Ashley Gunstock

Parking, charging and zonal marking

2011-06-16T12:40:00.000+01:00

Letter to the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian

Dear Mr Yeatman

The Green Party wishes to again register its support for the residents and traders of Wanstead and also South Woodford.

As is well known the Greens are not great fans of the car, doing all that we can to encourage the use of public transport whenever possible. However we do not believe that Redbridge Council's latest parking charges and zone schemes have much, if anything, to do with a desire to reduce car use.

Therefore it appears that, yet again, the council is attempting to refill its coffers - which have been depleted by historic and ongoing financial mismanagement - and, as is often the case, it is the Wanstead and South Woodford targets which our local government administrators, in their infinite wisdom, have set their sights on.

In view of this we fail to see how the council can justify levying onerous parking charges, as well as introducing a harsh and restrictive parking zone. Such strategies, in effect, literally drive people to places that have free car parking which will mean that their money will be spent at, more often than not, supermarkets from where it will taken out of the local community. In these exacting times people need more (not constrained) local freedom of movement and to not have their money taken from them by stealth tactics - which they would otherwise spend on local goods and services - in order that they may take part in the regeneration of their local economies.

Unfortunately our local (just as our national) powers that be simply don't get it - insisting, as they do, on their demands for short-term financial gain - which will only cause further long-term economic pain.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Lead Speaker
The Green Party - Redbridge

Population! Population! Population!

2011-06-07T18:05:00.000+01:00

Letter to the Observer

Sir

Andrew Rawnsley’s article (“Thatcher’s dream becomes a nightmare for a jilted generation”, Comment, last week) highlights an issue which I am sure that he did not intend to address. His assertion that: ‘The goal of a property-owning democracy will wither and die if Britain doesn’t start building many more homes’ initially and simply begs the answer to the most obvious of questions: Location? Location? Location?

In view of this the most important and difficult matter which this government and its opposition must address – in order to make housing more affordable, as well as for a catalogue of other positive reasons – is not whether to abolish the capital gains tax exemption and/or use the tax system to force down prices but, especially as it is a question of supply and demand, how to implement a tax incentive to confront the most pressing problem of: Population! Population! Population!

Yours faithfully

Ashley Gunstock

A sweep is as lucky As lucky can be

2011-04-04T23:00:00.002+01:00

Small is Right?

2011-03-29T12:45:00.012+01:00

Letter to The Observer:

Dear Sir

David Cameron's suggestion, especially being delivered in soundbites, that his ideological brainwave was fathered by Schumacher, is a mockery of a lifetime of high intellectual thought ("Small is beautiful: the father of Cameron's Big Society", News, last week).

In fact the government's programme of cuts seeks to remove the tools and dismantle the very intricate network structure, i.e. the devolved levels of responsibility and care, which would be essential if one truly wished to make Schumacher's vision a reality.

What the Prime Minister's BS will, in truth, create is a centrally managed amorphous mass, offering no light to the individual who will be left to flounder in a new dark age.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock

Cuts & Thrusts

2011-01-18T12:05:00.002Z

Letter to Wanstead & Woodford Guardian:

Dear Sirs,

The Green Party completely understands the anger and frustration felt by the British population in reaction to our local, regional and national governments' handling of the economic crisis, which is chiefly of their making.

Your last two front page stories perfectly illustrate the fact that these administrations have no idea of how to address the problem of the recession - Fury as tube and bus prices soar (January 6) and Full force of cuts revealed (January 13).

We believe that now is the perfect opportunity to invest in services and green job creation, which would provide work for people who would produce an environmentally sustainable, money saving, energy infrastructure. In this way people would be able to earn and spend money in order that the economy may be regenerated. Furthermore the public should be encouraged to use an affordable public transport system, rather than (as at present) being squeezed dry for every last penny to travel on it to get to work and for our leisure. In this way our roads would be decongested, allowing everyone to travel more freely with less pollution.

However - although this quadruple whammy addresses the issues of the recession, unemployment, Climate Change and transport - the powers that be are heading (in gas guzzling mode) in exactly the opposite direction!

In any event, rather than cutting jobs and vital services, we strongly feel that the government should stop fretting over the size of bankers' bonuses and simply freeze these awards, so that it may first ensure that the most vulnerable members of our society are not being left out in the cold.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party
Leading Spokesperson - Redbridge

Lib Dem angst and no Tory thanks

2010-12-14T15:41:00.001Z

Letter to the Observer:

Dear Sir

Andrew Rawnsley merely touched on the whips and scorns being suffered by the Lib Dems, in their time share government of Tory outrageous fortune. - David Cameron really should be sharing Nick Clegg's pain (Comment last week).

However what many fail to grasp, including some on its right wing, is that Conservative party aims could not have been better achieved if they had won the last General Election outright.

The party is back in government after a decade in the political wilderness; behind the facade of the Big Society, it is shrinking the state beyond measure and, to cap it all, Cameron & Osbourne inc. only need stand by and watch as Clegg, Cable & co. are hung out to suffer the full blast of the public's hairdryer treatment.

With their programme of cuts being borne by many essential services, as well as the poorer and most vulnerable members of our society, the Tories must be laughing every which way into bank boardrooms.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock

Top Greens

2010-08-25T23:45:00.004+01:00

Congratulations to the top 25 green blogs as voted by readers in the Total Politics Poll for 2010.

1 The Daily (Maybe)
2 Bright Green Scotland
3 Two Doctors
4 Barkingside 21
5 Another Green World
6 Gaian Economics
7 George Monbiot
8 Rupert's Read
9 Mabinogogiblog
10 Ruscombe Green
11 Weggis
12 Jane's Political Ramblings
13 Suitably Despairing
14 Flesh is Grass
15 Green Reading
16 Greens Engage
17 Caroline Lucas MEP
18 Stuart Jeffery
19 Peter Cranie
20 Bloggy Blanc
21 Scottish Greens
22 Greening Kirklees
23 Greener Leith
24 Chadwell and Seven Kings Greens
25 A Week Is a Long Time

What do you want your MP to Fight For?

2010-03-04T15:50:00.002Z

The Green Party candidate for the Leyton & Wanstead parliamentary constituency is Ashley Gunstock, picture right.

Reasonable Expenses

2010-03-02T13:50:00.003Z

Letter to: Wanstead and Woodford Guardian

Dear Mr Yeatman

Edwin Northover, the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Leyton & Wanstead, is in no position to comment on Harry Cohen’s outrageous expense claims – ‘MP to make £100k on expenses scandal home’ (Guardian, February 25, print version only).

In view of his own party’s involvement in the sordid affair, what with Tory MPs’ appalling misuse of tax-payers’ money, for the building of duck houses and the cleaning of moats and the like, I find Mr Northover’s pious stance extremely hypocritical.

Ashley Gunstock

The Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton & Wanstead

See follow up piece on line. Tory candidate accused of hypocrisy

Tesco hypocrisy

2010-01-04T14:41:00.018Z

Dear Mr Yeatman

The Green Party ‘Boycott Tesco’ campaign that I am involved in is genuinely intended to help protect local businesses and preserve the village atmosphere in the Wanstead area, for the benefit of all.

Nevertheless I have been branded a hypocrite by Edwin Northover – the Leyton and Wanstead Conservative Parliamentary Candidate – because I was ‘caught’ shopping in the Leytonstone Tesco store: Anti-Tesco campaigner admits using one of the firm’s other stores (Guardian December 21). It appears that the cause of Mr Northover’s outburst is the pressure that he and his Tory Councillor colleagues must be feeling, due to the looming General and Council elections. I am therefore flattered that I am deemed a threat to their forthcoming political aspirations.

