WESSEX
NLP FACT SHEET
Update - Jan 2001: New NLP focus as election candidates bow out
* The Natural Law Party was formed in Great Britain on 15th March 1992 in response to widespread dissatisfaction with the existing political parties and to bring innovative, scientifically proven solutions to the nation's problems.
* Since then, inspiration for the Natural Law Party has spread world-wide and it is now active in over 80 countries.
* Natural Law Party candidates are beginning to win seats in local and regional government around the world, especially in Europe and Asia.
*Although none were elected during the 1998 mid-term elections in the United States some candidates came close to success approaching nearly 30% of the vote. This is a remarkable achievement in a political system which is heavily weighted in favour of the two principal existing political parties. (After a particularly remarkable live TV debate broadcast nationally on C-SPAN during the election one newspaper in Ohio reported: “Both the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor said after Thursday night's debate that Zanna Feitler, Natural Law Party candidate, stole the show”).
* The Natural Law Party of India, the Ajeya Bharat
Party was founded only at the beginning of 1998. Already,
it has won its first seat the state parliament of
Madhya Pradesh. .Mr Rudra Pratap Singh, a former member
of the state parliament of Madhya Pradesh for the
Congress Party joined the Ajeya Bharat Party and received
35% of the vote, ahead of the two leading parties in
parliament. He was publicly supported in a high
profile campaign by Shri Mukesh Nayak, the president of
the Party in Madhya Pradesh and former Minister of
Education of Madhya
Pradesh.
* In June 1996, the Natural Law Parties in many countries including the UK launched a Campaign to Ban Genetically Engineered Foods, which at that time were being introduced, usually unlabelled into shops and supermarkets all round the world, despite serious and largely unpublicised health risks. The campaign has helped alert the public, politicians, interest groups, and the media, to the serious health risks involved in these foods. The party has acted as a focus for the efforts of other groups of consumers and environmentalists to bring this issue to the forefront across the globe.
*A letter writing campaign organised by the Natural Law Party in 1997 lead directly to the UK supermarket Iceland Frozen Foods banning all genetically modified ingredients in its own brand products. Iceland were the first company in the UK to take such a step, since when the majority of UK food retailers have begun to adopt similar policies as a result. The United Kingdom has now become the country in the world where opposition to genetically modified foods is strongest.
*In 1998 the Natural Law Party launched a campaign to encourage Local Authorities in the UK to declare their areas “GMO- Free Zones.”
* Some of the most sensitive scientific tests for detecting genetically modified ingredients in food have been developed by scientists working in collaboration with the Natural Law Party across the globe, and have now been made widely available to the food industry.
* In presenting its environmental policies the Natural Law Party has always emphasised that a higher level of consciousness throughout society is the only way to ensure that individuals, companies and government officials act ethically and respect the need to maintain an unpolluted environment. The educational programmes of the Natural Law Party are designed to create higher states of consciousness on both the individual and governmental levels to encourage action and behaviour spontaneously in accord with Natural Law in order to secure a natural and health promoting environment.
* The Young Natural Law Party has been formed in many countries. The first was in Germany, where the Party has attracted widespread support among young people. The Young Natural Law Party offers practical programmes for youth to solve the pressing problems of society including pollution, crime, drug abuse, and poor standards in education.
* The Natural Law Party has also been instrumental in assisting politicians from other political groupings across the globe in developing their own policies in ways which are more in accordance with Natural Law. For example:
- The Natural Law Party has been the driving force
behind the establishment of the newly formed
multi-party the Congressional Prevention
Coalition in the United States on preventative
solutions to economic, environmental and social
problems. Planned meetings and those
already completed cover stress prevention and its
impact on health and medical savings, genetic
engineering, crime prevention, and
cost-effectiveness assessment of public
expenditure programmes. Meetings have
achieved excellent cross-party support from
Congressmen, as well as members of the scientific
community.
- In 1998 John Moore, the US Natural Law Party's
director of ballot and media access, was
appointed chairman of the Fair Elections
Commission, a new body founded to redress U.S.
election injustices. Other third parties
represented on the Commission include Ross
Perot's Reform Party, as well as the Libertarian
and Green Parties.
- In 1998 Natural Law Party representatives met
with Health Ministers and their advisors in
Australia and New Zealand to brief them on the
key issues of food safety and preventive
approaches to health care. As a result, the
Council of New Zealand and Australian Health
Ministers backed away from their original
intention to allow genetically altered foods to
be sold without labelling.
- At the beginning of 1999 the Natural Law Party was invited to participate in the Noble Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo (in honour of David Trimble and John Hume) in recognition of the Natural Law Party’s important behind the scenes contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process. Previously the Party had produced a visionary document entitled "Decommissioning the Potential for Conflict, Reducing Stress and increasing Coherence in Collective Consciousness". The Party has presented this document to many important world leaders including US President Bill Clinton. The Party has also met with the Co-Chairman of the influential Congressional Committee on Irish Affairs in Washington.
* Natural Law Party programmes have been introduced by various administrations in India, Mozambique, Netherlands Antilles and the autonomous Tula region of Russia.
* During 1998 Robert Roth’s book on the Natural Law Party “A Reason to Vote” became America’s number one political best seller on US national book lists.
Further information: For more information on NLP policies and programmes visit www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/eviscom.htm or telephone 01962 852122.
European
Elections campaign May - June 1999
