100 activists have signed my letter to help save Vestas in less than 24 – will you?

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

UPDATE: Ed Miliband has responded to our letter, here:

This morning on LabourList, we have already had three articles on what Labour can do to respond to its supporters’ convictions on green issues. These articles were all submitted to me over the last 12 hours, but none was specifically commissioned and indeed two of the conrtributors had never written for LabourList before. Each of these three posts came from Labour people who sense an opportunity for Labour to act now on environmental issues and jobs for the future, with particular concern over the imminent closure of the Vestas wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight.

Dan Wilson said “we can, and should, become more conscious and cogent about the environment and climate change”.

Gabe Trodd wrote that the current red-green resonance over the Vetas wind turbine factory “may be a prophetic allegiance and a natural consensus to build the future foundations of the party.”

And Sebastian Michnowicz stated that support for Vestas “is a battle not only for jobs, but also for the environment”.

There is also a fascinating blog that has been set up by the workers of Vestas to document their factory occupation and campaign for government intervention to save the factory.

In response to those sentiments, and those in some of the comments beneath the posts (though not all), and because jobs and the environment are key, iconic issues for Labour people, I have written the following letter, which I will send to Ed Miliband and Peter Mandelson, the Secretaries of State for Climate Change and Business respectively, and I am inviting all LabourList readers to become co-signatories by clicking here.

Unless you state otherwise, I will also add your names to this post as you sign the letter.

As I’ve said in my Tweets today, what is the point in having a Labour government if it won’t protect jobs and work toward building a greener, fairer Britain?

—

Dear Ed and Peter,

For many months, the British government has spoken about creating the jobs of the future and building the green infrastructures that will help Britain lead the world on tackling climate change. We have been told time and again that our Labour government is providing real help now to support people during the recession and that investment in green jobs is a key part of the strategy for rebuilding the British economy in the wake of the downturn.

But while there has been public investment in banks and other financial and service sectors, existing jobs in those critical green industries of the future have, until now, been too often overlooked.

Now there is an opportunity to bring together the trade union and environmental movements to save British jobs, while simultaneously supporting the energy alternatives of tomorrow.

We believe it is imperative that the Labour government support the workers of the Vestas wind turbine factory in the Isle of Wight and harness the new consensus being built around those jobs to signify this country’s commitment to both gainful employment during the recession and the protection of and growth in the green jobs of the future.

Because it is in the national interest to develop alternative energy sources at home and to support our green industries, we ask that the government intervene to support Vestas and its employees by whatever means necessary.

Best,

Add you name (and postition if relevant) to the letter by clicking here.

Alex Smith
Editor, LabourList.org

Tom Wildy
Laour Party Member

Councillor Wally Burgess
Chair of Sustainability Review Committee, London Borough of Islington

Barry Tarling
Retired Industrial Manager

Ben Folley
Islington North CLP and Compass member

Catherine Wilson

Martin Brooks
Airport Worker

Leah Jones
Geography PhD student

Rick Muir
Hackney Downs Ward Organiser, Hackney North and Stoke Newington CLP

Andy Fosterjohn
Labour Party member, Pontypridd

Noel Hatch
Chair, Compass Youth

Shyam Thakrar
Aged 17

Neal Cartwright

Sonny Leong
Chair, Chinese for Labour

Cllr. Mark Nottingham
Thanet Councillor

Shelley Phelps
Labour Party Member

Sam Goodby

Mike Aistrop
Socialist Party Member

Paul Burgin
North East Herts CLP Press Officer

Ian Levitt

Yvonne Parsons
Mother

Dave Stuttle

Darrol Skinner

T. Fairfax

P. J. Dunham

Matt Rhodes
South Swindon Labour Party Organiser

Richard Pain
Energy Assessor and Labour Party Member

John Gray
West Ham CLP & UNISON

Duncan Weldon
Economist and Labour Party member

Derek Green

Debby Robinson

Jude Robinson
PPC Camborne & Redruth

Tom Tabori
Parliamentary Assistant to Ann McKechin MP

Roy Cameron

Michael Graham

Sam Tarry
National Chair of Young Labour

David Tomkinson

Sabina Michnowicz
PhD student

J Turner
Labour Party member, Northampton

Darren Burgoyne
Wigan CLP

Steve Hanlon

Sarah Cooper

Cllr Anthony Mckeown
Secretary, High Peak CLP

Tom Sacold

Majeed Neky

Will Potter

Jon Collins

Thomas Caygill

Eric L. Crompton

Ben Soffa

Peter Barnard
Secretary, City of Chester CLP

Chris Neill

Ben Jones

Pat Morgan

George Archer
Student and Young Labour member

Hannah McFaull

Neil Dutton

Ralph Baldwin
Teacher

Jim Terry

Dawn Willis
RETHINK Activist and Campaigner (Mental Health)

Henry Tinsley

Sarah Slade

Alun Watts

Gareth Matthews
Labour Party member

Joe Cox
Dartford CLP

Robin Griffin
Labour Party member

Kate Egglestone

Johanna Baxter
National Officer, Connect

Viv Poole

David Honour

Keith Kelly

Nicky Wildy
Councillor, Plymouth

Ben Furber
Youth and Student Officer Canterbury CLP

Peter Iveson

John Wood

Tom Flynn
PPC for Southend West

Baris Yerli

Bill Dewison

Marcus Bonfanti
Musician

Carrie Martin

Joe Laking

Stewart Blackmore
Managing Director, Ventnor Golf Club

Cllr Ian Rashbrook
Swanley Town Council

David Brede
Secretary, Northampton South CLP

Tom Miller
South East Young Labour representative

Sebastian Michnowicz
Youth Officer, Runnymede and Weybridge CLP

Emily James

Paul Barker

Dan Wilson

Lee Marsham

Gabe Trodd
Director, Stand up Tall Project

Katie Smith
School Teacher

Charles Knight

Respondants whose names will be included in the letter, but not published here: 7

Add you name (and postition if relevant) to the letter by clicking here.