In any event I have never denied that I shop in supermarkets. In fact throughout our campaign I have always made it absolutely clear that I believe that the supermarket and, incidentally, the car (that I also make use of) which have been in existence since the 19th century are part of the fabric of (and have a place in) our society. The fundamental issue here – which should not be submerged by personal attacks – is that there is no need for yet another supermarket in a thriving high street, such as the one that we are fortunate to have in Wanstead.

In light of all this I am sure that the supermarket giant will appreciate that I must decline its kind invitation to shop in its Wanstead store: Tesco statement rubs salt in wound for campaigner and Tesco offers olive branch to campaigner (Guardian December 24 & 31) and that our ‘Boycott Tesco’ campaign in Wanstead will continue.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party – Redbridge

Parking, Play and Profligacy

2009-11-17T23:11:00.004Z

With its introduction of charges at the Wanstead Library car park Redbridge Council has, yet again, shown its disregard for the most vulnerable residents of our borough - 'Parking fees are stealth tax on OAPs' (Guardian, November 12).

However this penny pinching exercise is not the only recent attack on public services in Wanstead, to be instigated without consultation. The children's play area on The Green is now also under threat as this administration removes but does not replace rides which, due to regular use, are now in a state of disrepair.

Therefore our mean spirited council, in order to refill its coffers – which it emptied during its otherwise too occasional acts of profligacy – in two fell swoops, on both corners of the junction of Woodbine Place and Spratt Hall Road, has managed to make the lives of senior citizens, young mothers and children still more uncomfortable in these already difficult times. Shades of ‘Bah humbug!’ methinks.

Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party - Redbridge
Leading Spokesperson

Did he putsch or was he jumped?

2009-10-28T22:16:00.002Z

Letter to the Observer

Dear Sir

As one who is generally in favour of political platforms which include the 'democratically' elected BNP, in order that it may be discredited, I fully endorse what Andrew Rawnsley had to say in his article – ‘The more people see of the BNP, the worse for the party’ – Comment, last week. I am only sorry that the BBC missed a better opportunity than it took to even further expose Nick Griffin and his party's reprehensible policies.

Unfortunately David Dimbleby early on in the recent Question Time programme (unusually for him) lost the plot and, in his rage, initially allowed himself to become part of the mob baying for Griffin's blood. This, although he (a little too late) pulled himself together, meant that serious debate could not be entered into.

Griffin, when he did get the chance to respond, was showing himself to be the shallow fascist that we knew him to be. However on each occasion, just before he was left to wordlessly flounder, one or other politico on the panel saved him by intervening and spouting diatribe in an attempt to promote their own party.

No one was really challenged on the question of why there is a rise in support for the BNP, i.e. the failure of New Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems to represent the 'working class' and address the issues which most trouble it. In view of this the representatives of the 'major' parties were permitted to resort to the use of the fascist deception of scapegoating, so that they could provide a smokescreen for their own shortcomings. In view of this Griffin was quite possibly no less honest than any other politician on the panel!

In any event I suspect that many members of the BNP (with or without hindsight) probably would have preferred their leader to have been refused the opportunity to put forward their policies, as they then may then have been able to gain some sympathy from attacking our ‘selective’ multi-cultural democracy.

Nevertheless sadly for him - and thankfully for all decent folk - he and the BNP were portrayed on Question Time - and in the aftermath throughout the media - as the least acceptable face in British politics.

Yours faithfully

Ashley Gunstock

Dancing with the devil you know

2009-09-24T23:49:00.003+01:00

Dear Sir

Nick Clegg may believe that he is being genuine in refusing David Cameron's offer to power share with the Conservatives (Lib Dems spurn olive branch from Cameron the ‘con man’, News, last week).

Nevertheless in the event of a General Election resulting in a hung Parliament or indeed one that simply gives the Tories a slim majority, I am sure that Mr Clegg will find it difficult to resist Mr Cameron's courtship. After all, what with the talents that the Lib Dems have for 'swinging all ways', in order to tout for votes (rather than having any semblance of an ideology of their own) they would not find it hard to add a little hue of blue to their rainbow of alliances.

This tactic is not a dalliance whereby the vulnerable and inexperienced are seduced by the worldly and the wise, but a marriage of convenience between hard bitten cynics in search of power. I doubt if - before New Labour’s landslide victory in 1997, ultimately making a Lab/Lib pact unnecessary and irrelevant - Paddy Ashdown (the then Lib Dem leader) would have turned down the same offer, touted by Tony Blair, which turned his head and flushed his cheek New Labour rosy red. Or was it the harlot’s rouge?

However despite all his holier than thou posturing Mr Clegg knows that, bottom line, his party and the Tories would not make such strange bedfellows. The liberal doth protest too much methinks.

Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party
Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton & Wanstead

London City Airport

2009-07-27T20:29:00.002+01:00

The Green Party wishes to declare its support for the campaigners who oppose the decision by Newham Council to increase the amount of flights proposed for London City Airport (Guardian July 16).

In the first instance the fact that any single borough council is able to make a unilateral decision on such an important issue such as this, which will adversely affect the quality of life for many people in outlying boroughs, beggars belief.

Mr Jezierski and the Wanstead & Woodford group that he represents and Ms Griffin of Fight the Flights are absolutely correct in their beliefs that residents will suffer increased air and noise pollution due to the extra and unnecessary flight blight.

The argument put forward by the airport that 'the extra flights will boost the local community's economic and regeneration prospects' is a misnomer; in point of fact the reverse is truer. Even more commuters will make their way straight to the airport by car. This will lead to passengers buying their provisions at the airport rather than from local traders having caused more pollution and congestion, thereby affecting the area with further environmental degradation. Furthermore the extra flights will soon lead to the need for an inevitable expansion, ad infinitum et ad nauseam.

In other words it will be all planes, pains and no gains.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party - Redbridge

The FibDem Myth

2009-06-23T14:26:00.003+01:00

Letter to The Observer

Dear Sir

I wish to set the record straight with regard to the urban myth (which has become accepted as fact, due to constant repetition) that the Liberal Democrats opposed the war in Iraq from the very outset, as stated in your front page article ‘Tony Blair pushed Gordon Brown to hold Iraq war inquiry in private’ – Observer, last week.

Even at the end of the day that saw over a million people march through the streets of London, to protest against the probability of Tony Blair taking us into the hostilities, Charles Kennedy (the then Lib Dem leader) declared during his speech in Trafalgar Square that although he personally was against the invasion of Iraq he could not say the same for his party. It was not until it was apparent that the war was a mistake that the Liberal Democrats took the liberally democratic stance to distance themselves from the atrocities.

The Green Party is the only political party that has consistently opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning (Respect were not in existence then) and has since insisted that there should be a full and open investigation, into why we embarked on this immoral and illegal enterprise in the first place. Nevertheless, judging by Mr Blair’s cowardly intervention, it appears that, yet again, the tax payer will be made to foot the bill for yet another costly and shameful charade.

Ashley Gunstock

Cockney Robins

2009-05-27T14:20:00.004+01:00

click to enlarge
Click to enlarge

It appears that what I initially thought to be a highly amusing and perhaps semi-tongue in cheek letter from Mr J C Fentiman, was not so - I'm not a snob, but we don't want 'cocknification' - Guardian 21 May. I therefore write with regard to his latest offering, published in your letters page – Pie-and-mash lovers must be driven from Wanstead – Guardian 4 June.

