We can do better

Excess Winter Deaths: This is one of those astonishing headings. Every winter more people die than would be expected, about 250 in Oxfordshire alone. They die because they can't cope with the cold. They don't eat well enough or they lack heating. Britain has a bigger excess than Sweden because we have more people, especially older peple whose homes aren't well insulated or who can't afford sufficient heating or can't afford both food and heat. We don't solve the problems. We just know people will die, painfully and unnecessarily. 

A couple of weeks ago Age UK Oxfordshire held a meeting with experts and parliamentary candidates. The experts explained that things are getting worse - more people than ever are dying this year. The whole picture is odd. Civilised people sit around and calmly discuss other people's deaths. If it was learned that a group of terrorists were figuring out how to kill about 250 Oxfordshire people what an outcry. It made me furious, sad and somewhat proud. For several years the Green Group on Oxfordshire County Council has had an item in their proposed budget to insulate all the houses in the areas with the most people living in fuel poverty. We would be able to save a large portion of the 250 people. But no other party supported, us. We need to be able to do what needs to be done!

I would love to be there when, in the next parliament, the Green Party introduces its Green New Deal Bill to insulate millions of homes and employ hundreds of thousands of people in decent jobs.