Greens back Pensioners Convention manifesto.

On 6th April North Staffs Pensioners Convention launched a manifesto of issues they would like to see local and national politicians address after the election.

These include raising the state pension to £175 per week, creating railway ‘hub’ stations at Etruria, the Britannia Stadium and other locations and ending zero hours contracts for care workers.

North Staffs Green Party parliamentary candidate for Stoke Central Jan Zablocki said there were strong links between the issues raised by the Pensioners Convention and the policies in the Green Party manifesto; he said he looked forward to debating them with the other candidates on 13th April.

Sean Adam, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Stoke North said: ‘"With commuting opportunities in and around Stoke on Trent through the reinstatement of 'retired' smaller stations there is an opportunity to re-establish the shopping areas within the city.’

He added: ‘ My grandson and I will take the train from Longport to Longton not only for a train journey for a three years old but an opportunity to shop somewhere different without fighting the already busy roads. Etruria as an example is only a small walk from Festival Park.’, and that, ‘The promise of Free care for the over 65's, at the point of delivery, is a key policy within the Green Party manifesto"

The Green Party manifesto contains policies that mirror those put forward by the Pensioners Convention in many key areas, these include a commitment to increase the budget for the NHS by 1.2% in order to account for our aging population, providing free social as well as health care for older people and protecting their bus passes and free television licences from further government cuts.

The party would also support the enforcement of the rights of older people through the Dignity Code and work closely with those organisations that champion patients’ rights.

On public transport the Greens support bringing the railways back into public ownership and would increase spending targeted at improving bus services as a means of ensuring access to affordable, high quality public transport for all.

A spokesperson for North Staffs Green Party said, ‘We support fully the policies put forward by the Pensioners Convention and are committed to working with our progressive partners to create a society that is fair for all citizens regardless of age, gender or any other consideration.’