Was delighted to go to the PCS union picket line yesterday outside the Job Centre on Edward Street with some Green city councillors, including my two city parliamentary candidate colleagues, Ian Davey (Hove) and Ben Duncan (Brighton Kemptown) pictured with me.

We went to show support for the members of the PCS union taking strike action against privatisation and cuts to junior civil servants and public employees.

Greens are the only political party genuinely committed to protecting the public sector and public sector workers - this was only highlighted by the distinct absence of the other parties - believing wholeheartedly in high quality public services that are publicly funded, publicly owned, and publicly accountable.

Rather than the savage cuts being planned by the other parties, we want serious investment in public services.

It's precisely at a time of recession that we need government investment to safeguard jobs, otherwise we face the risk of a double-dip recession.