AS the leading Yorkshire Green Party candidate for the European elections, I was interested to read Conservative MEP Robert Goodwill came bottom in a survey of MEPs' environmental voting records (April 19).

I recently sat on a panel with Mr Goodwill. He seemed keen to come over as an environmentalist.It is easy for him to say he cares about green issues, but his voting record gives him away.

All three main parties are stuck in the rut of saying more growth, globalisation and consumerism will make us all happier. The Green Party is the only party to recognise that quality of life and happiness are more linked to belonging to a community and living in a peaceful, non-toxic environment.

Mr Goodwill claims the environmental legislation he voted against would have forced companies to relocate to Eastern Europe, India and China. This is rubbish, it is free-market globalisation - enthusiastically supported by Mr Goodwill and his colleagues in the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties - which forces a global race to the bottom. This is well illustrated by the recent events with Terry's and the Norwich Union.

The Green Party believes good environmental legislation improves the quality of life for us all.

Coun Mark Hill,

Prospective Green European Parliamentary Candidate,

Reginald Grove,

York.

Updated: 10:33 Thursday, April 29, 2004