Latest news with #Conservative-voting
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Sadiq Khan's green belt U-turn threatens Bromley's countryside'
When Sadiq Khan first ran for Mayor of London in 2016, he made a clear manifesto pledge: "I will oppose building on the green belt, which is even more important today than it was when it was created." Now, he's looking to build on swathes of green belt land surrounding London, including Bromley — the borough with the largest green belt and more farms than anywhere else in the capital. This huge policy reversal betrays many Londoners who took him at his word when he made this manifesto promise and separately pledged to be the "greenest mayor ever". Despite having vast planning powers and substantial government funding, Mayor Khan hasn't delivered the homes London needs. He's now looking for a quick way out. His current London Plan — the capital's strategic planning document, which local authorities must follow — sets a target of building 52,000 homes annually. However, housebuilding has fallen far short of this target, with fewer than 34,000 homes built on average per year since 2021. An independent review of Mayor Khan's planning policies under the previous Conservative government revealed the reason for this failure. The experts warned that his policies "work to frustrate rather than to facilitate the delivery of new homes on brownfield sites". It added that without changes, "the current housing crisis will continue, if not worsen". Sadly, the situation is getting worse. New data from the analysts Molior found that developers started work on only 1,210 new homes in the first three months of this year. Housebuilding in London isn't accelerating but is declining under Mayor Khan. After nearly a decade at the helm, Mayor Khan is facing a crisis of his own making. The new Labour government has imposed a target of 88,000 homes for London — more than twice the current rate of delivery. The capital needs these homes, but Mayor Khan is looking for a way out. But Labour's plan to move housebuilding from inner London, where the infrastructure is world-class, to Conservative-voting suburbs and rural villages in outer London is not as easy as Mayor Khan thinks. Bromley may have a substantial green belt, but it's poorly connected and has little existing infrastructure. If Mayor Khan builds thousands of new homes in the middle of fields, roads, schools, nurseries, and GP surgeries will need to be built. But developers won't be able to pay for all this and meet the requirement that half of the homes be affordable. Labour just don't understand life in outer London. One Labour MP was surprised to learn that Biggin Hill has no train station. While Bromley town centre has excellent rail connections to central London, it doesn't enjoy the orbital connections it needs with neighbouring towns and villages. They think it's the same as inner London; it's not. If Mayor Khan is serious about building new homes, he needs to address his failed policies that have frustrated housebuilding within inner London. Breaking his promise and building on the green belt is not the housing panacea he thinks. It's a recipe for unsustainable urban sprawl and the loss of London's precious remaining countryside.
Powys County Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Tributes paid to Green Party pioneer John Marjoram after his death aged 86
Tributes have been paid to the first elected Green Party councillor, who has died aged 86. John Marjoram was elected in 1986, a year after the Green Party had been formed, and was a councillor at town and district level for 35 years until he stepped down in 2021. Mr Marjoram, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, died on Saturday after a long illness. He held the record as the longest continuously serving Green Party councillor. An environmentalist, Quaker and pacifist, Mr Marjoram was a co-founder of the Stroud Green Party in 1985 and was elected to the district council the following year. As well as district councillor, Mr Marjoram was elected to the town council when it was formed in 1990, before becoming the UK's first Green Party mayor. He grew up in rural Essex and developed an early interest in politics during dinner table debates with his staunch Labour father and Conservative-voting mother. When he was called up for national service he cited his pacifist beliefs, and remained in an administrative role while others in his intake went to Malaysia to fight the Communists. In 1968 he moved to Stroud with his young family, drawn there by his affiliation with the Quakers, who had a strong presence in the town. Catherine Braun, Green Party councillor and leader of Stroud District Council, said: 'It was John who persuaded me to stand as a paper candidate, before I was eventually elected to Stroud District Council. 'He was such an influential and inspirational activist, not just to us here in Stroud district but across the whole Green movement. He will be much missed.' Martin Baxendale, a district councillor in Stroud, said: 'John's first election leaflet for Stroud District Council in the 1980s inspired me. 'I read it, phoned him, and within half an hour he was on my doorstep talking me into joining the Green Party and standing for election to work alongside him.' Jonathan Edmunds added: 'John was an amazing man who inspired so many people into the Green Party and peace movement. 'A real maverick, they certainly don't make them like John any more. 'He was so passionate about politics but also cared deeply for all people and the planet. 'Stroud will be a lot quieter without him but he has certainly left a great legacy and it is for all of us to continue his work.'
