But there is a political party that has made steady progress since its foundation last century: the Green Party. It is the only force in UK politics which puts the environment at the heart of its manifesto and if they were ever to win power their policies would affect the signage, graphics, print and wide-format industries.

In Germany where the Greens have twice been in Government as coalition partners their main influence was on the attitude to intervention in Kosova and the politics of nuclear power. However anyone who has visited the Fatherland will have noticed how far ahead of us they are in terms of recycling and their environmental issues. That is largely due to the influence they have on mainstream politics. It is one area that affects our industries in a big way from emissions to the recycling of paper and card, to how we deal with the disposal of inks, equipment, old machinery and the chemistry of printing and graphics production.

It is one area that affects our industries in a big way from emissions to the recycling of paper and card, to how we deal with the disposal of inks, equipment, old machinery and the chemistry of printing and graphics production”

UKIP have taken the headlines this week but across the country the Greens have made progress with several new councillors which inevitably have an influence. Their main effects have been on the main political parties who all now accept most of their policies that affect our industry. Even UKIP are planning on enforced recycling for commercial operations as they say on their website in Telford: “Commercial properties produce large quantities of recyclable waste such as cardboard boxes and plastic wrappings which, unless the company in question pays for a commercial recycling service to handle their waste, will be disposed of at landfill.”

Here in Bristol the main headline in the local newspaper about winning a seat on the city council for the first time. The news that the Green Party have won six seats is barely mentioned.

Your views on political parties and how they influcen our industry please to online_ed@signlink.co.uk

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