Green transport policy for Cambridge

08:25 Monday 9th March 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: It is the final day of the Green Party conference in Liverpool. Of course everyone building up to the General Election in May. Let’s talk now to Rupert Read, who’s the Green Party’s Parliamentary candidate for Cambridge. Rupert good morning to you.
RUPERT READ: Good morning Chris.
CHRIS MANN: I know you spoke on an interesting subject, how to combat UKIP, because obviously for you they’re a challenge as another one of the parties that are potentially in the mix.
RUPERT READ: Yes. So one of the things I was saying when I spoke on this at Liverpool was that UKIP attract some people who are looking to make a vote of protest against the old parties, who are looking to have a real alternative to the failed parties of the past. And what I was saying to conference was we can make a case in the Greens that we’re a much more positive alternative than UKIP. UKIP are only a negative voice. We actually have something to offer, a vision of a genuinely better future, a vision of a sustainable future. And I was also pointing out that sometimes people are very surprised when they hear about UKIP’s policies, for example ..
CHRIS MANN: Well let’s not go into UKIP’s policies right now, because they’re not here to defend themselves. I’m sure we’ll discuss it on a future occasion. But let’s talk about transport.
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Cambridge bloggers on Election 2015

17:13 Monday 5th January 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: So in case you hadn’t noticed, there is a General Election coming up this year. The campaign, well it’s been a slow-burner until now, but it’s beginning to produce more than a few sparks. Let’s find out what we think is going to be in prospect locally from two leading Cambridgeshire bloggers on politics, Richard Taylor .. hello Richard.
RICHARD TAYLOR: Good afternoon Chris.
CHRIS MANN: .. and Antony Carpen, known to many as Puffles. Hello Antony.
ANTONY CARPEN: Good afternoon Chris.
CHRIS MANN: So gentlemen, how much do you think there will be Cambridgeshire issues in this election campaign? Richard first.
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Cambridgeshire candidates reflect on the rise of UKIP

17:06 Friday 10th October 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: The UK Independence Party, UKIP, has its first elected Member of Parliament, and has gone close to getting a second. Former Conservative MP Douglas Carswell won the Clacton by-election in the early hours of this morning with a majority of more than 12,000 over his old Party. If that wasn’t enough, UKIP came within just over 600 votes of taking the Heywood and Middleton by-election, where Labour just clung on. .. The UKIP MEP for the East and prospective Parliamentary candidate for Cambridge Patrick O’Flynn said it was a great day, but the Party still had work to do before the General Election in May.
(TAPE)
PATRICK O’FLYNN: We can’t take anything for granted. It is an absolute breakthrough for UKIP. We’ve had our first directly elected MP, and the British public are clearly taking a look at us, and saying we like some of the things you say, we quite fancy adding you to the range of parties represented in the House of Commons. But we need to keep building on our strengths, improving ourselves where we’re not strong enough, and showing that we recognise the magnitude of the opportunity we might be given by the British public.
(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: Well at the General Election next year he will be up against Chamali Fernando, who is the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for the Cambridge seat. She joins me now. Hello Chamali
CHAMALI FERNANDO: Hi there Chris.
CHRIS MANN: So, only one in four voters stayed loyal to the Conservatives. Second place there, and heaven only knows what at the Rochester by-election. Disarray.
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