Green councillor waits decision on same-sex marriage vote (From The Argus)

The clear message to Brighton and Hove is that Greens (or at least this specimen) support every bit of lifeform in existance except Gay people. And she has the audacity to live in one fo the gayest palces in the UK! What a hypocrite she is.

The difficulty the green party and the electorate have, is that people thought the Greens were just that, green.
However, they got voted in on their Eco ideology and then the electorate realised they were expressing their key political bias which has been right wing/religious in this case, left wing/EDO in others and then plain crazy when others call a faith school a cult.
This is why the electorate fell out of love with the party quickly as their Eco politics come way behind their personal party politics which fall in line with existing Tory or Labour policies.
They have little chance of being re elected and probably have put Caroline Lucas seat in jeopardy too with their extremes.
However, people were silly if they thought a party could just get along on Eco ideology without having to vote in tough issues showing their true colours.

NickBrt wrote:
The clear message to Brighton and Hove is that Greens (or at least this specimen) support every bit of lifeform in existance except Gay people. And she has the audacity to live in one fo the gayest palces in the UK! What a hypocrite she is.

You do yourself no favours with such flailing, wild and foolish assertions that just make you look a Grand Hysteric.

Our forefathers fought for our freedom. Is this not what this councilor is expressing? Does she not have a freedom of opinion? Greens are biased and have no clue. I voted in the last local elections and it was not for the greens and I shall not be voting for them in the next either. Have you seen the state of the littered and rubbish strewn streets all over Brighton - and they call themselves green! ha ha ha!

I agree with you Maxwell's Ghost that the antics of some sections of the local Green Party are irresponsibly jeopardising the re-electability of Caroline Lucas who is indeed a very good MP, hardworking and very diligent. God forbid she should be replaced by Celia Barlow, should boundary changes, selection and ill fate see her running again, and against Ms Lucas in this city.

I heard the new leader of the national party on radio using the word ecology in a wider sense than environmental...she spoke of human ecology which is how the Greens are finding a pigeonhole for all their variety of lobbyists to inhabit. Its all human ecology it might be said.

But one person I know calls the Greens a cult.

NickBrt wrote:
The clear message to Brighton and Hove is that Greens (or at least this specimen) support every bit of lifeform in existance except Gay people. And she has the audacity to live in one fo the gayest palces in the UK! What a hypocrite she is.

What an idiot you are. She would be a hypocrite if she voted AGAINST what she believed. While I may disagree with her position, I applaud her for standing up for what she believes instead of being a hypocrite and doing the easy option.

Shouldn't the focus of the Greens actually be to concentrate on council business, which is what they were elected to do at local level? It's hardly that they've made such a success of running the city.....We have an MP for national lobbying on this type of issue.

If the Greens feel some action should be taken, how about starting with Cllr Duncan? There's his support for Smash EDO, a group whose often violent protests have cost this city over £700,000 - with a massive impact on the policing budget. Hardly supporting the interests of the city, is he? While sitting on the Sussex Police Authority, he winges on about the impact of police cuts.....!

Then there was his tasteless, so-called "joke" about rape which was discriminatory in the extreme, AND an advocation of sexual violence. He might have apologised afterwards, but he should have been called to account by his party, and removed from the Sussex Police Authority at the very least.

Contrast his gobbish and yobbish attitude with Cllr Summers' personal turmoil over an issue with her conscience, and compare the Green Party's attitude towards them. I know who I think is the better politician, even if I don't agree with her.

Does the Greens' treatment of Cllr Summers, compared with Cllr. Duncan's aggressive sexism which passes with any official censure, not indicate that misogny is evidently endemic and thriving within the Green Party?

Discrimination comes in many guises and I'm afraid that you can't pick and choose as to what is acceptable discrimination. The Greens urgently need to clean up both their act and their party, and address their hypocrisy.

fredflintstone1 wrote:
Shouldn't the focus of the Greens actually be to concentrate on council business, which is what they were elected to do at local level? It's hardly that they've made such a success of running the city.....We have an MP for national lobbying on this type of issue.

