“This government, I believe (and I hope I’m wrong) will do massive damage to the idea of environmentalism by linking it with socially regressive policies.”
Saoirse McHugh has officially left the Green Party, as of Thursday morning.
Confirming the news on Twitter, McHugh said she left the party as she believes the programme for government (PFG) that has been agreed upon is a “terrible document”.
McHugh said that members of the Green Party were told that the programme contained certain things that it didn’t, and that the government “will do massive damage to the idea of environmentalism by linking it with socially regressive policies”.
Speaking to JOE last month, before the programme for government was officially agreed upon, McHugh was critical of the proposed document and flagged that she would likely leave the party as a result.
"I'd say I'll probably leave… I'll leave the party and I think a lot of people would".
Speaking to JOE before the coalition deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, Saoirse McHugh flagged her exit from the Green Party, which she has now confirmed…pic.twitter.com/9lZUm7yhcp
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) July 23, 2020
Posting on Twitter on Thursday morning, she said: “Only by viscerally improving peoples lives will support for climate action be ensured. Our problems in housing, tax avoidance, healthcare, agriculture etc are inextricably linked with and reinforce environmental breakdown and because of this solutions must be mutual.
“I don’t believe that our pathway to a just and free society lies in electoral politics. I have seen how brilliant and brave people are bullied and silenced within parties that profess to be grounded in equality and democracy.
“I’ve seen how much effort and energy gets taken up by elections and internal party struggles.”
McHugh has not announced what she will do next, though she did say that she hopes that Just Transition Greens, an affiliate group of the Green Party, breaks off and form an “actual eco socialist party”.
She ended her statement by saying: “I do hope I’m mistaken and I hope this government exceeds all expectations. I’d happily be proven so wrong.”
The pfg that has been agreed on is a terrible document. The membership were told it contained certain things that it didn’t.
This government, I believe (and I hope I’m wrong) will do massive damage to the idea of environmentalism by linking it with socially regressive policies 2/— Saoirse McHugh (@saoirse_mchugh) July 23, 2020
The @JTG_ie are an affiliate group that has been set up.
While I am not involved with them anymore (I couldn’t stomach being affiliated with the greens) I support and understand what they are doing.
I hope they break off and form an actual eco socialist party 4/— Saoirse McHugh (@saoirse_mchugh) July 23, 2020
By elections and internal party struggles.
Our only way forward is climate justice and that’s what I will continue to work towards but the greens no longer provide a vehicle to do that.5/
— Saoirse McHugh (@saoirse_mchugh) July 23, 2020
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