What Mr Fentiman appears not to understand, as he surveys his Wanstead manor from his narrow perspective, is that he is now living in an East London village which is continually developing its own unique character. Firstly, in terms of the architecture, should he simply look up and around, when he comes down from his ivory tower, he would see that the Robins Pie & Mash Shop signage, which he finds so offensive, actually perfectly matches (by accident or design) the original white and black painted properties of the area.

Furthermore Wanstead's population is made up of mostly quite affluent working and middle class folk of a wide age range. Both groups have members (including some of what Mr Fentiman referred to as rough types) who are used to cockney grub as well as having acquired (due to the influx of young upcoming professionals) more sophisticated tastes in the foods that we now eat. Yes Wanstead, despite being closer to the likes of Basildon and East Ham, is of late assuming the same type of cafe society atmosphere as Hampstead; although it is not as far up its own backside...yet.

In any event even I, as a vegetarian with a preference for more exotic flavours, can appreciate how good old fashioned pie & mash (just as fish & chips) would appeal to some palates. As to the chosen method of eating one's choice of cuisine: spoons?! Whatever next? The savages will soon be eating with sticks or simply use their hands, heaven help us! I daresay that what Mr Fentiman would find most 'quaint' is that the spoons used for pie & mash and jellied eels were also probably licked clean to be re-used as musical instruments, to accompany a right old sing-song, after a good supper. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating 'knees ups around the old joanna' instead of grace after meals, but I hardly think that anyone’s grandchildren are going to be ‘culinarily’ traumatised by witnessing a person’s unusual use of cutlery. Nevertheless, rather than have it hidden away in some back street (as the gentleman suggests) give me the cultural celebration of openly rejoiced, genuine cocknification over uptight, faux gentrification any day.

Finally, by the way, Robins required no change of usage for the unit that it is trading from. The firm is operating in true keeping with the oft preferred and referred to like for like planning guidelines and, as a purveyor of pie and mash, the liquor it serves does not require an alcohol licence such as the one so readily handed to Mr Fentiman's more acceptable gauche, brash and flash Tesco store.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
Green Party - Redbridge

Fiddling while Rome burns

2009-05-12T21:42:00.003+01:00

Letter to the Observer:

Dear Sir

I was quite taken aback by Andrew Rawnsley's article concerning MPs expenses, 'These scams are atrocious. Worse is the lack of remorse' (Comment, last week).

It was not so much the content of his piece that struck me but the fact that, given his experience as a political commentator, he should express such shocked indignation. The high level of vehemence that he displayed suggested that he, until now, had no idea of the magnitude of the fraud.

Unfortunately, given the lack of backbone and moral fibre of many of our MPs these days, it comes as no surprise to me that many of them would be on the fiddle while the country goes to blazes.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Leyton & Wanstead

Think Again

2009-05-11T19:25:00.001+01:00

Hustings Cancelled

2009-04-15T20:56:00.006+01:00

Ashley is very upset that this evening’s Hustings have been called off. This arose from the Labour candidate, Ross Hatfull, refusing to share a platform with the BNP and trying to persuade the other candidates to do likewise.

This is not the way to deal with the British National Party. The Green Party policy on this is that we only share a platform with the BNP where there is opportunity to challenge their views, which is precisely what a hustings is for. Ashley comments

"Unfortunately the other parties have fuelled the problems which the BNP seeks to exploit. Tax increases on the working and lower middle classes brought about by Labour, the decline of employment in Britain's manufacturing and energy sectors - as started by the Conservatives - and continued by Labour, have inevitably led to some people feeling disenfranchised with the political system. The BNP's sectarian and scapegoat finding policies would do nothing to address these problems however, and it is a shame that I was unable to speak to residents at the hustings to promote the Green Party's vision of a positive future for Wanstead and a positive future for Britain, via our national policies, such as the creation of a million new jobs in the energy sector."

Ashley also works closely with the anti-racist Redbridge and Epping Forest Together group.

Weggis

Wanstead & Woodford Guardian:
Tonight's by-election hustings cancelled
This is Local London:
BNP by-election campaigner arrested over 'racist attack'
Barkingside 21: The Death of Democracy

Hustings

2009-04-09T16:18:00.003+01:00

There will be a Wanstead ward by election Hustings next Wednesday 15th April 2009 at The Cricket Clubhouse in Nutter Lane E11, (map) doors open 7pm for 7:30pm start. All 6 candidates have been invited. Organised by the Wanstead Residents Association.

Ashley in the News

2009-04-05T22:38:00.004+01:00

Click on a topic to see the report in the Local Newspaper.

Last-ditch attempt to stop Tesco 'killing' High Street

Ashley on the left.

Battle for cheaper tube fares intensifies

Bats under threat from controversial pipeline

Road safety campaigners slam council

Borough slips down GCSE table

And Barkingside 21 has some Election News.

Let the children play!

2009-03-30T19:27:00.004+01:00

Letter to the Ilford Recorder.

Dear Mr Carter

I found the anti-Green attack on Wilson Chowdhry by Roy A Lewis, in his letter entitled ‘Society so hostile to our youngsters’, to be totally unwarranted and more than a little disingenuous. – Recorder, March 26.

The Green Party, perhaps more than any other, appreciates the important role that children play in our society and for that reason places great emphasis on their freedom of expression through play.

To that end (and many others) The Greens have long been campaigning for better and affordable public transport – to get more people out of their cars – and encourage and support Home Zones and 20mph speed limit roads for many residential areas. In fact this is a policy issue which has now been adopted by the other Parties for example in Islington where (due to a Green councillor holding the balance of power) 20mph zones have recently been agreed.

Nevertheless, until such a time when our streets are made safe once again, there is a time and a place for everything and many other people and factors within a community to consider and we must not forget how noisy children in confined areas can unknowingly make life difficult for, for instance, young mothers and older and disabled people.

However it was Mr Lewis’s blinkered vision in respect of these that afforded him the opening for his strike at Mr Wilson who in his open and frank letter – given the title ‘Go and play football in the park' – Recorder March 19, merely pointed out the problems and dangers faced by children playing in the streets in his area (which sadly do not have 20mph zones) and promoted Redbridge’s parks & green spaces, which also suggests the need for their protection.

Green spaces and areas of play are continually being lost due to the lack of enforcement of the pathetic planning laws that have been handed down by and to successive lazy and incompetent administrations. I can only hazard a guess at which Party Mr Lewis represents but, with regard to areas of play, particularly in the political arena, I suggest that he takes a good, long and hard look in his own back yard.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party – Redbridge
Green Party Candidate for the Wanstead by-election

The above letter is in repsonse to this: Click to enlarge.

Trouble with Comments

2009-02-11T19:09:00.001Z

As you all know, Weggis [me] is Ashley’s secret agent and blog manager. It is me who has been moderating and authorising comments submitted to this blog on Ashley’s behalf. I had assumed that each time I did so, that Ashley was getting an email notifying him that the comment had been published along with the content of that comment, like I do on my own blog. So if he wanted to respond he could do so. Unfortunately I forgot to set the parameter to make that happen.

My apologies to all commenters. The problem is now fixed.

The Village Feel

2009-01-29T15:56:00.003Z

Letter to the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian

Dear Editor,

Should Redbridge accept any proposal to permit Tesco to operate at the old Woolworth store in Wanstead, the Council will perfectly illustrate how out of touch with the character of the area it is and demonstrate the total disregard it has for its residents and independent businesses.

Yet another chain store would negatively impact on the existing make-up of the high street, cause people to lose their livelihoods and, due to the further traffic congestion and inherent parking difficulties, seriously undermine the village atmosphere of the surrounding environs.

It is our understanding that Somerfield was looking to sell its plot to the ethical Co-operative group and a like for like business exchange should not pose any further problems. Furthermore this type outlet would be ideal for Wanstead, especially in view of the London Borough of Redbridge’s recently acquired Fairtrade status.