If the Greens feel some action should be taken, how about starting with Cllr Duncan? There's his support for Smash EDO, a group whose often violent protests have cost this city over £700,000 - with a massive impact on the policing budget. Hardly supporting the interests of the city, is he? While sitting on the Sussex Police Authority, he winges on about the impact of police cuts.....!

Then there was his tasteless, so-called "joke" about rape which was discriminatory in the extreme, AND an advocation of sexual violence. He might have apologised afterwards, but he should have been called to account by his party, and removed from the Sussex Police Authority at the very least.

Contrast his gobbish and yobbish attitude with Cllr Summers' personal turmoil over an issue with her conscience, and compare the Green Party's attitude towards them. I know who I think is the better politician, even if I don't agree with her.

Does the Greens' treatment of Cllr Summers, compared with Cllr. Duncan's aggressive sexism which passes with any official censure, not indicate that misogny is evidently endemic and thriving within the Green Party?

Discrimination comes in many guises and I'm afraid that you can't pick and choose as to what is acceptable discrimination. The Greens urgently need to clean up both their act and their party, and address their hypocrisy.

Where is the Argus like button? I like this comment a lot!!!

Brighton and Hove is known for its love of tolerance and free speech. So I hope that tolerance will be extended to Councillor Christina Summers when she says she cannot support attempts to redefine marriage.

I hope, too, that the Green Party will respect Councillor Summers’ position. Most political parties have an honourable tradition of allowing free votes on matters of conscience such as this.

michael.evans wrote:
Brighton and Hove is known for its love of tolerance and free speech. So I hope that tolerance will be extended to Councillor Christina Summers when she says she cannot support attempts to redefine marriage.

I hope, too, that the Green Party will respect Councillor Summers’ position. Most political parties have an honourable tradition of allowing free votes on matters of conscience such as this.

More than local tolerance I understood (from the previous article on this) that the Greens do not have a "whip" voting system, so gave impression they did allow free voting. It could be the Greens party who are hypocritical, not the individual who stuck to her conscience (and like others have hinted on in this thread, may have supported this party because of its pure ecological ethos rather than making up ideas to suit their stance; rather than fitting their stance to their published ideas.)

Ben Ducan is one of those that sits in judgement over Cllr summers, she has been thrown of all the committees she sat on the excuse being she is ill, probably is, sick of the goings on in her party and if the reds and the blues could see further than the ends of their noses they could join forces and get them Greens out. Can see her going independant.

Valerie, did you make a spelling mistake in one of the words you typed?

Watch the webcast. Christina Summers spoke in support of civil partnerships but believes that marriage should be a religious joining of a man and woman. She does not come across as homophobic and obviously wrestled with her conscience. This episode is making the Greens look intolerant and the persecution of Cllr Summers undermines their equalities policy.

As I speak ... at 14.00...Saturday .... The whole of Regency Square is in a traffic jam - because of the stupid traffic arrangements imposed by the Greens ... What is really worrying is that more changes are proposed.

Visiting car-drivers don't and won't pay attention to signs which read 'No queueing back from here '.

Residents can't leave their homes with their cars - for work, neither can they return home in their cars!

Looks like I can't be a live-saving 'First Responder' with the Ambulance Service now..... The helicoptor will arrive before me!

Tel Scoomer wrote:
Watch the webcast. Christina Summers spoke in support of civil partnerships but believes that marriage should be a religious joining of a man and woman. She does not come across as homophobic and obviously wrestled with her conscience. This episode is making the Greens look intolerant and the persecution of Cllr Summers undermines their equalities policy.

Most of my Gay friends are very happy with civil partnerships and don't really care for marriage.

JoeBlow wrote:

NickBrt wrote:
The clear message to Brighton and Hove is that Greens (or at least this specimen) support every bit of lifeform in existance except Gay people. And she has the audacity to live in one fo the gayest palces in the UK! What a hypocrite she is.

What an idiot you are. She would be a hypocrite if she voted AGAINST what she believed. While I may disagree with her position, I applaud her for standing up for what she believes instead of being a hypocrite and doing the easy option.

