The Student Room Group

What should TSR ask Natalie Bennett?

On April 21st at noon TSR will be interviewing Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party.

We can ask her questions on whatever topic we like! What I want to know is what does the TSR community want to ask her?

We'll take a selection of the best questions from this thread and put them to her in person to see what she says.

Fire away!




CT edit: The interview will be filmed and the videos released shortly after on the site.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Given how you actively seek to decimate the UK economy with planned zero to negative growth, a 240billion new benefit scheme and insane tax increases. Why should those who aspire in life vote green?
Why are you trying to get elected in the UK rather than Australia? Nothing against migrants being PM just curious.

Also what are her parties views on kosher and halal meat?
The Green Party places a lot of emphasis on animal rights and protection, promising policies that protect animals from the harms of prophylactic antibiotic use; cosmetic experimentation; and the promotion of fair and equitable farming methods. However, entrenched within these policies are such ideas as:

AR413 In the UK, millions of animals are used each year in experiments which can cause great pain and suffering. There are significant differences between the physiology of animals and that of humans and the reliance on animal testing and experimentation increases the risks of adverse reactions and hampers progress. A large proportion of animals are used for non-medical testing and for duplicate research which could be avoided. There are now many techniques available for testing of chemicals, drugs and medical procedures and for researching disease that do not use animals. However, these alternatives are often not used and are not adequately funded or supported.

AR414 The Green Party would ban all experimentation and research which harms animals, including harmful procedures used to obtain animal-derived materials. 'Harmful' is defined in this context as 'having the potential to cause pain, suffering, distress, lasting harm or death in animals, except where it is designed to benefit the individual animals concerned


Animal testing, as it stands currently, plays a key role in pharmaceutical research and the advancement of medicine. While it's true that there are differences between the physiology of animals and humans, we are similar in many key ways that allows this research to be valid and useful. Given the huge limitations of non-vivo methods in pharmaceutical research, how does the Green Party feel that such stringent enforcements in the sake of animal rights will affect the UK pharmaceutical industry and the health service. As a voter, I can't see such laws as doing anything but harm the world-class medical research that goes on in the UK.
The Green Party is in minority control of Brighton council. Why is it so incompetent at recycling (being one of the councils in Britain with very bad recycling record, only reaching levels that were achieved elsewhere many years ago) when one might imagine that such a matter would be high on the party's agenda of things to get right? What does this record say for the party's competence to run government?
How do degrees in Agricultural Studies (University of Sydney), Asian Studies (University of New England) and a masters in Mass Communication (University of Leicester) prepare you to run a major global economy?
Original post by Amhorangerdgerriug
How does it feel to be utterly mental?

How do degrees in Agricultural Studies (University of Sydney), Asian Studies (University of New England) and a masters in Mass Communication (University of Leicester) prepare you to run a major global economy?


The same way people managed to run the country just fine before the age of the professional politician studying PPE at Oxbridge? The idea that you need a specific university degree to be PM is ludicrous. John Major never even went to uni!

Posted from TSR Mobile
One of your main pledges is to scrape tuition fees. How would you go about doing this?
I have two questions;

(1) Please explain and define precisely what is austerity? Is reducing the deficit by even one pound austerity?

(2) Please explain why the Greens commitment to negative growth (policy EC201) would not mean a permanent austerity in living standards for working people?
Reply 9
Why do you believe in 'negative economic growth' in pursuit of sustainability, when it will undoubtedly hit the poor and workers hardest?

Will you reintroduce the fuel duty escalator? If so, you do realise this will hit hard working families hardest and drive up inflation?

Why do you advocate such a weak defence policy in a time of global political instability?

Why do you advocate a universal basic income when it will hit those on benefits hardest while giving a modest relief in the middle classes?

Why do you believe that Britain has an obligation to open it's doors to immigrants and loosen controls at a time of a housing shortage, high unemployment and increasing demands on public services?

Why do you believe in protecting the right of people to belong to organisations that reject our ideals and values, call for our destruction and openly preach hate and violence against us?
(edited 8 years ago)
The green party have a policy on abolishing tuition fees. While I agree with this policy, I don't think it tackles the bigger issue of maintenance at university. I personally will need to find extra money to pay for my accommodation as my loan won't cover it, that's before I even consider the amount I'll have to pay to live at university. I'm fairly lucky that I've had a job to save money over the last 2 years however many others aren't so fortunate.

So my question is, does the green party have any plans to make living at university cheaper or more affordable for students?

EDIT:
Got a better question, are you tough enough to be prime minister? :P
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 11
How will the Green party ever cope with the backlash from the banks if they get into power?
Why are you opposed to nuclear power alongside other methods of renewable energy, all of which being relatively safe for the environment, comparative to coal or oil generation.
Original post by Hype en Ecosse

Animal testing, as it stands currently, plays a key role in pharmaceutical research and the advancement of medicine.


realise someone above has already asked you about this but would be curious to see any proof that it plays a 'key role' ...
Original post by Amhorangerdgerriug
How do degrees in Agricultural Studies (University of Sydney), Asian Studies (University of New England) and a masters in Mass Communication (University of Leicester) prepare you to run a major global economy?

OMG wtf cares about what she studied at uni?!?!
After your recent car-crash interview, tell me why I should vote for you.
Who would you send to negotiate with IS?
(edited 8 years ago)
What is your favourite colour?
In the first BBC debate, Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, spoke about further support for mental health patients. In the first BBC Scotland debate, the Scottish Labour leader then also told us about plan to give more support for mental health patients, receiving overwhelming applause from the audience. Other parties, including the Green Party, appear to have stayed quiet on this point, and not challenged or added to what the Lib Dems or Labour have said about mental health.

My question: does the Green Party have any plans to pump more money and/or resources into the NHS to support those with mental health challenges, and if so, how does this compare with what the Lib Dems have pledged, and Labour spoken about?
The Greens want to take public transport out of private hands and reduce fares by 10%. How much is this going to cost, and where will the money come from?

Quick Reply

Latest