Cheshire East Green Party express their thanks to Nigel Hennerley (Green Party General Election Candidate for Tatton 2017, 2019 and 2024 and parish councillor for High Legh) as he resigns from the Green Party of England and Wales.
Nigel’s resignation is prompted by a motion passed with a small majority at the Green Party’s Autumn conference which changes the Party’s previous position on HS2. Cheshire East Green Party believe that the conference motion was based on two fundamentally false assertions: that high speed rail would reduce CO2 emissions by diverting traffic from roads and from the air; and that the massive destruction of habitat and biodiversity can be rectified by creating “new” habitat and biodiversity elsewhere. Meanwhile, the much better rail capacity-building solutions which were also supported in the same motion have been prevented for a decade due to all Government investment money being tied up in HS2.
The wording of the motion states that any support for HS2 has to be contingent on the use of up-to-date biodiversity metrics (not those presently used by HS2); on limiting biodiversity impact and other criteria. Cheshire East Green Party believe that effectively, this clause would make the implementation of HS2 in anything like its present form impossible, but also makes the Green Party’s published position on HS2 less clear cut than it was.
Nigel says:
“It is with great sadness that this motion was carried at conference by a small dedicated team of Greens 4 HS2 group that I do not believe reflects the membership more generally.
As a local representative of various parishes (Rudheath, Mere and High Legh) at parliament select committee hearings I gave evidence on various aspects against the design of HS2.
It is clear to anybody looking at what was proposed that it would be greatly damaging for the area of North Cheshire I represent, with no benefits. Much better solutions of capacity can be achieved by improving existing infrastructure.
However I feel the newly adopted party policy makes my position in the Green Party impossible, and I will continue to oppose any plans to reinstate HS2 design.”
Cheshire East Green Party Chair, Rich McCarthy said:
“Nigel is a man of strong principles who has fought both truthfully and effectively for several communities against HS2 and before that against Fracking. He has also been a much valued and active member of our local party for the last 10 years. We are extremely sad that Nigel has taken this decision, but the local party will continue to campaign locally for alternative solutions to HS2 that would deliver less destructive, and financially viable improvements in rail and sustainable transport links in the North West and beyond.”
“We also wish to publicly express our sympathy with the feeling of betrayal experienced by those activists who put their lives on hold for many years, suffering assault, arrest and imprisonment. We offer them all our sincerest apologies, and ask them to accept our gratitude, admiration and solidarity.”
Cheshire East Green party are committed to uphold the principles of the Green Party, in relation to the Climate Emergency, the Biodiversity Emergency, the Environment in general and Social Justice. We believe that HS2 as it was proposed at the Autumn Conference, is an anathema to all of those principles.
For more information contact:
Rich McCarthy – welcome@cheshireeast.greenparty.org.uk
Further information for journalists:
nrhennerley@gmail.com
07802 541936