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The first Green MEP for the South West, Molly Scott Cato, is in line for a ‘Green Ribbon’ award for European Parliamentarian of the Year tomorrow. She is nominated for her ‘impressive performance as a newly elected MEP’.
The Green Ribbon Political Awards [1] are awarded to politicians, businesses and NGOs both in the UK and abroad for their environmental achievements. The awards are decided by a high profile panel of judges, which this year include Baroness Parminter, environmentalist Jonathan Porritt and environmental journalist Geoffrey Lean.
Reflecting her strong commitment to working cooperatively with the 49 other Green MEPs, Dr Scott Cato is unable to attend the ceremony due to a conference in which she and her colleagues will be considering their strategic objectives and political priorities for the current parliamentary term. However, in a special televised message, Dr Scott Cato said:
“I felt quite humbled by the nomination because I don’t feel I’ve really had much chance to achieve a great deal as an MEP yet. Our parliamentary work is done by 50 MEPs in the Green group and I’m looking forward to my five years working with some really tremendous parliamentarians.”
In the message Dr Scott Cato speaks about some of the things that may have led to her nomination, including the way the Greens have helped create public awareness of the threats to democracy from the TTIP trade deal [2] and the pressure the Green Group have placed on Commission President Jean Claude Juncker over his choice of commissioners [3].
Molly Scott Cato also talked about the decision by the Commission to give the green light to the financial deal on a new Hinkley nuclear power station. She said:
“As a Green MEP I was in a unique position to challenge this appalling decision which I’m convinced was illegal. I’m in a much stronger position to challenge that here and I really think we need to get the EU to stick to its own rules about competition. A real priority for me is to save UK taxpayers from losing the opportunity of have renewable energy and spending an enormous amount of unnecessary money on fuel bills.”
Dr Scott Cato concluded by looking forward to her five years as an MEP:
“I have particular responsibility for tax so I hope to have some achievements in that important area.”
In a seperate category, Caroline Lucas is nominated as best Westminster Parliamentarian for her support for biodiversity and environmental issues. The awards will be announced and presented at a Ceremony in Parliament on Tuesday 18th November with 200 specially invited parliamentarians, environmental figures and journalists.
ENDS
Notes
[1] http://ciwem.org/information-and-resources/press–media/news-list/2014/nov/nominations-for-the-2014-green-ribbon-political-awards-announced.aspx
[2] http://mollymep.org.uk/2014/09/03/ttiping-the-balance-greens-welcome-growing-public-opposition-to-new-trade-deal/
[3] http://mollymep.org.uk/2014/10/22/uk-green-meps-reject-new-european-commission/