Alan Francis (politician)
Alan Francis | |
|---|---|
| Chair Green Party executive 1998 until 2000[1] | |
| Leader | Jean Lambert (1998–99), Margaret Wright (1999–2003) and Mike Woodin (1997–2001) |
| Transport Spokesperson of England and Wales | |
| Leader | Caroline Lucas (2008–12), Natalie Bennett (2014–2016) |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Spouse(s) | Single |
Alan Francis is a British politician, a former Open University researcher[2] and Transport consultant, who served as Transport Spokesperson of the Green Party and Chair of its executive from 1998 until 2000.[1]
He has been a resident of Milton Keynes since about 1985.[2]
Early life[edit]
Alan Francis worked on computer graphics projects at Atlas in Chilton, until 1975. He was responsible for the first attempt at synchronised computer animation at the Lab using a VCS3 synthesiser attached to the PDP15. After leaving the laboratory in 1975, he continued to work on computer graphics including BSI's activities in standardisation in that area.[3]
Francis also ran a computer graphics consultancy.[3]
Political life[edit]
Francis has been a prominent member of the Green Party since the 1980s.[3]
Francis is a former Chair of New Bradwell Parish Council. From 1998 until 2000, he was Chair Green Party executive.[1]
In 2001 Francis recommended the party use then Green peer Lord Beaumont’s position to attempt to renationalise Railtrack. Francis drafted a Bill and Lord Beaumont arranged a debate. He also wrote Lord Beaumont's proposing speech, (the first ever debate in the UK Parliament initiated by the Green Party).[4]
He has campaigned for many years for governments (of all colours) to switch priorities from road to rail.[5] In this capacity he has been Chair of MK Forum and MK Rail Users Group.[2] He is also chair of the Milton Keynes Transport Partnership[2] For many years Frances was Green Party National Speaker on Transport.[2]
He has been a Green Party candidate for Milton Keynes in 9 General Elections, 4 Euro elections, as well many council elections.[2]
In 2009, Francis was interviewed about the Green Party’s support for Workplace Parking Levy.[6] He remarked "We support charges on motoring which make the car pay the true costs of its use and this could certainly be one way of doing it."[6]
At the Green Party Spring conference 2011, Francis opposed a conference motion against HS2. While the motion was carried, both Alan and the party have both reiterated their support for High Speed Rail in general[7] with Frances arguing “we need extra capacity on our rail system if we want to fulfil our other commitments to switching freight and passengers from roads and air onto rail”.[7]
In 2014 Francis was MK:Smart Citizen Workpackage leader for the Big energy debate.[8]
In the 2015 general election, Francis stood for the Green Party in Buckingham[9] against Speaker John Bercow. Francis was among a group of Green Party members who set up set a foodbank store outside then Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith's Grade-II listed 16th century mansion in Swanbourne in 2015 to protest the welfare cuts his government had implemented.[9]
In June 2019, he was among those who criticised the local council's intent to permit a housing and warehouse development near Caldecotte, because the developer's proposals would prevent or seriously obstruct the East West Rail plan for a road bridge over the railway line to replace the level crossing at Bow Brickhill railway station.[10]
At the 2019 General Election Francis stood for the Green Party in Milton Keynes South.[11]
Family[edit]
Alan is listed as single.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Crossrail Bill: 1st Special Report of Session 2007-08, Volume 3 By Bernan PP 667
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Alan Francis". mk.greenparty.org.uk.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Alan Francis". www.chilton-computing.org.uk.
- ↑ "Alan Francis". South East Green Party.
- ↑ "Are Greens good for you?". 23 May 2013.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Green Party backs Workplace Parking Levy". ETA. 6 August 2009.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ramsay, Adam (26 February 2011). "Green Party conference - Saturday morning motions".
- ↑ "The Big Energy Debate". 9 September 2014.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Bloom, Dan (1 May 2015). "Green Party brings the welfare war to Iain Duncan Smith's Tudor mansion". mirror.
- ↑ "Cabinet rejects call for a halt to development plans in Caldecotte area". MKFM. 6 June 2019.
- ↑ "Milton Keynes South parliamentary constituency - Election 2019" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jenny Jones |
Chair of the Green Party of England and Wales 1998 – 2000 |
Succeeded by Penny Kemp |
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