Peter Jones is the Green Party candidate for the newly defined Swansea West constituency. Jones has been a resident of the Swansea West constituency since October 2001.
He served as a Labour Councillor for the Sketty Ward from 2017 until 2022, choosing not to seek re-election. In the summer of 2022, he resigned from the Labour Party, which he felt had deviated significantly under Keir Starmer's leadership from its roots as a party of radical reform, prompting him to join the Green Party.
Jones's professional background is deeply rooted in environmentalism. He worked as an Environmental Policy Officer for RSPB Cymru from 2002 to 2016, focusing on renewable energy, climate change, and their impacts on wildlife, particularly birds, in Wales.
During his tenure, he collaborated with other green NGOs to aid the Welsh Government in developing the 2015 Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act. While serving as a councillor in Swansea, he established and chaired a Natural Environment Scrutiny Panel, led an inquiry into the council’s environmental policies, and advocated strongly in the council for addressing global climate and biodiversity emergencies.
Jones holds strong pro-European Union views, regarding the 2016 Brexit referendum result as a significant error based on misinformation. He advocates for replacing the UK's First Past The Post electoral system with the Single Transferable Vote system, akin to that used in Ireland, to rectify democratic imbalances.
His policy preferences include strong support for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and tidal power, and he supports the introduction of a wealth tax on the wealthiest one percent to fund public services.
Jones is a staunch supporter of the legal rights of asylum seekers and refugees, recognizing the valuable skills they bring to the UK, including in nursing and care sectors. He has actively supported his local food bank and worked with asylum seekers from Central and South American countries, helping those fleeing violence and persecution in their homelands.
The Green Party stands as a unique political entity that emphasizes an interconnected approach to social, environmental, and economic issues. This manifesto outlines the party’s commitment to transforming society for the betterment of both the planet and its inhabitants.
The party views social, economic, and environmental challenges as interconnected and believes that resolving one requires addressing them all together. Success is not solely measured by economic indicators but also by the quality of life, including personal freedom, social equity, health, and ecosystem health.
Humanity's survival is dependent on biodiversity and the sustainable use of finite physical resources. Every individual, including future generations and other species, has a right to basic material security.
A healthy society is built on voluntary cooperation among empowered individuals, without discrimination. Decisions should be made as close as possible to the affected individuals to promote accountability and participatory democracy.
The party seeks non-violent solutions that consider minority and future generation interests. Change can be achieved through various methods, including lifestyle changes and direct action, as long as they align with core principles.
Humans are part of and depend on the natural world, which has suffered significantly from human activities. Traditional political and economic approaches are seen as destructive, emphasizing the need for a shift from growth-driven policies to those focusing on sustainable well-being.
Proposes a society where individuals coexist with nature and each other in mutually beneficial ways, stressing empowerment over dominance. Values the diversity of human relationships with each other and the environment, advocating for a balance of various life-enhancing processes.
All policies and actions should aim for sustainability, ensuring that resource use and environmental impacts are within the planet’s capacity to handle indefinitely. Calls for urgent action to address climate change and biodiversity loss, emphasizing ecological and egalitarian solutions.
Advocates for replacing GDP with indicators that reflect true progress towards ecological sustainability and human well-being.Supports the enhancement of rights and freedoms, balancing individual actions with the health of society and the planet.
Promotes more democratic processes at all levels of government and society to ensure fair and inclusive decision-making. Supports measures to address inequality and ensure all citizens have access to necessary resources without compromising ecological integrity.
Encourages a shift in cultural values towards sustainability, cooperation, and respect for diversity. Engages in both global initiatives and local actions to implement its principles, aiming for a broad-based transformation across all sectors of society.
The Green Party's manifesto presents a radical rethinking of political, social, and economic systems, aiming to create a fair, sustainable society that respects the interconnected nature of global challenges. Through a combination of policy reform, cultural change, and grassroots action, the party seeks to redefine progress and ensure a viable future for all inhabitants of the planet.