Jill Perry

Live, one-hour webchat with Jill Perry, the Green Party's parliamentary candidate for Workington

3rd & 7 37yd

Welcome to the webchat with the Green Party's Jill Perry.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:28:19 AM
Mrs Perry will be answering your questions here for the next hour - so anything you want to know about her or the Green Party's policies - this is your chance

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:29:23 AM
Hi Jill. Underground nuclear repository - for or against. Why?

by John 4/27/2015 8:29:28 AM
Against. Against in pronciple because the waste can't be monitored or retrieved. Against in West Cumbria because even if you could do it safely somewhere, the geology here is wrong and instead, we propse keeping it on the surface or near the surface at Sellafield.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:31:00 AM
That way, we would keep jobs at Sellafield and we can quickly get on with making the waste that's there already safe.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:31:40 AM
What are your views on plans for a tidal lagoon off the Cumbrian coast?

by Jack 4/27/2015 8:31:50 AM
In principle it sounds like a good idea, and we're supportive of the one off Swansea. We'd need to see the environmental impact assessment to be certain to support. We hope to invite a representative from the company to speak to us after the election.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:32:56 AM
Surely there's no harm in looking and investigating to see if west Cumbria is suitable for a repository? What do you mean near the surface. Surely it's on the surface or under it?

by John 4/27/2015 8:34:14 AM
We've done the investigating and we had a public inquiry in 1995 and the inspector recommended looking elsewhere in the country. It's quite certain that the geology is unsuitable.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:35:06 AM
Near surface means partially buried or very shallow and not deep like a GDF.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:35:40 AM
Are you all about the green issues? We talk about ecological issues - is there more to the party than that?

by James 4/27/2015 8:36:51 AM
Yes we have very strong social policies. Our goal is to create a fairer and more equal society.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:37:25 AM
We aim to build 500,000 social houses available for rent, we aim to introduce the minimum wage a living wage so that no person in work needs to claim benefits. We'll abolish the bedroom tax.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:38:22 AM
I could go on and on - have a look at our manifesto on our website - www.greenparty.org.uk

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:38:53 AM
The point of partial burying being what exactly? How much would that cost compared to a GDF - both build and running costs?

by John edited by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:38:56 AM
I'm sure that it would be cheaper to build, running costs would continue for longer but it would keep the population safer. The point of partial burial means it is a less easy target for attack.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:40:34 AM
What would you personally - and your party - do to protect NHS services?

by Worried 4/27/2015 8:41:37 AM
I have been very active with 38 Degrees campiagning to protect the NHS from privatisation and from TTIP (a very damaging trade agreement) being negotiatied between the EU and the US and could lead to NHS services being taken over by US corporations.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:43:05 AM
The Green Party has promised to end privatisation and to reverse privatisation that has already taken place and to keep services as local as possible. We have a special emphasis on mental health services which have been neglected.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:44:01 AM
Jill, sorry. Come on - "I'm sure it would be cheaper". Have you not got any figures? Wouldn't full burial be a more difficult target again?

by John 4/27/2015 8:44:23 AM
Full burial would be a more difficult target but we can't guarantee safety of water supplies, soil or the population so partial burial is a better solution.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:45:33 AM
If a GDF had to go ahead somewhere else the transportation of the waste from Sellafield would be a nightmare so we think it's best to keep it here and given the geology's not right, surface or partial burial seems the best solution.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:46:55 AM
Partial burial and surface storage is not dependent on geology.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:47:24 AM
What do you think about school academies? Is a Workington Academy the best thing for children in the town?

by Jack 4/27/2015 8:47:27 AM
The Green Party does not approve of academies, we don't approve of business getting involved in education. The prime example being BAE Systems in Barrow, sponsoring the Barrow academy. We would end academies and make all schools accountable to the local eduction authority.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:48:41 AM
And what about the loss of services at the West Cumberland Hospital? What are you going to do to help the situation there - or are you happy that more and more people have to go to Carlisle?

by Wonky 4/27/2015 8:48:49 AM
No I'm not at all happy that people have to travel to Carlisle and further afield. We believe that all services should be provided as close to the people as possible.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:49:45 AM
If you were elected in two weeks time, what is the first thing you would do for West Cumbria?

by James 4/27/2015 8:50:34 AM
The health service is the thing that people are asking about everywhere so I'd have to go on a steep learning curve to see what possibly cuold be done locally. The aim would be to restore local services as the building work is completed to attract well qualified staff at all levels.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:51:56 AM
What about climate change?

by James 4/27/2015 8:55:16 AM
Anyone could say they don't agree with the loss of services from WCH and promise to reinstate them, but how? What would you do to overcome difficulties in recruitment?

by Jane 4/27/2015 8:57:07 AM
None of the other parties are talking about climate change. We have policies to tackle it and create jobs. They'd be well paid and rewarding jobs, paying at least a living wage in insulation, making people's houses warmer and cheaper to heat, public transport, restoring the bus services and making train services cheaper. We've got proposals to create 1 million jobs in climate change.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:57:08 AM
It's always difficult as we are an isolated community but one interesting idea is to offer staff based locally the chance to gain more experience by working for short periods in big hospitals on a kind of exchamge programme so we gain more experienced permanent workers when they return and more more experienced temporary workers while they're away. Those doctors and nurses who have come from away may then see the benefits of living and working in West Cumbria.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 8:59:52 AM
West Cumbria needs better roads - yes or no? And if your answer is no, why not?

by Regular user 4/27/2015 8:59:56 AM
No because building more roads just means people travel longer distances there's a case for resurfacing and maybe the odd case for a slight tweak here or there, but in general not more roads. We'd like to see people using transport more thoughtfully and we would certainly support an upgrade of the coastal railway, the reintroduction of the Keswick to Penrith railway and more bus services and facilities for cyclists and walkers.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:02:25 AM
What are your views on government benefits?

by Jack 4/27/2015 9:02:40 AM
Jack, what do you mean?

