Caroline Lucas MEP

For its final AGM before the general election, the Green Party is having its annual party conference in Brighton & Hove next week.

The Greens are working hard to achieve their Westminster breakthrough, with party leader Caroline Lucas MEP set to contest the Brighton Pavilion constituency - where in 2005 the Greens came second with 22% of the vote, and since then have become the strongest party in terms of both council seats and vote share.

In the leader's opening speech on the Friday, Caroline Lucas MEP will set the party's direction towards the general election. The speech will be followed by a plenary session which will discuss key social policy updates towards the general election, including: quality childcare provision; addressing teenage pregnancy and having a publicly-funded national rape crisis hotline.

Policy debates will include: How to get out of Afghanistan - a peace plan for the region; Should the UK's ports and airports be publicly owned?; Should the government actively support the conversion of private enterprises to co-ops and mutuals? - from building societies to supporter-owned football clubs.
 
A panel debate will take place at noon about sustaining jobs while converting to a Green economy: how to make a Just Transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon society. Panelists will include Caroline Lucas MEP, Chris Rapley (Director of the Science Museum), and Chris Baugh (Assistant General Secretary, PCSU).
 
The conference takes place Hove Town Hall,
Friday September 4 to Sunday September 6

For more information about the Greens view: www.brightonandhovegreenparty.org.uk