of the fight to get a more equitable distribution of society's wealth."

Green Party member and welfare rights worker, Alison Whalley, from North Tyneside concludes:

"As Greens we demand decent pensions for all. Our policy is to end pensioner poverty by introducing a weekly Citizen's Pension of £170 for a single person, £330 for a couple. We would fund this through higher and fairer taxation - wealthy corporations and individuals should pay more to help create a more equal society."

Notes:
(1) Shirley Ford, Green Party regional coordinator, will be on strike as she works in a primary school in South Shields. Her school along with almost all the schools in South Tyneside will be closed. As will all council buildings apart from South Shields Town Hall, Middlefields depot and a social services building, Kelly House. She will be at the picket line at the Town Hall, along with her husband, also on strike, working in Adult and Community Learning for S Tyneside Council, and their son - whose school is closed and who wants to see a fairer future too!

(2) Shirley, Tony and Vicki are also members of the choir "Making Waves" which will be singing at the rally

When I read the leaflet given out by the tented ‘occupiers' at Monument in Newcastle, I thought this looks very like the Green Party position. So down I went and the first person I met there was a student who had just joined the party!

Some thought is needed to grow a full-fledged political strategy out of the worthy aims of the occupiers, but...

The protest movement calls themselves ‘the 99%'. Many of their views on banking and the economic crisis are certainly supported by majority. There are certainly very many in the country who agree that:
• The bankers who caused the crisis should not be rewarded
• There should be much greater regulation of the banks
• The current level of income and wealth inequalities is scandalous and should be remedied
• The political system is corrupting and is not working to the benefit of the majority

However, how many (outside the Green Party) agree that:
• There should be voting reform towards a system of proportional representation
• There should be higher taxation for all to fund the health service and education
• There should be lower consumption
• Capitalism is the cause of our economic problems
• Increased growth is unsustainable and fuels global warming

They intend to be a visible (though non-violent) assault on the centres of corporate greed, increasing political pressure for change. They want an open dialogue on the harm being done by the present system. And they mean to demonstrate that democracy can work in a different way.

As Caroline Lucas says:

"This is real politics in action - and the voices of those ordinary and extraordinary people who want a fairer, greener system to replace the stocks-and-shares house of sand that sustains corporate capitalism must now be heard.
"As the public becomes more aware of the injustice and unsustainability of our economic system, more and more people are taking to the streets for a different kind of society - one which puts the interests of the many before those of a powerful minority.

"That the leaders of the mainstream political parties have completely failed to engage with what is happening down at St Paul's and at protests across the country shows just how painfully out of touch they are with the public mood for change."

As you know there is massive opposition to the NHS Bill that you will be examining in detail soon. Opposition from all sections of society including the BMA, the RCN and many MPs in the Commons.

I implore you to throw out this Bill. If you feel you cannot do that then accept the Owen/Hennnesy proposal to send the most alarming clauses of the Bill to a select committee for a review.

The NHS has been supported in principle by all Parties since it came into existence in 1948. That principle is now being fatally eroded by a minority Government that has no mandate to do this. Remember there was nothing in either Parties' manifestos about committing themselves to bring in legislation which is going to fundamentally undermine the nature of the NHS. The NHS like any organisation is not perfect and it faces many challenges and has hard decisions to make. But it is considered to be amongst one of the most cost effective, high quality health services in the world. It is much less expensive, bureaucratic and much fairer then the USA system, which this Bill seems to be pushing towards. This Bill is not about reforming or improving the NHS it is about dismantling it, franchising it in a way similar to the railways. This Bill is about free market ideology. I am not a rabid anti marketeer but a health service is not beholden to shareholders. It is beholden to the patients it serves and the best way to provide this service is through taxation, democratic accountability, and free at the point of need. You may beg to differ but i think the multinational health companies can see a massive potential market, £120 billion a year, and their political allies now want to serve it to them on a plate. This Bill has been in gestation for a long, long time, and under the fog of the financial crisis it is being pushed along with no democratic mandate.