Wanstead does not need another supermarket and certainly not a Tesco, what with there already being three in the immediate vicinity and in view of this we shall encourage a protest in the strongest possible terms in an effort to put a stop to this economical, social, ethical and environmental nonsensical scheme.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesman
The Green Party - Redbridge

Dreams Can Come True

2009-01-29T15:49:00.001Z

Letter to The Observer

Dear Sir,

Politicians, especially, of all hues of the political spectrum, would do well to take heed of Andrew Rawnsley's assessment of the predicament facing Barack Obama.

As Mr Rawnsley suggested all people around the globe should rejoice and celebrate the wonderful news that an Afro-American has become a President of the United States of America, without pessimism or, indeed, cynicism.

However, as he also outlined, the weight of expectation - as it was with Nelson Mandela - is great and there are many pitfalls left by the malpractice of the Bush administration that may hamper President Obama in his quest to help make the world a better place.

Therefore, instead of standing back and admiring and/or waiting to see the outcome of Mr Obama's deeds, we should all as of now do all that we can - individually and collectively, at home and abroad - to wake from our present nightmares and fullfil our dreams.

The opportunity of hope that Barack Obama's presidency offers us comes around only once in a lifetime. If we do not strive and make this work, we dreamers of dreams might just as well abandon all hope.

Yours faithfully

Ashley Gunstock
Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Leyton & Wanstead

Leaders' legacies - Letter to The Observer 18.12.08

2008-12-18T16:47:00.004Z

Dear Sir

Andrew Rawnsley is spot on regarding the need for our Prime Minister to be bold enough to leave a positive and long-lasting legacy, especially in terms of our nation’s infrastructure (If we’re going to spend, then let’s invest in Britain’s future – Observer, Comment, last week).

For too long successive governments have lacked vision in their policy making and, instead of investing in long-term initiatives, merely offer short-sighted, short-term, and wholly inadequate quick-fix solutions to address our need for the high quality public transport, energy and communication systems that Mr Rawnsley suggests.

However in order to be politically bold you have to be politically brave and make decisions, for the common good, that may well require political sacrifices. This would involve having to challenge influential groups such as the road lobby and airline, energy and communications companies, while making some tough choices that may well upset part of the electorate into the bargain. Sadly there is no politician on our political horizon prepared to make the ultimate political sacrifice, which is to relinquish power.

Yours faithfully

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party - Redbridge

Redbridge's rubbish recycling record - Wanstead & Woodford Guardian letter 15.12.08

2008-12-18T16:43:00.001Z

Dear Mr Yeatman

The Green Party figures quoted in your newspaper of December 4 – which Councillor Mark Aaron refers to as being out of date (Guardian, December 11) – were those that were available to it at the time of writing.

However, compared to this minor error on our part, what is quite disturbing is that Mr Aaron is proud to boast a 7.8% composting waste rate for the borough of Redbridge.

The Greens have been campaigning for a fully integrated and co-ordinated national waste management scheme for almost 40 years, of which re-cycling is just one part. We have been trying to educate individuals, schools and businesses to understand the principles of the waste management cycle: reduce (the need for unnecessary goods & packaging), re-use (goods & packaging where possible), repair (whenever possible mend goods, instead of merely discarding them) then recycle (including composting) before dumping what remains for landfill.

In view of this and the fact that the ‘recycling’ rates of many other European countries far exceed ours, especially in light of the need for at least a 90% reduction of all waste, the government’s national strategy in general and that of the London Borough of Redbridge in particular is, despite the hard work of some of its employees, quite frankly, a load of old rubbish.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party - Redbridge

Pious pronouncements - Letter to the Observer 09.12.08

2008-12-18T16:34:00.002Z

Dear Sir

I must confess that my 'eyebrows were amongst many other pairs that were probably raised' on reading of the Vatican’s recent declaration, by Pope Benedict XVI. ('Pope attacks tax havens for robbing the poor', News, last week).

It would be fascinating for us all to know the true extent of the investments (offshore or otherwise) owned not only by the Roman Catholic Church, but indeed by all of the ‘major religions’ of the world.

The revelations of the relative wealth of these Faiths, I am sure, would make their pious pronouncements, regarding the poor, all sound rather rich.

Yours faithfully

Ashley Gunstock

Carbon Reduction Campaign

2008-09-08T22:03:00.001+01:00

I would like to draw your attention to a ‘Friends of the Earth’ campaign, to reduce CO2 emission limits, that I wish to promote.

The details of the campaign are as follows:

In October 2008 the European Parliament is to vote to adopt the European Commission’s proposed regulation on CO2 emission limits.

The proposed limit for new cars registered in the EU is to be 130g CO2/km instead of the existing 160g CO2/km.

However ‘FoE’ believes that 130g/km is not enough and is campaigning for a more restrictive limit of 120g CO2/km with further reductions to follow – 80g/km in 2020 and 65g/km in 2025.

To highlight this ‘FoE’ has set up a micro-site: http://www.forlesspollutingcars.com/ to get people, concerned about this, to write to their MEPs, encourage bloggers to discuss this in their blogs and link to the micro-site and urge people to sign up.

LATEST NEWS: Carmakers should have an extra three years’ breathing space to implement carbon dioxide emission reductions, according to a report adopted by MEPs on 1st September 2008.

The Environment Committee will vote on this matter on 9th September, with Environment Ministers discussing the proposals in October, so it is vital that we give ‘FoE’ all the support we can before then.

Please support this campaign!

Moving onwards & upwards together

2008-09-08T21:51:00.005+01:00

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those people who helped, supported and voted for me during the recent Green Party Leadership election – which I am very proud to have contested – and also congratulate Caroline Lucas & Adrian Ramsay on becoming The Green Party's first Leader & Deputy.

The Green Party has evolved through many upheavals and we should now look upon the recent, fundamental changes as a challenge for us all to meet and do our best to embrace.

Now that The Party has a Leadership team I wish it - and all Party officers - success in developing a strategy that will work for the good of The Party and take it forward and, as a Green Party member, I will do my best to make that happen.

However if, given a good chance, the strategy does not work positively for The Party don't count me out of standing at another leadership election. I may well be back..."

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Waltham Forest & Redbridge Green Party
General Election Candidate for Leyton & Wanstead

Radical v. Racist

2008-08-21T12:51:00.002+01:00

Letter to The Observer: 19th August 2008

Dear Sir

The Green Party has long recognised the importance of its existence in the political arena. However, as Rafael Behr's article (The race to be the fourth party matters more than you think, Comment, last week) perfectly highlighted, especially in light of the recent rise in support for the BNP, its presence has never been needed more.

Whilst the Government and its opposition persist in targeting ‘Middle England’, which they believe will be more likely to turn out at the polls and use its vote, a growing number of Working Class (for the want of a better term) citizens are becoming evermore disenfranchised and embittered and are now looking for a radical alternative.

Sadly, having ditched its boots & braces campaigning style for a slightly more sophisticated albeit disingenuous disguising of its violent multi-phobic tendencies, the BNP is reaping some benefit from this collective Westminster negligence and is enjoying a modicum of success of late; incidentally though not nearly as much as the Greens who hold 117 seats on principal authorities nationally, not 47 to the BNP's 37 as quoted in Mr Behr's article.

In any event, due largely to the indifference of all the Parliamentary Parties, BNP support has grown enough to be of concern to the majority of the electorate who abhor far right nationalism and its inherent virulence. In view of this, The Greens have for some time now been discussing the very real possibility of being offered the option to speak on platforms where the media may allow the BNP representation.