The easy option being for example leaving the chamber before the vote was cast in order to minmise embarrassment. Actually wasn't there another councillor who left the chamber before the vote was cast? Wasn't she a member of the Green Party? Now what was her name Jason? Will you be taking disciplinary action against her?

General Dreedle wrote:

JoeBlow wrote:

NickBrt wrote: The clear message to Brighton and Hove is that Greens (or at least this specimen) support every bit of lifeform in existance except Gay people. And she has the audacity to live in one fo the gayest palces in the UK! What a hypocrite she is.

What an idiot you are. She would be a hypocrite if she voted AGAINST what she believed. While I may disagree with her position, I applaud her for standing up for what she believes instead of being a hypocrite and doing the easy option.

The easy option being for example leaving the chamber before the vote was cast in order to minmise embarrassment. Actually wasn't there another councillor who left the chamber before the vote was cast? Wasn't she a member of the Green Party? Now what was her name Jason? Will you be taking disciplinary action against her?

Did the Argus report that?? Anyway General I think you know the answer to those 2 questions you are asking.

Old Ale Man wrote:

General Dreedle wrote:

JoeBlow wrote:

NickBrt wrote: The clear message to Brighton and Hove is that Greens (or at least this specimen) support every bit of lifeform in existance except Gay people. And she has the audacity to live in one fo the gayest palces in the UK! What a hypocrite she is.

What an idiot you are. She would be a hypocrite if she voted AGAINST what she believed. While I may disagree with her position, I applaud her for standing up for what she believes instead of being a hypocrite and doing the easy option.

The easy option being for example leaving the chamber before the vote was cast in order to minmise embarrassment. Actually wasn't there another councillor who left the chamber before the vote was cast? Wasn't she a member of the Green Party? Now what was her name Jason? Will you be taking disciplinary action against her?

Did the Argus report that?? Anyway General I think you know the answer to those 2 questions you are asking.

It was reported on the Brighton & Hove News website http://www.brightona
ndhovenews.org/2012/
07/28/green-may-expe
l-christian-councill
or-for-voting-agains
t-gay-marriage/16480

This makes for interesting reading; she HAD to sign a pledge to support LGBT matters BEFORE being permitted to hold her appointment!



Exclusive: Brighton Green MP criticises party councillor for opposing equal marriage

by Scott Roberts
7 September 2012, 2:10pm


Caroline Lucas: "The situation we have found ourselves in is problematic"

Caroline Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion and former leader of the Green Party, has exclusively told PinkNews.co.uk, about her “disappointment” at Green Councillor Christina Summers’ decision to break rank with the party over marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Ms Summers voted against party lines in August when the Greens were discussing the UK Government’s plans to introduce equal marriage by 2015.

During a Brighton and Hove City Council debate on 19 July, Ms Summers said: “When you touch marriage, you’re touching family, and you’re hitting at the very heart of God, and I have an enormous problem with that”.

When asked about the turn of events at last weekend’s Brighton Pride, Ms Lucas said:

“I was surprised that she chose to vote against it, I knew that she came from a particular Christian background, where for her that was going to be challenging.

“I was hoping very much that she wouldn’t vote against it, I was hoping at the very least she would abstain, and I regret very much that she did vote against it”.

Ms Lucas went on to explain why the matter was now being subjected to an internal investigation:

“Of course there is a tradition of conscience and so forth, but we actually made sure all of our councillors signed a pledge around equalities before they stood to be councillor, and there is a process on-going now within the Green group on council, which is looking to see how best to address the fact that there is a lot of disappointment for the way voted the way she did”.

When asked if Ms Summers should stay within the party, Ms Lucas replied:

“I don’t really want to speak out before the investigation is finished, I don’t think that would be helpful…but I do think that it’s very clear that the Greens have always been in the forefront of LGBT rights, and I think it’s not helpful if our councillors are obviously perceived to vote in a way which is not true to that position”.

