Luke Tryl on X: "We've looked before at barriers to voting Reform - top of which is Trump. What about the Greens? Their platform is less well known, but there is a risk with their drugs policy - even voters like the two below who ultimately voted Green in Gorton cited it as off putting. https://t.co/R2mvXEbL6u" / X We've looked before at barriers to voting Reform - top of which is Trump. What about the Greens? Their platform is less well known, but there is a risk with their drugs policy - even voters like the two below who ultimately voted Green in Gorton cited it as off putting. https://t.co/R2mvXEbL6u

Source

x.com/LukeTryl/sta...

Screenshot from X account of Luke Tryl from More in Common polling company, regarding a focus group in Gorton & Denton constituency, Manchester.

5/ There is a relevant thread on a More in Common focus group over on the other place. Screenshot here, I will link below for those who are visually impaired.

4/ I have lived here 19 years. Many rounds of increased outreach work over many years, which of course we agreed should be done.

Sorry but it has not been effective. The overall behaviour is worse than a decade ago. I had a chat to a police sergeant a few weeks ago and he agreed with that.
[cont]

3/ It's not elitist to not want large groups of addicts on the doorstep or monopolising the nearest set of seating, behaving anti-socially all day, seven days a week. Openly abusing drugs and alcohol, brawling, openly urinating or vomiting, littering on the ground next to bins.
[cont]

2/ I am not talking about enabling a gentrified 'cafe culture' lifestyle here, it's Bradford Yorkshire. Many don't have a private garden or a large green park nearby, so if we can't use the public spaces we have nowhere to go.
[cont]

Thanks for your replies.

Those public spaces are the entrances to people's homes and workplaces, or where they go to get sunlight for health or eat a sandwich on their lunchbreak, where small local children are taken outside to run around or play, or splash in the water fountain.
[cont]

Island needs to be broad enough for the bus ramp to be deployed, a wheelchair user or parent with buggy to embark & disembark without being forced into the cycleway.

Also broad enough for the full turning circle of an electric wheelchair or mobility scooter. Eg. hoping to travel but no service.

How will that fix it? They will carry on using the gutter press and other social media to smear and defame. The behaviour is not remotely isolated to X.

Screenshot from X social media Platform, account of Mike Tapp, Labour MP. Image of Dr Alex Armitage, Green councillor in the Shetlands. In the background a children's play area. Caption by Mike Tapp "Why is this Green Party chap hanging around a children’s playground talking about drug policy…"

Screenshot from X social media platform, account of Dr Alex Armitage, Green Party councillor in the Shetlands. Image of Mike with a children's play area in the background. Caption "I’m coming to Gorton and Denton from Shetland this week to support GreenPartyHan and ZackPolanski I’m a consultant paediatrician, I wrote the Greens’ drugs policy and I’m happy to chat with anyone who wants to know more about it."

@carolinerussell.bsky.social @zoegarbett.bsky.social

Now this is what Labour are doing. Trying to smear Dr Alex Armitage for "hanging around a children’s playground".

Toryboy Tapp has cut off the caption stating that he is a consultant paediatrician.

It's far beyond just countering arguments.

3/ So telling Zack Polanski to just change a policy (that you have not even read and analysed) makes no sense.

Please stop believing the cherry picked, carefully edited guff in the press. That is the establishment trying to block democratic change.

2/ Greens policymaking is member led and decided democratically. We have Working Groups, including experts and professionals, who consider the evidence.

There are several further stages where other members can contribute before the draft goes before conference for debate and a vote.
[cont]

Mate, political parties have an entire cabinet, shadow cabinet, or spokespeople to share the workload. They are not one man bands.

If the press want an interview about the NHS they invite Streeting not Starmer.
[cont]

It says "expensive and, when not medically required, risky".

That is not criticising "life saving medical intervention" is it?

6/ On top of the longstanding open alcohol abuse & associated ASB. We have had rounds of increased outreach support work, but many addicts do not engage.

IMO it needs explaining how that would be tackled to get the public onside. I am happy to be involved if my lived experience is any use. 🤷‍♀️

5/ As a longstanding city centre resident I have listened to the endless public complaints due to the street-based lifestyle of addicts (alcohol & drugs).

There is now open drug abuse in broad daylight & aggression at any interference. Some Bradfordians stopped bringing kids into town.
[cont]

4/ send out warning letters rather than doing raids. The enforcement system is failing.

I explain the 'controlled drugs' system to people, but have no other point of reference except an alcohol and tobacco system that is 'lip service' to regulation and control.
[cont]

3/ most have minimal knowledge of, a cigs/ tobacco system that is rampant organised crime gangs, and an alcohol system that is often poorly regulated due to austerity.

Here in Bradford our Licencing and Noise Pollution Team do not routinely work out of hours. West Yorks Trading Standards
[cont]

2/ Few understand the terms 'decriminalisation', 'legalisation' regulation and control'.

There are ENDLESS cross purpose convos, including doommongering US citizens, even before the recent press attacks.

The public's terms of reference are a pharmacy system that works well but
[cont]

👋 Hello Zoe, it was me asking CR.

I am a Green, originally trained in hospital pharmacy, worked in retail pharmacy, living in a city centre since 2006. I get that we need change and have been trying to defend our drug policy for weeks.
[cont]

South Tyneside Green Party - Drug Policy

Link if anyone wants it to share

www.southtynesidegreenparty.org.uk/policies-and...

2/ & I have been linked to the actual drug policy on South Tyneside Greens website (it is behind a login on the main website so cannot share it).

Telling people about harm reduction in response to fears (increased street drug abuse, access to drugs by kids) goes down like a mug of sick IME.

Thank you.

"'Terms 'legalisation', 'decriminalisation', 'regulation and control', 'public health approach' not understood."
Harry Ecccles has now done part of this. Yesterday he was telling people to "go do research".
[cont]

2/ Press & opposition know the fears/ concerns of the wider public (increased open street drug abuse, access to drugs by kids) & having a field day playing on them.

I love ZP but he has not addressed the scaremongering headline here at all. No Greens on X explaining the misunderstood terms. 🤦‍♀️

@carolinerussell.bsky.social
Do Greens have a spokesperson for health yet please?

Nobody is explaining our drugs policy in the way the wider public understands & can relate to.

'Terms 'legalisation', 'decriminalisation', 'regulation and control', 'public health approach' not understood.
[cont]

"At best they’re only highlighting needs of one group."
Yeah vulnerable bus passengers. That's how most campaigning is done. Eg. Free Palestine marches.

Multifunctional or shared spaces are horrible for many disabled & eldeely peds. This is long established not new.

That's an undersized bus stop island for a start. It's too full of street clutter and people for the size of it. IDK what the footway is like but looks potentially large.

If we are trying to grow ALL sustainable travel then ALL facilities need to be decent and leave room to grow. They don't.

Rep. James Talarico On Confronting Christian Nationalism, And Strange Days In The Texas Legislature YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Here’s the full interview.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ...

Snap.

No. Many end up sofa surfing mixed with a bit of rough sleeping, not housed at all because they are bottom of the pile. Some for YEARS. Sofa surfing doesn't count in the stats.

You really aren't appreciating the horrific scale of the housing crisis.

No it is not "so concentrated among freshly recognized refugees". I live in a deprived city centre, surrounded by every part of the system & know people trapped in it.

London & the South East ship out their rough sleepers to hostels & B&Bs in the North, that's why you see less. They aren't housed.