Western Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Tributes paid to Green Party pioneer John Marjoram after his death aged 86
John Marjoram was elected in 1986, a year after the Green Party had been formed, and was a councillor at town and district level for 35 years until he stepped down in 2021. Mr Marjoram, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, died on Saturday after a long illness. He held the record as the longest continuously serving Green Party councillor. John Marjoram, who has died aged 86, with Cate James-Hodges who is the newest-elected councillor on Stroud District Council (Stroud District Green Party/PA) An environmentalist, Quaker and pacifist, Mr Marjoram was a co-founder of the Stroud Green Party in 1985 and was elected to the district council the following year. As well as district councillor, Mr Marjoram was elected to the town council when it was formed in 1990, before becoming the UK's first Green Party mayor. He grew up in rural Essex and developed an early interest in politics during dinner table debates with his staunch Labour father and Conservative-voting mother. When he was called up for national service he cited his pacifist beliefs, and remained in an administrative role while others in his intake went to Malaysia to fight the Communists. In 1968 he moved to Stroud with his young family, drawn there by his affiliation with the Quakers, who had a strong presence in the town. Life-long pacifist Mr Marjoram seen addressing a Stop the War rally (Stroud District Green Party/PA) Catherine Braun, Green Party councillor and leader of Stroud District Council, said: 'It was John who persuaded me to stand as a paper candidate, before I was eventually elected to Stroud District Council. 'He was such an influential and inspirational activist, not just to us here in Stroud district but across the whole Green movement. He will be much missed.' Martin Baxendale, a district councillor in Stroud, said: 'John's first election leaflet for Stroud District Council in the 1980s inspired me. 'I read it, phoned him, and within half an hour he was on my doorstep talking me into joining the Green Party and standing for election to work alongside him.' As a young boy Mr Marjoram developed a love of politics from debating his parents at the dinner table (Stroud District Green Party/PA) Jonathan Edmunds added: 'John was an amazing man who inspired so many people into the Green Party and peace movement. 'A real maverick, they certainly don't make them like John any more. 'He was so passionate about politics but also cared deeply for all people and the planet. 'Stroud will be a lot quieter without him but he has certainly left a great legacy and it is for all of us to continue his work.'
Leader Live
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Tributes paid to Green Party pioneer John Marjoram after his death aged 86
John Marjoram was elected in 1986, a year after the Green Party had been formed, and was a councillor at town and district level for 35 years until he stepped down in 2021. Mr Marjoram, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, died on Saturday after a long illness. He held the record as the longest continuously serving Green Party councillor. An environmentalist, Quaker and pacifist, Mr Marjoram was a co-founder of the Stroud Green Party in 1985 and was elected to the district council the following year. As well as district councillor, Mr Marjoram was elected to the town council when it was formed in 1990, before becoming the UK's first Green Party mayor. He grew up in rural Essex and developed an early interest in politics during dinner table debates with his staunch Labour father and Conservative-voting mother. When he was called up for national service he cited his pacifist beliefs, and remained in an administrative role while others in his intake went to Malaysia to fight the Communists. In 1968 he moved to Stroud with his young family, drawn there by his affiliation with the Quakers, who had a strong presence in the town. Catherine Braun, Green Party councillor and leader of Stroud District Council, said: 'It was John who persuaded me to stand as a paper candidate, before I was eventually elected to Stroud District Council. 'He was such an influential and inspirational activist, not just to us here in Stroud district but across the whole Green movement. He will be much missed.' Martin Baxendale, a district councillor in Stroud, said: 'John's first election leaflet for Stroud District Council in the 1980s inspired me. 'I read it, phoned him, and within half an hour he was on my doorstep talking me into joining the Green Party and standing for election to work alongside him.' Jonathan Edmunds added: 'John was an amazing man who inspired so many people into the Green Party and peace movement. 'A real maverick, they certainly don't make them like John any more. 'He was so passionate about politics but also cared deeply for all people and the planet. 'Stroud will be a lot quieter without him but he has certainly left a great legacy and it is for all of us to continue his work.'
South Wales Argus
19-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Tributes paid to Green Party pioneer John Marjoram after his death aged 86
John Marjoram was elected in 1986, a year after the Green Party had been formed, and was a councillor at town and district level for 35 years until he stepped down in 2021. Mr Marjoram, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, died on Saturday after a long illness. He held the record as the longest continuously serving Green Party councillor. John Marjoram, who has died aged 86, with Cate James-Hodges who is the newest-elected councillor on Stroud District Council (Stroud District Green Party/PA) An environmentalist, Quaker and pacifist, Mr Marjoram was a co-founder of the Stroud Green Party in 1985 and was elected to the district council the following year. As well as district councillor, Mr Marjoram was elected to the town council when it was formed in 1990, before becoming the UK's first Green Party mayor. He grew up in rural Essex and developed an early interest in politics during dinner table debates with his staunch Labour father and Conservative-voting mother. When he was called up for national service he cited his pacifist beliefs, and remained in an administrative role while others in his intake went to Malaysia to fight the Communists. In 1968 he moved to Stroud with his young family, drawn there by his affiliation with the Quakers, who had a strong presence in the town. Life-long pacifist Mr Marjoram seen addressing a Stop the War rally (Stroud District Green Party/PA) Catherine Braun, Green Party councillor and leader of Stroud District Council, said: 'It was John who persuaded me to stand as a paper candidate, before I was eventually elected to Stroud District Council. 'He was such an influential and inspirational activist, not just to us here in Stroud district but across the whole Green movement. He will be much missed.' Martin Baxendale, a district councillor in Stroud, said: 'John's first election leaflet for Stroud District Council in the 1980s inspired me. 'I read it, phoned him, and within half an hour he was on my doorstep talking me into joining the Green Party and standing for election to work alongside him.' As a young boy Mr Marjoram developed a love of politics from debating his parents at the dinner table (Stroud District Green Party/PA) Jonathan Edmunds added: 'John was an amazing man who inspired so many people into the Green Party and peace movement. 'A real maverick, they certainly don't make them like John any more. 'He was so passionate about politics but also cared deeply for all people and the planet. 'Stroud will be a lot quieter without him but he has certainly left a great legacy and it is for all of us to continue his work.'