Ms Lucas went on to say: “The situation we have found ourselves in is problematic, I want to wait until we hear the outcome of that review that’s going on at the moment, where she is able to put her position as well, and I hope we can move forward from then”.

When asked about the ill-feeling and anger towards Ms Summers’ behaviour, the MP said: “I absolutely understand how disappointed and angry people felt,” Ms Lucas agreed they would have been “shocked” too.

She concluded by once against stressing the Green Party’s LGBT credentials, saying:

“I hope will take some reassurance that this has not happened with us just turning a blind eye, there is a process now that’s looking at how that happened.

“And given that we have got that pledge in place, for councillors to sign, before they stood to be councillors, I think that does demonstrate that we are not responding to this lightly.

She added: “It is a serious issue, we are treating it seriously, as I said, I don’t want to pre-judge the outcome of that process, but if you look in the round on what the Greens have done on this issue, and what they continue to do, as a group and as a party, I still think absolutely our commitment to LGBT rights is second to none.”

A decision is expected to be taken regarding Councillor Summers’ fate in the coming weeks.

Rita Snatch wrote:
This makes for interesting reading; she HAD to sign a pledge to support LGBT matters BEFORE being permitted to hold her appointment!



Exclusive: Brighton Green MP criticises party councillor for opposing equal marriage

by Scott Roberts
7 September 2012, 2:10pm


Caroline Lucas: "The situation we have found ourselves in is problematic"

Caroline Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion and former leader of the Green Party, has exclusively told PinkNews.co.uk, about her “disappointment” at Green Councillor Christina Summers’ decision to break rank with the party over marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Ms Summers voted against party lines in August when the Greens were discussing the UK Government’s plans to introduce equal marriage by 2015.

During a Brighton and Hove City Council debate on 19 July, Ms Summers said: “When you touch marriage, you’re touching family, and you’re hitting at the very heart of God, and I have an enormous problem with that”.

When asked about the turn of events at last weekend’s Brighton Pride, Ms Lucas said:

“I was surprised that she chose to vote against it, I knew that she came from a particular Christian background, where for her that was going to be challenging.

“I was hoping very much that she wouldn’t vote against it, I was hoping at the very least she would abstain, and I regret very much that she did vote against it”.

Ms Lucas went on to explain why the matter was now being subjected to an internal investigation:

“Of course there is a tradition of conscience and so forth, but we actually made sure all of our councillors signed a pledge around equalities before they stood to be councillor, and there is a process on-going now within the Green group on council, which is looking to see how best to address the fact that there is a lot of disappointment for the way voted the way she did”.

When asked if Ms Summers should stay within the party, Ms Lucas replied:

“I don’t really want to speak out before the investigation is finished, I don’t think that would be helpful…but I do think that it’s very clear that the Greens have always been in the forefront of LGBT rights, and I think it’s not helpful if our councillors are obviously perceived to vote in a way which is not true to that position”.

Ms Lucas went on to say: “The situation we have found ourselves in is problematic, I want to wait until we hear the outcome of that review that’s going on at the moment, where she is able to put her position as well, and I hope we can move forward from then”.

When asked about the ill-feeling and anger towards Ms Summers’ behaviour, the MP said: “I absolutely understand how disappointed and angry people felt,” Ms Lucas agreed they would have been “shocked” too.

She concluded by once against stressing the Green Party’s LGBT credentials, saying:

“I hope will take some reassurance that this has not happened with us just turning a blind eye, there is a process now that’s looking at how that happened.

“And given that we have got that pledge in place, for councillors to sign, before they stood to be councillors, I think that does demonstrate that we are not responding to this lightly.

She added: “It is a serious issue, we are treating it seriously, as I said, I don’t want to pre-judge the outcome of that process, but if you look in the round on what the Greens have done on this issue, and what they continue to do, as a group and as a party, I still think absolutely our commitment to LGBT rights is second to none.”

A decision is expected to be taken regarding Councillor Summers’ fate in the coming weeks.

good to know they are committed to equality and in expecting their representatives to be get them to sign. Let's hope some are not more equal than others.