I was born in 1958, so I have lived through decades of political change and considerable turmoil. I am left of centre and a member of the Green Party. I remember well the 1970s and the 1980s but I have never seen anything like this. I am quite shaken by all this.

This Bill though is not a force of nature. Please do the right thing. I hope I will be able to look my children and my grandchildren in the eye and say we saved the NHS.

Last year was an incredible year for the Sunderland group. They got praise from Party Leader, Caroline Lucas MP, were visited by Deputy Leader, Adrian Ramsay, and campaigned on a number of issues.

Local Coordinator, John Lowther, said

"It's been a remarkable year. It was fantastic to get such a great vote in the recent elections, particularly David Campbell, who got a record number of votes. More important still are the friends and connections we have made in Sunderland with committed activists who work our community a better place."

Emily Blyth said

"this party is for everyone who's been so good to us in the last year, people like the Barnes Pallion Milfield Residents Association, the Sunderland Welfare Action Group, Oxfam, and Sunderland Against the Cuts."

There will be live music from summer tumblers, Making Waves Choir, and others. There will also be a quiz and a chance to meet Sunderland's Professor Thompson, Regional Leader Shirley Ford, and other local Greens.

Green Party activist, Tim Burdon, says:
"As a teacher who will be asked to pay more, work longer and get less I feel thoroughly de-valued by this government. I don't feel that they are listening, or that they even care about the effect that the proposed cuts will have on me and thousands of others. I feel I have no choice but to go out on strike. I have never gone out on strike before - and the support of my union (NUT) and the solidarity of the Green Party mean a lot to me."

A civil servant and Green party member in Alnwick who will also be striking on Thursday says:
"I hope the strike on the 30th will draw attention to this large scale government attack on vulnerable people. I'm glad the Green Party is supporting this protest against the unfairness and policies that undermine the NHS, education and social services."

Shirley Ford concludes:
"We deplore the growing inequalities and increasing income gap in Britain. The Green Party is committed to creating a fair and just society and not transferring wealth from the poor to the rich."

"How to be green? Many people have asked me this important question. It's really very simple and requires no expert knowledge or complex skills. Here's the answer. Consume less. Share more. Enjoy life."

Derek is a Lecturer in Politics at Goldsmiths College, London Univ, contributes regularly for the Morning Star and writes a well-followed blog "Another Green World"

After the Transition Towns event at Bill Quay Farm, Derek will be meeting with Tyne & Wear Green Party members to talk about some of the local campaigns that he has been involved in and how they can be used to build support for the Green Party.

Cllr Joe Michna was re-elected to Middlesbrough Council in Park Ward. Joe switched from the LibDems to the Green Party in 2008 and has been sitting as a Green councillor, but this is the first time he has contested an election standing for the Green Party.

And in Alnwick, Rachael Roberts topped the poll in a by-election in Castle ward and becomes the third Green Party town councillor in Northumberland. Rachael says:

"I am absolutely delighted at coming top of the poll in the Castle Ward by-election and winning a seat on Alnwick Town Council - a first for the Green Party! It is fantastic that so many people placed their trust in me and the Greens and gave me one of their votes on Thursday.

"I am now eager to repay the faith they have shown by working hard to demonstrate the commitment and passion a Green councillor can bring. One of my election promises was to keep in contact with the voters and to this end I have set up a blog.

"I am over the moon at the support I've received and the extent to which the public are considering the Greens as a serious alternative to the other main parties. The election broadcast went down a storm with people I spoke to who saw it - one man even stopped me in the street to tell me how impressed he was by it!"

Meanwhile across Tyne & Wear, Greens benefitted from the collapse in the LibDem votes - especially in Sunderland, where David Campbell gained 17% of the vote. 

The wonderful thing about the changes needed to help us all save money is that they mostly coincide with the changes needed to help prevent climate catastrophe -- and with the changes needed to make us happier and healthier! but all of this will only work out well if Government puts in place the correct incentives.

