Stelios,

It is clear by your use of language that you are highly critical of the both the Green Party and Ian Blair and you are, of course, entirely entitled to your opinion. However to describe Ian Blair as a 'murderer' who participated in the atrocities of 7/7 is quite simply a fabrication. And the suggestion that he should be put on trial for 'war crimes' (I think you will find few people even amongst those who are highly critical of Ian Blair, who would place a war crime against him) are ludicrous.

What is clear is that Ian Blair has made some mistakes which some will argue ultimately brought about the death of this man. But let's have some clarity please. Your claim that the 'Green party campaigned to allow this murderer to retain his position' is false. One green MP supported Ian Blair in the London Assembly - and one didn't.

We must look at all sides of the argument before coming to such a one-sided conclusion. Please remember that in future Stelios.

TheFactoryShow

How is it that the London Greens are so coopted/compromised or absent from the scene, when in other parts of the country (e.g. Norfolk) they appear to be more "together". In Germany, for instance, I think that they are (or were) part of the Bundesrat, but don't know about other European countries. As for the rest of the world, I couldn't say.

In my area they are pretty clueless. This is a major pity, since in terms of being put the whole picture together, the Green manifesto is probably the only show in town. They have certainly done their research, and now so many other parties are clambering all over their band wagon.

for your clarifications. Stelios evidently feels passionately about this and has allowed his inflammatory language to get in the way of reason.

Another clarification: Green Party of England and Wales doesn't yet have any MPs. It has two Greater London Assembly Members (AMs) - Cllr Darren Johnson and Cllr Jenny Jones - and two MEPs - Caroline Lucas and Jean Lambert.

Cllr Jenny Jones AM is also a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, so a potential conflict of interest in this case.

Jenny Jones, Green Party member, voted AGAINST the motion of no confidence in Ian Blair. This means she supports Ian Blair.

She can be contacted as:
 Jenny.Jones@london.gov.uk

(She should resign from the Green Party, as she supports a police force which has murdered an innocent person)


Darren Johnson, Green Party member, voted FOR the motion of no confidence in Ian Blair. This means he opposes Ian Blair. He spoke as follows:

"Whether Ian Blair goes or not I don't think should be a matter for
party policy. I think it is something we all need to come to a personal
judgement over. In terms of Sir Ian Blair's record I certainly welcomed
his approach to building a 21st Century police force for London - his
undoubted commitment to the equalities agenda, his strong commitment to
neighbourhood policing and his record in actually bringing down crime
levels. I certainly have no desire to undermine any of that.

However, we do need to remember an innocent man died - a brutal and
horrible death at the hands of the people who are charged with making
our streets safe and actually protecting Londoners. The guilty verdict
and the organisational failures it exposed I think now makes Sir Ian
Blair's position untenable. I do recognise the huge contribution he has
made to policing in London but I don't believe he is irreplaceable. I
think we can get a new Commissioner who can still deliver that modern,
diverse form of policing that we need for a modern diverse city like
London. So I believe it has time for him to go and will be supporting
the amendments to that effect."

He can be contacted as:
 Darren.Johnson@london.gov.uk

if ian blair won't step down because of menezes's killing, one could nevertheless make a strong case that his police force's persistent and deliberate campaign of harassment, intimidation and brutality against peaceful demonstrators who happen to disagree with government policy renders his position untenable.

jenny jones has in the past paid lip service to issues of civil liberties in london while promoting her own self-serving agenda

she made promises to people who were attacked by police while peacefully demonstrating in the socpa zone. she reneged on those promises.

she trots down to brian haw's patch occasionally and especially when the media is there, to offer words of support and encouragement, but she actually asked me not to send her email updates on the socpa situation (although people on my socpa mail-list are never troubled more than once a month, and often less, with updates of the most important developments)

it is no surprise she has sided with the police and ken livingstone while all sane commentators know blair's days are numbered

she is a disgrace to the green party

So lets get this straight - one half of the Green representation on the London Assembly votes the way that "Stelios" desn't like and it is "The Green Party Backs Blair", the other half voted the other way - so the headline could just as fairly been "The Green Party calls for Blair to go".

Jones is on the centre left of the party and voted with Labour in this instance, Johnson is on the centre right of the party and voted with the Tories. If it was any other issue, presumably our resident sectarians would be shouting "Greens side with Tories!".

I think some people should concentrate on more important things than sectarian point scoring. OK criticise Jones or Johnson's individual position as you will from a political point of view, fair enough - it is obvious there is discussion on this even within the Green group. But do not try to turn this into a sectarian point scoring exercise - people who live in glass houses (especially ones currently in need of a team of glaziers!) shouldn't throw stones.....

"but she actually asked me not to send her email updates on the socpa situation"

That is disgraceful. She should be reminded of this at every opportunity.