Local Election Survey 2018 – Candidates
We’re surveying candidates in Greater Manchester for the 2018 election. Find out more about the survey.
Below is a summary of the responses across the areas of Greater Manchester. Where a candidate has already responded, you can see their response. If your candidates haven’t yet responded, follow the Twitter link to ask them to!
Name
John Pearson
Party
END AUSTERITY
City/Borough
Stockport
Area
MANOR
Question 1
Climate Change
Climate Change
Do you agree that Greater Manchester should adopt the Tyndall Centre’s science-based carbon budgets, set targets to halve the region’s emissions in the next five years and become carbon neutral by 2038?
✓
Yes This should be a minimum commitment. But I believe that it is inadequate to the task. I am convinced by the arguments in Naomi Klein's book 'This Changes Everything' that the problem of climate change cannot be resolved within the current capitalist system. A socialist society is necessary. Immediately, if I am elected I will propose that Stockport Council endorses and champions the proposals in the 'One Million Climate Jobs' report produced by the Trade Union Group of the Campaign Against Climate Change, which I believe does put forward a socialist plan for overcoming the climate change crisis. I support enthusiastically the fight to end fracking, coal seam gasification and other extreme fossil fuel extraction processes and I would use my position as a councillor to strengthen what I can do to support that fight.
Question 2
Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Do you agree that the Greater Manchester Pension Fund should fully divest from fossil fuels in the next five years?
✓
Yes I am a member of this Pension Fund and I strongly support this proposal. I also believe that, in order to ensure that the fund adopts investment policies that best serve the society of which its members are a part, its governance should be democratised and if elected I would press for both objectives to be pursued by Stockport Council and the members of the fund and their trade unions.
Question 3
Walking and Cycling
Walking and Cycling
Will you support your local council allocating funding to implement the walking and cycling (active travel) measures contained in Chris Boardman's ‘Made to Move’ report?
✓
Yes
Question 4
Air Quality
Air Quality
Will you call on your local council to introduce ‘parking exclusion zones’ around local schools at peak times?
✓
Yes I support this proposal as a minimum. If elected I would press for measures to encourage fuller use of public and school transport. All school attendance journeys by all school students should be free. There should be supervision on all school buses to overcome reluctance by parents to have their children using buses which a playground for school bullies. More generally in relation to air pollution, I support development of a massively enhanced public transport system with free fares to encourage minimisation of polluting private vehicle journeys. I also oppose environmentally destructive new road building plans, such as the current proposal for an A6-M60 link through the Goyt and Poisebrook valleys in Stockport. I would vote against that road scheme if elected.
Question 5
Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Will you support a ban on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in your local council area and work to phase out the use of other pollinator-harming pesticides?
✓
Yes
Question 6
Plastics
Plastics
Will you support the phase-out of single-use plastics in your local authority by 2020?
✓
Yes Yes, but again this is a minimum action that is not enough. If elected I would campaign for complete public ownership of the recycling industry and for adequate funding to ensure massively increased capacity for plastic recycling pending the replacement of plastics as fossil fuels are phased out.
Question 7
Aviation
Aviation
Will you support the introduction of a cap on emissions from flights to and from Manchester Airport?
✓
Yes
Question 8
Energy Efficiency
Energy Efficiency
Do you support the introduction of a GM-wide building standard for all new developments to be zero-carbon and climate resilient?
✓
Yes I would support this but new building regulations are not enough without a strong inspection and enforcement function. All cuts and privatisation in local authorities' building control departments must be reversed and inspectorates given adequate staffing.
