Caroline Lucas hasn’t been invited by the TUC to speak at the march on Saturday. If you think she should be, email *info@tuc.org.uk*

1) It’s good for the message:

Caroline Lucas actually opposes cuts. Ed Miliband is speaking, he supports the same level of cuts as the Tories. He just wants to do it over 6 years rather than 4. Or, at least, that was the policy when Labour wrote their manifesto, wasn’t it? Does anyone know for sure what it is now? Surely we also want speakers who will tell the protestors that they are right to be opposing cuts?

2) It’s good for the movement:

The movement is diverse. Despite the fact that Ed Miliband supports cuts, I am glad that he is speaking at this anti-cuts march. It is good for the movement to be able to hold him to account, and maybe to force him into a more progressive position. And there will be many Labour supporters at the march, organising for, and promoting the march. They are the official opposition. I am willing to compromise. But surely this has to be give and take? While there certainly aren’t as many Green members, lots of the more active campaigners and organisers in the anti-cuts movement identify more with Caroline than with Ed Miliband. Surely those organisers who are in this position deserve to have someone prominent on the main stage representing them?

3) It’s a good image

By having a politician speaker other than Ed Miliband, we demonstrate the strength of the breadth of our movement. We show that this is about more than Labour opposition for the sake of opposing the Tories – there are coalitions of people who don’t always agree standing together against the cuts (+ Ed Miliband, who’s in favour of cuts, but also in favour of good photo ops).

4) She’s earnt it:

Caroline Lucas spent her birthday last year protesting with students against fees. Where was Ed Miliband? She has been a leading voice against cuts who has consistantly supported protests against student fees, against cuts and against other austerity measures. She has been a clear and rare voice in the media challenging these cuts and challenging the base of the economic program.

5) She has solutions:

Caroline was one of the originators of the Green New Deal group – the first major policy intervention proposing an alternative route out of austerity. The Green New Deal is to this day exactly what we should be campaigning for – rebuilding a fair low carbon economy from the ashes of the recession. In fact, it is much of what we are marching for.