Should that be the case, rather than burying my head in the sand in the hope that the problem will simply go away, be assured that every such situation would be used to put forward a positively radical agenda and be seen as an opportunity to discredit and denounce fascism in all its unacceptable forms.

Yours faithfully

Ashley Gunstock
Green Party Leader Candidate

See also:
Greens Versus BNP - Peter Cranie
Greens have a key role to play in combating the BNP, says Lucas

53 Questions - with Answers

2008-08-14T16:28:00.004+01:00

The Daily Politico has invited me to complete their questionnaire. This will appear on the Total Politics web-site at some point, but they are here now.

Q1. Why did you get involved in the political world?
A1. Rather than waste my time complaining about the state of affairs, I thought that I had better get involved in the Affairs of State.

Q2. When did you join [The Green Party]?
A2. November 1989

Q3. What is your earliest political memory?
A3. The assassination of John F Kennedy

Q4. Which one law would you repeal?
A4. I would rid us of the law that permits 42 days detention without trial.

Q5. Which one law would you introduce?
A5. I would introduce a law to ensure that there were no single faith/cult schools, colleges or universities and which would turn all educational institutions into community centres of learning.

Q6. What’s your favourite view in the world?
A6. My favourite view in the world is that of the Sun rising and setting each day.

Q7. What’s your favourite political quotation?
A7. "You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but you can please most of the people most of the time."

Q8. What music gets you up to dance?
A8. I will get up and dance to any sound with a strong beat and a good rhythm.

Q9. If you could have been present at any debate in the House of Commons over the last three hundred years, which would it have been, and why?
A9. I would dearly have loved to have spoken during the debate to decide whether or not to take the UK into the US War of Terror, if only to register the fact that The Green Party was the only political party to object to the conflict from the outset.

Q10. Imagine you are planning a dinner party, pick six people (living or dead) to invite.
A10. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Adolph Hitler and their partners.

Q11. Who is your best friend in politics?
A11. I do not have a best friend in politics.

Q12. What’s your favourite form of transport?
A12. I feel good about using a bicycle as my preferred mode of transport, for so many varied and different reasons.

Q13. What’s your favourite dish?
A13. I enjoy eating any well cooked, preferably hot & spicy, vegetarian dish.

Q14. Do you have any phobias?
A14. I have an aversion to filling in forms or questionnaires, for so many varied and different reasons.

Q15. What do you dream about?
A15. I’m sure that I still do have dreams, everybody is supposed to; but I’m probably too tired, by the time that I get to bed these days, to be able to ‘watch’ them.

Q16. When did you last cry, and why?
A16. I am quite sentimental, so am often moved to tears. However the last time that I truly sobbed was after I had found out that a political opponent of mine, whom I greatly respected, had died.

Q17. What’s the last thing you bought in a shop?
A17. I bought some Pick ‘n’ Mix Sweets for my son & I to enjoy while watching a film.

Q18. What’s the funniest You Tube video you’ve recently seen?
A18. The Mom Song sung to The William Tell Overture.

Q19. What is the best speech you have ever heard (and been present at)?
A19. My brother’s best man speech at my wedding.

Q20. Who’s your favourite comedian?
A20. Robin Williams.

Q21. Have you ever cried at a film? Which one(s)?
A21. Cyrano de Bergerac with Gérard Depardieu. Please also see A16.

Q22. Which is your favourite political biography or autobiography?
A22. Adolph Hitler: A Study in Tyranny by Alan Bullock.

Q23. What is your favourite novel?
A23. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.

Q24. Name a book you have read which has failed to live up to expectations.
A24. On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

Q25. Who would you like to say sorry to, and why?
A25. The list is endless.

Q26. What job would you be doing if you weren’t involved in the political world?
A26. I would spend more time pursuing my career as an actor and make more use of my Football Association coaching qualification.

Q27. Do you have a party trick, or hidden talent?
A27. Not that I know of.

Q28. What’s the best holiday you have been on?
A28. My honeymoon in Italy.

Q29. Where in the world would you most like to go on holiday?
A29. Cuba.

Q30. When was the last time you used public transport?
A30. Today.

Q31. When was the last time you went to the theatre and what did you see?
A31. I last went to the theatre in June of this year to see a friend in Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis – Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate.

Q32. What do you collect?
A32. Almost anything re-useable or re-cycleable.

Q33. What is your most unusual hobby?
A33. I don’t have one.

Q34. Which newspapers do you read regularly?
A34. The Observer and any that I pick up on the Tube or in coffee bars.

Q35. Which websites do you visit regularly?
A35. I only visit websites in the course of my work.

Q36. Which blogs do you love or hate?
A36. Ditto for blogs.

Q37. Which magazines do you subscribe to?
A37. I don’t have any subscriptions to magazines, but I regularly read Greenworld and The Big Issue.

Q38. Which five words would your friends use about you?
A38. Unprintable.

Q39. Which five words would your enemies use about you?
A39. Ditto.

Q40. Are you into sport? If so, which ones?
A40. I enjoy most sports, especially football!

Q41. Which is your favourite football team and player?
A41. Chelsea is my favourite football team and I’ve been a ‘glory hunter’ with them for only 42 years. My favourite player at present is Michael Essien, whom I consider to be a superb footballer of immense character, who does not complain even though he is often asked to play out of his natural position.

Q42. Who is your political hero?
A42. Martin Luther King.

Q43. Who is your political hate figure?
A43. Pick a fascist, any fascist.

Q44. What’s your most memorable time in politics?
A44. Having opponents who had in the past looked down their noses at me for my political affiliation – and whom I have had ‘run-ins’ with – come over to me to respectfully shake my hand before a recent election.

Q45. What’s your most embarrassing moment in politics?
A45. Not getting my nomination papers delivered in time for a local by-election.

Q46. What’s your prediction for the next general election?
A46. The Green Party will hold the balance of power.

Q47. Who is your favourite and least favourite political interviewer?
A47. Jeremy Paxman is my favourite political interviewer, because he ‘cuts to the chase’ and my least favourite political interviewer is Nicky Campbell, because he is far too smarmy for my liking.

Q48. What do you never miss on TV?
A48. I always try to catch the News and really big football matches, when I get the chance to watch TV.

Q49. Which current foreign politician do you most admire?
A49. Nelson Mandela is the current foreign politician whom I most admire, because of the dignified way in which he always appears to conduct himself.

Q50. What do you listen to/watch when you get up in the morning?
A50. I can’t bear to listen to or watch anything first thing in the morning. However after I have ‘got it together’ I tune in to Radio 5 Live.

Q51. Complete this sentence: The thing I hate about politics is...
A51. ….that, although there is a right way of achieving what is necessary, most politicians screw up because they tend to go for the cheapest and/or easiest option.

Q52. Complete this sentence: The thing I love about politics is...
A52. ….that there is a right way of achieving what is necessary and often it is the most obvious option.

Q53. What would you like your political epitaph to be?
A53. Job done!

Internet Hustings

2008-08-14T16:21:00.002+01:00

There are some unofficial internet hustings over on Jim Jays blog with answers from both myself and Caroline Lucas.

Also coming up are answers from Adrian Ramsay, the candidate for Deputy Leader.

Plus plus similar hustings for the position of Chairman.

An Interview with Ashley

2008-08-02T16:23:00.003+01:00

Politics.co.uk has a Feature on the Green Party Leadership Election with an interview with Ashley.

Please ignore the double negative spotted by "Green Gordon".

Next week: Caroline Lucas.

