I don’t often have the chance to offer thanks to Charlotte Vere, but she has done something that deserves thanks and praise.
Yesterday she tweeted about Caroline Lucas’ appearance on BBC’s Straight Talk with Andrew Neil. I for one would not have known that Ms Lucas was appearing on this programme, but thanks to Ms Vere I was able to watch it.
Once again I was struck by Caroline’s poise and command, even in the face of hostile questioning from Neil. Compared to other political leaders, she comes across as genuine, principled and worth supporting.
It was fantastic to hear her commitment to the abolition of Trident, for being a party of the left, for redistribution, and so on.
What was a shame was Charlotte’s observation that the “wheels came off” when the opposite was true. Andrew Neil was aggressive with Ms Lucas, yet she showed characteristic grace and good humour. She also showed characteristic competence and authority
She also clearly charmed the brute that is Andrew Neil and it won’t be long before she joins Itchy and Scratchy (Abbott and Portillo) on the sofa on This Week!
But a special thank you to Charlotte Vere. Please keep us posted on other appearances by Caroline Lucas. It can only strengthen her candidature.
You can watch Caroline here http://bit.ly/cMEpf4.
Filed under: Politics | Tagged: Andrew Neil, BBC, Caroline Lucas, Charlotte Vere, Diane Abbott, Michael Portillo, redistribution, Straight Talk, This Week, Trident |
Brighton Politics Blog 
One of the main reasons i first started supporting the Greens was when i went to a talk by Caroline and realised she was a politician that wasn’t scared to say what she thought.
A politician that believes in something! And doesn’t sacrafice it as soon as it looks like it might be a little bit of a liability!
Its a shame that they are all too rare these days but I’m glad we have a chance to get one elected here in Brighton!
I am pleased to be of service Baps.
If every voter in Brighton Pavilion watches this video and Caroline Lucas wins the next General Election, at least they will understand what they voted for.
However, the messages on this programme are not the ones that are shared with the electorate – the messages of ‘meddling’, redistribution, anti capitalism, and even more tax and spend than we ever dreamed of under Labour, do not come across in Green Party literature or in the local or national media – and that worries me. The Greens are ‘to the Left of the left of the Labour Party’. Do people know what they are voting for?
And did the ‘wheels come off’? I think so. I was very uncomfortable for Caroline Lucas and the Green Party watching this and I felt that she did not have a good enough grasp of economics or many other key issues to make a good and effective MP for Brighton Pavilion or be an effective voice in Westminster.
But as I say, if people really know what they are voting for and it is not a Conservative MP in a Conservative Government, I am OK with that. That is democracy.
Best wishes,
Charlotte Vere
BTW, might I suggest Google Alerts and Google Reader and you won’t miss anything ever again!
I can only repeat what one formerly Green voter said to me regarding Dr Lucas’s many media appearances, specifically regarding QT:
“I keep seeing her on telly, but I’ve never seen her round here.”
There are plenty of folk who want a local MP looking out for local people. Lucas evidently cares a great deal more about being a national figure.
Dan,
Despite your Labour loyalties, you’re cozying up to Tory Charlotte Vere again.
Do you and Tory Charlotte ever disagree, now?
Seems like you’re best friends…
While you two get to know each other, and get friendly, Caroline’s been campaigning across Brighton…
Check out her recent blog posts:
http://www.carolinelucas.com/cl/blog/
If you’re already a national figure, unlike Nancy or Charlotte, you might get on nat telly sometimes, I guess…
Caroline’s been a superb Euro-MP working hard for constituents in Brighton and in the wider Southeast.
She’s got a record of service that both of your friends – Nancy and Charlotte – simply don’t have.
Best wishes
In voting for an MP, residents must rather hope that he or she becomes a “national figure”. An MP has a different function from a councillor.
It seems to me that Charlotte Vere rather wishes she were Caroline Lucas. She appears to be more interested in her than she is in herself.
Charlotte, if you were in the hot seat they’d struggle to fill 5 minutes, let alone half an hour.
I echo what Christopher says – Brighton deserves a principled MP who will make a difference at Westminster.