That's where the Green Party comes in. Our policies are designed to ensure that a better life for us all, and a lighter footprint on our shared environment, is made to coincide with what is affordable. This is especially crucial when we are all feeling the pinch, and are a little less certain perhaps of where our next pay-cheque is coming from.

For example: We want to phase out the EU's 'Common Agricultural Policy' and instead offer Government support to local, small-scale and organic farmers. Organic and local food for you to buy should be the best-value option!

Another example: One of the Green Party's key proposals is a free home-insulation scheme to be rolled out all across the country, funded initially by a tax on energy companies which have made humungous profits over the last couple of years. In England alone there are more than nine million homes without insulation. Our scheme, to insulate your home, would reduce your bills, make your house snugger and produce huge cuts in carbon emissions.

And, the beauty of this kind of approach in economic terms is that
(1) It will produce just what people also need - lots of new jobs; &
(2) It will pay for itself over time; because, when you invest in green, then your investment is bound to yield savings over time.
Why? Because you are cutting down on waste -- and harnessing the endless, free energy that we call 'renewable' energy, rather than increasingly-expensive fossil fuels.

Now, in its recent budget, the government talked about a new generation of 'cleaner' coal-fired power stations (including one at Cambois) with 'carbon-capture' technology added-on when it is developed. But this is the wrong approach - when there is so much free energy available. The North East is brilliantly placed to exploit tidal and off-shore wind energy. Putting more money into coal or nuclear means less money for renewable energy investment and fewer secure jobs for the region. Even One NorthEast recognises the huge jobs potential for the region in offshore wind energy.

So the Green Party is calling for a win-win-win solution: of more green jobs, that will pay for themselves over time, making a greener lifestyle more affordable for us all.

Following the assessment period, sites that are "found to be suitable for the development of new nuclear power stations" will be listed in a draft Nuclear National Policy statement.

Iris Ryder, Green Party Mayoral candidate for Hartlepool and Eurocandidate said:
"The Green Party and has long campaigned against nuclear power due to its high cost and the unsolved problems with radioactive waste and risks of radioactive discharges. There also remains a small, but real risk of a catastrophic accident or terrorist attack, which could cause huge loss of life and result in large areas of the North East becoming uninhabitable."

The existing Hartlepool nuclear power station has only recently come back on line after a series of failures and ‘incidents'. Another Government decision last summer has already decided that Hartlepool should be the recipient of nuclear waste from the North West, with a new incinerator being built on site.
In addition, coastal nuclear sites are more vulnerable to flooding as sea-levels rise faster than IPCC predictions and the Tees Estuary is recognised as the most vulnerable coastline in the region.

Shirley Ford, the Green Party lead Eurocandidate for the North East added:

"We are also dismayed that concentration on nuclear power by the Labour Government will take available investment and infrastructure away from renewables. A new generation of nuclear power stations would use valuable coastal high-capacity connectors to the grid, connectors which would otherwise be used for offshore wind, wave and tidal, making it more likely that the UK will miss legal commitments on renewables for 2020.

"And, we are dismayed that the huge opportunity for jobs in renewables in the North East will be squandered, if the money goes to nuclear instead and the party will be writing to object to the proposed sites and encouraging many others to do the same. Offshore wind energy in particular has been identified by One NorthEast has having huge potential for creating jobs in the region."

The full list of nominated sites is:

1. Bradwell, Essex, NDA
2. Braystones, Cumbria, RWE Npower
3. Dungeness, Kent, EDF Energy
4. Hartlepool, EDF Energy
5. Heysham, Lancashire, EDF Energy
6. Hinkley Point, Somerset, EDF Energy
7. Kirksanton, Cumbria, RWE Npower
8. Oldbury, Gloucestershire, the NDA and Eon
9. Sellafield, Cumbria, NDA
10. Sizewell, Suffolk, EDF Energy
11. Wylfa, North Wales, RWE Npower and the NDA

Full details on the DECC website

The detailed list of sites can be found here
And details on how to respond (by 14th May) are here