Leadership Statement

2008-07-29T16:48:00.002+01:00

GP Leader Candidate statement - Ashley Gunstock

If you are looking for a Leader – who will unite the Green Party in preparation for government – then I am the ideal candidate for the post.

Now in my twentieth year as a GP activist, I have continually promoted the fundamental values of the Party and worked hard to help these to evolve with the continual changes that affect our society. This has enabled me to more easily express to all, regardless of their original political persuasion, the need to embrace our Green vision for the future. Such long-term thinking has ensured that my vote has risen by 50% at each recent Council, GLA and Parliamentary election.

As GP Leading Spokesperson in Redbridge I am regularly consulted by the borough’s residents, campaigning groups, opposition Councillors and the media, as I was when a member in Barnet.

I am a committee member of: Fairtrade Redbridge, about to receive its accreditation; LA21 and FoE groups, with whom I influenced borough recycling and planning improvements and peace, anti-war & anti-fascist movements, seeking my Green Party endorsement.

Lately I was instrumental in ensuring that the Council, TfL and The Corporation of London implemented much needed road traffic safety measures (especially for the elderly and school children) and am at present involved in the ‘Tube re-zoning’ campaign that I established to start making travel on the London Underground more affordable.

In Barnet I was active on the Homeless Action committee – which oversaw the building of a day centre for the homeless – and remain Chair of Barnet Green Co-op, having been largely responsible for setting up The Green Room Environmental Centre.

All this has been achieved mainly due to excellent communication skills, acquired during my 30 years experience as a professional Producer, Director & actor and teaching & FA coaching in a variety of schools, attuning me to what is happening with today’s youth. This invaluable ability coupled with my assured knowledge of our Green agenda enables me, authoritatively and confidently, to maintain successful dealings with the televisual media and also appeal to the readerships of both broadsheet & tabloid press.

Therefore if you are looking for true leadership – based on compassion, knowledge and an understanding of the make-up of the electorate, our membership and our agenda, which must be delivered with resolute confidence – I urge you to elect me as Green Party Leader.Contact details – Telephone: 020 8530 3900 or 07989 255061 or e-mail

July 2008

Education and Discipline

2008-07-29T00:01:00.001+01:00

Letter to Wanstead & Woodford Guardian – 29th July 2008

The Green Party believes that neither corporal nor capital punishment, or indeed wars, are the solutions to societal problems either here at home or abroad.

I therefore write with reference to your ‘Angry parents ban pupils from school’ front page article and the letter form Harry Valentine, entitled ‘Bring back physical retribution to schools’ (Guardian, July 24). The former reporting what was effectively an anti-army recruitment drive/anti-war demonstration at Wanstead High School and the latter prescribing a physical approach to the misbehaviour of boys and young men (due to the misbehaviour of some of the school's pupils) have struck the perfect discord to illustrate exactly why violence is not the answer.

Unruly school children are often the products of unfortunate circumstances, perhaps even brought about by their parents’ own doing. They may come from deprived backgrounds and have low self esteem, or even comfortable homes and been spoilt to blue blazes. In any event if a mischievous child’s life at home is far from ideal, what good can come of giving it a beating at school?

Aggression breeds yet more aggression. It is not a means to an end, it becomes the end. Children that are beaten into submission and then ruled by fear will learn to believe that that is the way in which they should conduct themselves, when they get into a position of physical advantage. From our homes, to our classrooms, to our streets and onto such far flung places as Afghanistan & Iraq the term for this type of behaviour is, quite simply, bullying.

Education, education, education was the mantra of our government during its early stages of power. And, yes, a good education is vital. However that should not mean stuffing our children’s heads with facts and figures and then instructing them in how to just pass assessments, for the benefit of school league table performance indicators. That approach, instead of making what is important measurable, has made what is measurable important and left almost a whole generation of people disenfranchised from the education system.

What is required is an holistic approach to the subject, with investment to make schools community centres of life-long learning, where would-be parents and mothers & fathers having parent hood difficulties could be given courses in child development and, especially in their early years, children would be allowed to discover themselves, how to socially interact with their peers and adults and understand the true meaning of the concept of respect.

Furthermore governments would do well to learn not to meddle with teaching, which should be left in the hands of professional educators, in order that much more caring, compassionate and comprehensive syllabuses may be delivered. Whatever the situation it will certainly not be helpful to go back to the dark days when sparing the rod was seen to spoil the child; nor is conducive to attack the problem by sending in the army.

Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock

Green Candidates support the Compassionate Charter

2008-07-28T16:40:00.000+01:00

Both Ashley Gunstock, the Green Party’s candidate for Havering and Redbridge, and Aled Fisher, the Green Party’s candidate for North East London, have given support for the Compassionate Charter produced by the animal rights group Animal Aid.

The Charter promotes eight practical and achievable goals, which will benefit animals, people and the planet. They are: purchasing only cruelty-free cleaning products and toiletries; banning circuses with animals from council land; banning pets as prizes; promoting and subsidising spaying and neutering programmes; stopping the sale of foie gras and veal; speaking out against fur; adopting only the humane, non-lethal management of pigeons and other animals and birds; and making their towns a plastic bag-free zone.

It is a fundamental belief of the Green Party that animals have the right to live free from suffering and harm caused by human exploitation and believe that this right must be properly protected in law. The Green Party opposes all forms of factory farming and the fur trade, campaigns for an immediate ban on all sports that involve cruelty to animals and advocate the ending of animal experimentation.

“The Green Party strongly supports animal rights” said Aled Fisher, “I believe these principles should not only be adopted by councils but also by the GLA” added Ashley Gunstock.

Road Safety and Urbanisation

2008-05-30T15:00:00.000+01:00

Letter to Wanstead & Woodford Guardian – May 2008

The Green Party wishes to congratulate the local residents’ group, which successfully campaigned for a pedestrian crossing in Snaresbrook Road.

This scheme – which has the backing of Waltham Forest Council and the offer of funding by Transport for London, to the tune of £120,000 – has now (after some objection) been given the go-ahead by The Corporation of London, which manages the land that part of the crossing is to be built on.

The Green Party, as does the Corporation, always seeks to protect, preserve and conserve green spaces. However there is a school on one side, along with an entrance to the Forest on the other, of this busy stretch of road where motorists often exceed the speed limit. We therefore feel that common sense has prevailed and are delighted that this road traffic safety scheme is finally being implemented.

As Greens we too wish to halt the spectre of ‘creeping urbanisation’, which looms large over us all. Nevertheless this is a good road traffic calming measure which, we believe, would be inclined to encourage people to walk more and use congestion and pollution causing cars less and thereby be of good value to all parties concerned.

Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock

Sign our petition for cheaper tube fares

2008-03-02T16:36:00.003Z

Ashley Gunstock, the Green Party GLA candidate for Havering & Redbridge, is at present campaigning on an initiative that is gaining momentum, a good deal of publicity and local and regional interest.

Ashley was approached by a resident, with whom he is working on another ongoing issue, about whether or not he could do something about getting Wanstead, Snaresbrook & Redbridge Central Line Tube stations being re-designated into Zone 3.

After further investigation Ashley found that, although on the Underground system they are mapped as being in Zone 4, Wanstead, Snaresbrook & Redbridge stations are, in fact, geographically in Zone 3. Furthermore it turns out that other tube stations that have Zone 3 status, eg. Northfields, are further from central London than the three stations in question.

In view of this Ashley confronted Mayor Ken Livingstone - at a People's Question Time at Redbridge Town Hall - and asked him if, in the spirit of his Fares Fair initiative of the 1980s, he would be prepared to look into the possible re-zoning of the three stations that are situated in the borough of Redbridge. The Mayor in turn requested that Ashley contact Roger Evans - Transport Committee Chairperson for the GLA and his Conservative constituency opponent in the last two and forthcoming GLA elections!

