How Andy Cooper creates 'clear green water'

Guest post from Sandy Irvine of Newcastle Green Party:

"Andrew Cooper spoke at a rally here last night with some 370 people present. He made many telling and distinctive points. He also made some good jokes. But I would stress how he created clear green water between us and the others, all Labour supporters. They were Owen Jones (by video link), Chi Onwurah MP and a regional Unison organiser Claire Williams. The chair was a Momentum leader in the NE.

All the Labourites failed to mention in their presentations any ecological issues (the MP did say in passing  “the climate is changing” but that was it!). Instead they simply talked in terms of more and more rights. There was also a lot of bollocks, if I may use scientific language about the “workers united will never be defeated” (actually they have been on several occasions and no-one defined what actually a ‘worker’ was). One, I forget which, talked of “levelling everyone up”. Presumably this meant giving everyone in the EU a typical UK living standard. That would mean not a 3 but a 5-planet economy! Andy more than held his own, not least in rebutting in the Q&A Chi’s assertion that sustainable growth was possible. He also countered well the ‘right to move’ with the ‘right not to have to move’.

I know that election results can sometimes be depressing but 10 years ago we would not have been invited on the platform. We also had speakers from the floor and gave out a lot of literature. Our local Young Greens organised the room and technical side, doing an excellent job.

I have to note in passing with the regards to the ‘progressive alliance’ debate just how hostile are Labourites to our ideas. It is not just ‘tribal’ but deeply ideological. They will also routinely betray any deals with us."