Molly Scott Cato - External Communications Co-ordinator

 

1. What impact do you think the Green Party’s eco-socialist policies have had on the party’s growth and how can that be sustained?

We should focus on the limits to growth and the need for sharing the economic product fairly.

2. The recent Tory by-election defeats suggest the electorate are making their own decisions on strategic voting. How can the Green Party intervene to turn that to its advantage?

Labour and the Lib Dems do not have the resources to target all the seats and we have to position ourselves as the main challenger to the Tories in our target seats.

3. What would be your priorities for campaigns outside election periods that would raise our profile in communities, engage our members and attract new ones? How could that be financed?

Economic interventions during stagflation: public-sector pay rises to match inflation and repairing the damage done by austerity, funded by much higher taxes on the wealthiest.

 

4. How can the Party improve the way it communicates its policies to the BAME and white working class?  

I think the answer is engaging those communities in developing our policies rather than communicating our policies at them. This is what the process launched by the Diverse Matters report is all about.

 

5. Should the Green Party review its policy on NATO in the light of the current conflict in Ukraine and what would be your approach?

I have proposed amendments on this to autumn: we should stick with our opposition to NATO but avoid looking naïve by strengthening our proposal around what alternative mutual security arrangements might look like.

 
6. The 24 hours news cycle means that contributions from our spokespeople have to be rapid if they are to be given media space. How can we manage that whilst maintaining democratic accountability?

 

The Code of Conduct for Spokespeople achieves this. Spokespeople are not required to check social media comms ahead of time but the SSMG monitors their output and raises issues when required.

 

7. Given that some Government policies such as privatisation and reducing rights are a thread crossing different sectors how can spokespeople cooperate on our overall messaging to ensure this is addressed?

This takes place daily basis between Ext Comms coordinator and the comms staff and weekly at the leaders and comms call.

 

8. How would you raise the international relevance and profile of the GPEW?

We should trade better on the green parties that are in government, especially Germany.

9. The Green Party has recently encountered difficulties in maintaining a respectful and comradely debate on issues where there has been sharp disagreement. What would be your approach to improving the atmosphere in which these debates take place?

I am part of a mediation process around the trans issue.

 

10. How can we ensure a level playing field in internal elections when some candidates have the advantage of access to a national platform and networks?

The ERO has done useful work here but greater experience might be useful to GPEX.

MSC, 26/07/22