With the help of Green GLA member Jenny Jones, Ashley was put in touch with Mr Evans. During their subsequent meeting at City Hall, Mr Evans agreed to put the matter before the Ken Livingstone provided that Ashley drew up a petition to gauge interest in the issue. Weight has since been added to the argument, as a precedent has recently been set, with the re-designation of Hampstead and Willesden Junction Tube stations from Zone 3 to 2, so there is good reason to be optimistic that Ashley's campaign will be a success.

Ashley has a petition posted on the Number 10 Downing Street site at: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Re-zoning which already has over 150 signatures and that he hopes that you will put you names to, if you have not already done so.

Greens call for boycott of Starbucks

2008-02-02T16:31:00.003Z

Picture: From left to right, Ashley Gunstock, Mark Dawes

Members of Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party protested at the opening of the new Starbucks coffee shop in Wanstead and called for people to boycott Starbucks and use local coffee shops. They leafleted local people outside the premises warning of the threat to local, independent coffee shops and cafes. The majority of people supported the campaign not wanting to see Wanstead become another clone town full of multinational chains.

There is a record of the opening of Starbucks leading to the closure of local coffee shops and local people are concerned that this could happen in Wanstead too. Local coffee shop owners also supported the campaign being concerned about the effect on their businesses.

There are other concerns about Starbucks too:
· Starbucks is a major player in the global coffee industry that results in the impoverishment of thousands of workers in the developing world.
· Starbucks pays lip service to Fair Trade when genuine commitment could lift coffee producers out of poverty.
· Starbucks domination and unethical business practices, such as "clustering" that results in a Starbucks monopoly, has resulted in the closure of numerous small coffee shops.
· Starbucks treat their workers poorly. The staff are paid just above the minimum wage and are subject to excessive working hours and unpaid overtime.

"Wanstead is a great place, full of character with a variety of local coffee shops and cafes but this is being threatened by the arrival of chains such as Starbucks" said Havering and Redbridge GLA Green Party candidate Ashley Gunstock. "We will continue to campaign for a boycott of Starbucks and also against the proposed KFC which could also have a further detrimental effect on the High Street" he added.

Crime and Punishment

2008-01-30T15:01:00.000Z

Letter to Wanstead & Woodford Guardian – January 2008

I, amongst many I am sure, was appalled to read of the sickening treatment meted out, by mindless thugs, to the poor nine week old puppy that was featured in your front page article last week under the headline 'Butchered' - Guardian, January 24.

Gandhi I believe it was who once said that the quality of a civilisation is measured by its treatment of its animals and its elderly. Unfortunately the standard of our society has fallen to an all time low given the horrific crimes, we now hear of daily, that are committed upon the most vulnerable members of our society of late.

No matter what figures the government put out to the contrary, the perception is that there is more violent crime now than ever before. Remember in this instance (and others of equally diabolic nature that we have heard of recently) we are not talking about crime carried out on a run down estate in some inner city ghetto here. We are talking about the leafy suburb of Wanstead, for goodness sake!

However, although the gut reaction of many is to punish the perpetrators of such sickening acts of violence in a fashion that mirrors their crimes, this would only serve as a short-term solution to the symptoms of a much more profound problem that afflicts our lives.

This dreadful situation has come about, in part, because of the short-sighted policies of successive councils everywhere that have stopped the funding of local youth clubs and community centres for better looking short-term cash-flows on their balance sheets. This has left the young disenfranchised and caused long-term damage to local communities where the cost has been paid in lives.

Yes, there should be a more visible police presence with real powers to act on our streets and yes, sentences for crimes of the horrific nature that is becoming more prevalent should be handed out. But this societal problem must be addressed by a radical, positive and comprehensive strategy that needs to be implemented as of now. This should involve terms of mandatory work for the reparation of damage caused to communities in which it is executed.

What is also needed is the courage to confront not only the perpetrators of these crimes, but also the parents of these so called 'feral youths'. The parents must be made to act to stop their children from committing these atrocities or, if they have let the situation get out of their hands, they must be forced to hand their wild offspring onto agencies that are better equipped to deal with these problems.

The worst part of all this is that not only are these youths losing respect for animals, their elders and even their own parents; they are also losing their self respect and are simply becoming statistics to remind us of a world that doesn’t care.

Ashley Gunstock

War and Peace

2007-11-30T15:02:00.000Z

Letter to Wanstead & Woodford Guardian – November 2007

I write in response to the suggestion by Harry Cohen MP that I, as someone who does not wish to get involved in wars, "should be more careful" - Guardian, November 2.

By voting in favour of military action in Afghanistan Mr Cohen supported the onset of events that have seen that region and Iraq blasted into the Stone Age and made the world a much more dangerous place to live in than it was before these disastrous campaigns.

It is true that no one in their right mind would suggest that Osama bin Laden should escape punishment for the atrocities that he has committed, any more than should Saddam Hussein. However Tony Blair riding side saddle with The Toxic Texan - George Bush, on their unilateral adventure into a 'wild east' sunset, was not so much to do with bringing these criminals to account as it is about getting their hands on the vast seams of oil rich reserves that lie beneath - and a strong military foothold in - those regions.

Furthermore the Taliban regime may well have been - as was Saddam Hussein's Baathist Party - "murderous and backward", where "women were harshly restricted and punished and not allowed education." However, that never seemed to bother our governments when they supported these 'allies' with whom they freely traded before 9/11.

In any event it is not seemly for our elected representatives to support of a couple of 'cowboy crusaders' who, in our name, have ridden roughshod over and 'cherry picked' United Nations resolutions and continue to use the grotesque strategy of bombing innocent people, in order to liberate them from oppressive regimes, especially when they themselves are not in the firing line.

As our Member of Parliament, I suggest that Mr Cohen should be more careful when casting his vote in the House on behalf of his constituents in future.

Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock

Havering and Redbridge Green candidate announced

2007-11-24T16:25:00.002Z

Picture: Siân Berry (centre) and Ashley Gunstock (right) at the Green Party Bazaar

Local campaigner Ashley Gunstock, has been chosen as the Green Party's candidate to contest the Havering and Redbridge constituency in next year's GLA elections. Ashley recently launched his campaign while hosting Green candidate for Mayor of London, Siân Berry, at a Green Party Bazaar in St Mary with Christ Church on the Green in Wanstead.

Commenting on his selection, Ashley said: "I'm honoured to be selected to fight Havering and Redbridge for the Green Party. As we see more and more corporate takeover and environmental damage, a local Green voice has never been more urgent.

"If I'm elected next May, I'll be working to make Havering and Redbridge a Greener, more affordable place to live and work. I'd like to see Wanstead, Snaresbrook Redbridge tube stations re-designated into Zone 3 to make travel cheaper; I'll be campaigning on behalf of local business, like the cafes in Wanstead under threat from yet another coffee chain proposal; and putting more pressure on developers to provide the high-quality affordable housing that the area, like all of London, desperately needs."

Siân Berry, Green candidate for Mayor, added: "Ashley would be a brilliant Assembly Member. Long before he even thought of running, he's been doing a great job campaigning locally for a better deal for Havering and Redbridge. If I'm elected Mayor, I'll be helping him out with his campaigns by making all new large business developments set aside half of their floor space at affordable rents for local business, and increasing the requirement on developers to build affordable homes to 60 per cent of properties in new developments."

The Green Party Bazaar has helped raise money for Ashley's campaign for a Greener Havering and Redbridge.