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:02:57 AM
What are your views on first past the post/ tactical voting?

by Nina 4/27/2015 9:02:59 AM
The first past the post system doesn't work when you have more than two parties. Tactical voting means people aren't voting for the party they really believe in and it's very negative. They are voting to stop a party getting in, voting for the least worst option. We always encourage people to vote with their hearts but until we get a PR system, there will always be tactical voting - it's just one of the ways in which our democracy is broken.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:04:59 AM
Would you reform the benefits system? Scrap bedroom tax, more stringent tests for people on the dole? etc etc

by Jack 4/27/2015 9:05:09 AM
Yes we'd reform the benefits system. We've been horrified to see how the poor and disadvantaged have been made to take on all the burden of the austerity programme. We would scrap the bedroom tax and the sanctioned system which has caused real hardship. One of the organisations campaigning on poverty issues has analysed all party manifestos and found that ours is the best at alleviating poverty.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:07:13 AM
Jill - not meaning to be rude but you seem very light on facts, figures and specifics. Do you honestly think you have a chance at being elected?

by Observer 4/27/2015 9:07:15 AM
I'll try not to take that personally. Even if I'm light on facts and figures, the Green Party isn't. Our manifesto has an appendix which explains exactly how our policies are funded. We know that our policies are popular and if people vote with their hearts I will be elected.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:09:09 AM
How did you get into politics? Why are you standing?

by James 4/27/2015 9:10:46 AM
I got in through environmental issues - I was a volunteer with Friends of the Earth for many years but I've also campaigned on issues of social justice and my husband is secretary of the local Amnesty group. I'm standing because the Green Party is doing really well nationally and locally and it's important to get the issues discussed. We're the only party mentioning climate change for example and the Labour Party is struggling to keep up with our housing policies - look at the policies they've announced in the last two days and compare them with ours, which have been known about for months.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:13:12 AM
John - just on the point of nuclear waste, I do want to make clear that we wouldn't support bringing any more waste into Sellafield and we wouldn't support any new nuclear power stations.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:15:26 AM
Are there Green Party people standing in the local elections in all areas of Workington?

by Nina 4/27/2015 9:15:33 AM
I'm sorry Nina, there are only three wards in the whole of Allerdale that we aren't standing in but those three are in Workington. We have candidates in more wards than any other party and more candidates than any other party except Labour, but I have to apologies to the people of Moss Bay, St John's and Stainburn - no Green Party candidates there.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:17:09 AM
Oh Jill! "We know our polices are popular..." how do you know that? You could say the same about UKIP's policies. Vote with their hearts? Oh dear...

by Observer 4/27/2015 9:17:11 AM
There are policy websites which make all the parties' policies anonymous and then ask people to choose. Vote for Policies is one. When you then compare the parties, ours always do really well. UKIP's don't do so well.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:18:29 AM
Sorry but you've said nothing here that would convince me to vote for you.

by Observer 4/27/2015 9:18:34 AM
What would be your top 3 priorities if elected?

by Ian 4/27/2015 9:19:16 AM
Allieviating poverty in West Cumbria by reforming the benefits system and creating jobs. Working on climate change by creating jobs in renewable energy industries, energy efficiency and public transport. Saving the health service from privatisation and building up locally available healthcare.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:21:09 AM
How would those things be funded?

by Ian 4/27/2015 9:22:46 AM
More people would be in work and paying tax. We'd tax the wealthiest more - 60 per cent income tax for the wealthiest one per cent - wealth tax. We'd introduce a Robin Hood tax to tax international financial dealings, we'd invest the £1bn infrastructure budget that already exists in different ways. We don't think that HS2 and Trident renewal, for example, actually benefit the majority of the population. There's a financial appendix to our manifesto.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:25:02 AM
Not a question just a statement. As a student who has only voted once before, one thing my generation finds really off putting is bickering politicians. We lose trust so quickly, like with Nick Clegg. I see now that there are trolls everywhere that say rude things for no reason, not just politicians. The "Observer" for example. Contribute constructively please.

by Nina 4/27/2015 9:30:03 AM
I would just like to say that so far, it's been a good humoured campaign in Workington and I hope it will carry on that way. We haven't really bickered even if we don't like each other's policies. Unless politicians really overstep the mark in a personal capacity, it should always be about policies and
I'm proud of our policies.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:31:44 AM
Thank you to Mrs Perry and all who took part in today's webchat.

by nicole.regan 4/27/2015 9:32:10 AM