31st Dec 2008
Parliamentary Candidate - Orpington
Tamara Galloway, Candidate's statement
Tamara Galloway is the Green Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Orpington constituency.
Orpington constituency has been my home since I was born in 1967 at Farnborough hospital.
I'm standing as a green candidate because I'm very concerned about the environment. As Planning Secretary of the Green Street Green Village Society and Planning Co-ordinator for Bromley Friends of the Earth, I've been campaigning to preserve both the Green Belt in Bromley and back gardens, designated as 'brownfield land'.
I was present throughout the Blue Circle planning Inquiry, fighting against the central government's decision to build 788 dwellings on the Green Belt.
My MSc degrees in both Computer Science and Social Statistics, including population science, underpin my views on both green issues and economics.
My policies are:
End the loss of housing for the most needy by abolishing the Right to Buy scheme.
Sensible limits on immigration and enough funding to enforce this. A distinction between genuine asylum seekers who are at serious risk and economic migrants.
A change in VAT rules. At the moment if someone eats in a restaurant or café, using crockery and cutlery that will be washed and used again, they pay 17.5% VAT.
A recycling lottery with greater prizes. A percentage of the saving on the ever increasing costs of landfill could go towards the winnings.
Substantial discounts on non-carcinogenic loft insulation e.g. Thermafleece, and on home renewable energy.
Against airport expansion, for example at Heathrow and Biggin Hill. A ban on night flights, which cause more greenhouse gas emissions, as well as being more disturbing for neighbours.
Give the public transport system back to the people to enable much greater national co-ordination of journeys. At the moment if someone travels across the country by public transport they may have to use many different companies, whose services are not synchronised.
Greater police focus on road safety. Road accidents are the major cause of deaths among young people. Promotion of regular exercise in this better environment.
Keeping the operating theatres open at Orpington Hospital and A&E at Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup. I took part in the consultation 'A Picture of Health', protesting against the fact that all the 'choices' involved the closure of Queen Mary's A&E! No further PFI agreements.
With me you'll get well thought out policies preserving the environment, health and quality of life for everyone.