Greens protest against Nuclear Weapons

2007-02-24T16:21:00.002Z

Greens from Waltham Forest and Redbridge joined up to 100,000 people marching through Central London to Trafalgar Square to show their opposition to replacing our Trident nuclear deterrent. The rally in Trafalgar Square included a number of speakers from a wide range of backgrounds including Green MEP Caroline Lucas.

The government is about to spend as much as £75bn on replacing our so-called nuclear deterrent. The latest Trident costs, based on information extracted in parliamentary answers, suggest an overall figure of £76bn to buy missiles, replace nuclear submarines, and maintain the system for 30 years. The Greens believe this money could be much better spent on public services like health and education or to tackle climate change, the most pressing problem in the world today.

The UK will be in breach of the non-proliferation treaty if the Government renews our nuclear deterrent. At a time when the UK Government has condemned North Korea and Iran for attempting to gain nuclear weapons, it is hypocritical in the extreme for it to be acquiring new nuclear weapons.

Greens march against Climate Change

2006-11-04T16:16:00.001Z

Members of Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party marched through the centre of London to Trafalgar Square to protest against climate change and to urge the Government to act. The rally saw speeches by speakers including Green MEP Caroline Lucas and the writer George Monbiot. The event was organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change and ICount and was supported by the Green Party, it was attended by over 25,000 of people.

Climate Change threatens the very future of human civilisation as we know it and failure to act to will cost thousands if not millions of lives. The last ten years have seen a dramatic increase in the world's temperature and scientists working in the field of climate change believe this is due to the effects of human activity. In fact, scientists are now predicting that the temperature rise will be far more than previously thought. The effects in the UK will be devastating with more flooding and an increase in extreme weather conditions. The effects globally will be even worse as countries are flooded and there is increased starvation due to less land being suitable for agriculture.

Telecommunications Masts

2006-07-20T15:07:00.000+01:00

Letter to Redbridge Planning department - 20 July 2006
Ref. 1601/06 O2 Mast Planning application – Woodford Road

As a representative of the Green Party I write to strongly object to the above referred to planning application.

I consider the site to be unsuitable as this would contravene the tenets of all conservation orders. The planned mast would be a blot on the landscape at any location proposed on The Green – land managed by the Corporation of London for Epping Forest – and an eyesore that would prove to be a dangerous and hazardous distraction for motorists using the Woodford Road; causing further health & safety problems for and from drivers. The erection of the mast would also raise significant safety issues with regard to the number of children playing on The Green and crossing the road on their way to and from Snaresbrook Primary School and Snaresbrook College.

Furthermore, recent studies, expressing concerns about the affects of mobile telephone technology radiation especially with regard to children, have stated that if such concerns were raised over food the government would order it to be withdrawn from points of sale immediately. Residents of the immediate area (myself included) – who will be most affected by the installation of the mobile telephone mast in question – are significantly concerned about the welfare of our young and ourselves in this regard.

Finally the Green Party understands the need for progress and the demand for mobile technology. Nevertheless we urge you to offer more sensitive and appropriate sites at which mobile telephone companies may erect their masts; I am particularly concerned that there has been no attempt at sharing existing facilities, one of which is on the top of a block of flats in very nearby Hermitage Walk.

I look forward to hearing that this application has been rejected.

Ashley Gunstock

Local Elections

2006-05-30T15:08:00.000+01:00

Letter to Ilford Recorder and Wanstead & Woodford Guardian – May 2006

The Green Party’s wonderful performance at the recent local elections – we now can boast 12 councillors in London, a great many more nationwide as well as a doubling of our vote locally – has prompted me to write, in order to make the following acknowledgements.

First and foremost I would like to offer all the electors who voted Green on Thursday, 4 May our heartfelt thanks, for recognising the integrity of our campaign and showing the true colour of their conviction.

Secondly a great thank you must go to all the electoral officers, counting and polling station staff, who again worked extremely hard – and most effectively – in providing us with a smooth running (and quite painless) election run up and night.

Thirdly I must offer our appreciation to the staff at the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian/Ilford Recorder, for once more granting us such fair and equitable coverage, in recognition of our now being one of the small band of major political parties.

Finally I cannot but pay special tribute to my colleagues who fought such a superb campaign; it is a privilege to be counted as one of their number. Having been invigorated by our recent success, we are all now truly looking forward to fighting the next General Election with a genuine sense of optimism.

Ashley Gunstock

Celebrity Politics

2005-04-30T15:05:00.000+01:00

Letter to the Observer – April 2005

What a sad indictment of British politics it is when a handful of celebrities is compelled to justify the re-election of the tawdry New Labour government - 'Just Labour', Observer letters - 3 April.

It serves to illustrate the level of desperation to which we have politically sunk when we are advised to support an administration whose record - regarding the economy, public services, crime, and social issues & change, after eight years in power - fares marginally better than that under the Tories, or what's on offer from the Lib Dems.

Furthermore just what are these lights of the entertainment world who say that they opposed the illegal war in Iraq thinking? To suggest that the Middle East is more stable after the initial hostilities and then to endorse the man who was, along with George W Bush, jointly responsible for prosecuting them, is folly in the extreme.

And finally, to be duped by the talk of their preferred leader, regarding the most important issue of all, namely Climate Change, while ignoring the fact that their party of 'choice' is actually implementing aviation and road building policies that will exacerbate the problem, shows a collective ignorance of the situation and a complete abrogation of responsibility that beggars belief.

Perhaps it is time for a change, but only of the political climate. It is time that voters stopped looking to the least-worst option on offer at the forthcoming General Election. Instead of choosing between the 'Big 3' parties the electorate should go forth and go Green...

Ashley Gunstock

Racial Harmony

2004-06-04T15:06:00.000+01:00

Letter to Redbridge Racial Equality Council - 4 June 2004

Thank you for your letter and enclosure post-dated 2 June.

The Green Party, as I am sure that you are aware, has an exemplary anti-racist record. Racial equality is one of the most important tenets of its fundamental policy document – the Manifesto for a Sustainable Society (MfSS).

I have been a member of the Green Party for almost 15 years and live by its beliefs. Therefore, in view of all the above, I have no problem in abiding by and endorsing your document, or any other, if it facilitates racial harmony.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock

Asylum and Refugees

2003-12-15T15:03:00.001Z

Letter to Ilford Recorder - 15 December 2003

I write, having read with profound sorrow, about the pitiful death of Mr Kandiah Rasamohan, a Sri Lankan seeking refuge here in our community of Redbridge – ‘A sad, cold lonely death’, front page, Ilford Recorder, December 11.

What a sad indictment of our government it is that it has, through its harsh policies, left many asylum seekers and refugees at best to be collectively at the mercy of a national media driven hatred frenzy or, as in the case of Mr Rasamohan, left to crawl away, suffer and die alone under a bush like a wild animal.

We, as one of the most civilised nations on earth, should hang our collective heads in shame at the treatment that we allow to be meted out to some of the most vulnerable people in our midst; fellow human beings who have escaped from hunger, torture and/or war to vainly seek refuge here in Britain.

I often feel helpless to do anything in order to reverse this dreadful situation. However, one of the accompanying articles on page 3 of your newspaper thankfully gave the telephone number, for those wishing to help at the Redbridge Night Shelter over the Christmas period. I contacted Ms Vojinovic on 020 8514 8958 on behalf of my wife and I to offer our services to help out on Christmas Day & Boxing Day.

I do hope that others will also volunteer – as it is not too much to ask to help keep the centre open at this time of good will – and that Kandiah Rasamohan’s death will not merely be just another ‘statistic to remind us of a world that doesn’t care’…

Ashley Gunstock