BBC Radio 5 Live

The next question comes from Andy, 57, a heating engineer from Stalybridge. He asks what the Green Party’s plans are to deal with the UK’s reliance on gas to heat homes?

Jonathan Bartley says the Green Party plans to retrofit one million homes a year – that means “super insulation”, which will cut energy demands.

He says they want to prioritise those people who are in “fuel poverty”.

Secondly, he says there have been developments in technology, which can transform how houses are heated. He says another option to gas is "electrification".

However, he adds: "We believe that we can't wait around and put all our faith in the new technological developments because they may not happen. We've got to work with what we have got."

He adds that they are not advocating "turning down the heating", but its about improving insulation so there's "less demand".

Image source, WPA Pool/Getty Images

Don't forget that later the BBC's election debate - featuring politicians from seven major parties - is taking place.

Here's our guide to tonight's event.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Matt in Sheffield asks: How do you persuade other countries to reduce their greenhouse gases?

"It's a great question," says the Greens' Jonathan Bartley.

"I believe we have to show leadership and we have to show that it works.

"We have to recognise the things we do in this country aren't in isolation," adding that an example is "if we expand our airports, other countries then have to expand their airports".

"You get a kind of arms race, [a] race to the bottom," he adds.

"If we invest in renewable technology... that technology can then be exported around the world.

"It's about showing leadership, it's about sharing those benefits with others and it's about recognising that what we do doesn't exist in a vacuum."

BBC Radio 5 Live

Now Jonathan Bartley is asked: How will you convince rural Welsh communities that they want to be positively involved in upheaving their entire business and cultural model?

Mr Bartley says that every sector of the economy needs to change to meet the climate emergency – including the agricultural sector.

He says: “The question is how we do it in the most effective, efficient way that protects farmers and small business.”

He says believes the Green Party’s proposal to ring-fence money for agriculture – which is the only sector which will get that treatment – is the best way of doing that as it will make sure no money leaves farming.

He adds that if Richard doesn’t feel the proposals are the best way of securing farmer’s futures they will take on board other opinions.

BBC Radio 5 Live

How many genders are there? That's a question in a tweet from Robert.

"I couldn't give you a number off the top of my head," says Green co-leader Jonathan Bartley. "People self-define in different ways.

"I don't think we need to get hung up on trying to categorise people," he says.

"People need to be free to be able to express themselves in the way that is personal to them.

"It's about their identity and I don't think we need to get hung up on it.

"I do believe people can self-identify... legally, they should be able to do it."

He also says misogyny should be made a hate crime, saying that he is "absolutely shocked" when he sees the Twitter abuse directed at his Green female colleagues.

Is listening to Green Party policies making you wonder whether the other parties stand?

You can compare what the UK's political parties say on key issues - from Brexit and the NHS to education and the environment - in our manifesto guide here.

BBC Radio 5 Live

The next questions is from student Neha from Leamington, who asks the Greens' co-leader: How do you seek to resolve the social care crisis?

Mr Bartley, who is standing as a candidate in London's Dulwich and West Norwood, replies that his party is pledging more than £4bn a year in providing free personal social care to over 65s.

And he says that he realises the NHS is linked to social care so is promising to provide 40,000 extra nurses with bursaries.

"We know that we have to look after our older population... and for us, if we want good services, we have to be honest that we will have to pay for them.

"We have to put that investment in and we want to do it."

BBC Radio 5 Live

Elaine in Middle Barton, Oxfordshire, asks whether Jonathan Bartley thinks it is ethical to rake the deep oceans for the minerals needed for electric cars?

The Green Party co-leader agrees that electric cars also cause damage to the environment, saying it takes nine to 12 tonnes of carbon to produce one electric car, while he also cites issues with pollution.

He says the Green Party wants to give people better transport options so they leave their cars at home.

On electric cars, he says: “They might be a bridge to where we want to get to but they aren’t an answer.”

Asked about how people in rural areas will cope without cars, he says investment needs to provided for local transport so "no-one is left behind".

BBC Radio 5 Live

The next question comes from Sophia, from the constituency where Jacob Rees-Mogg is standing.

Would the Green Party form a coalition with Labour in order to stop the Tories get elected?

"Pressure on us all to hold our noses and vote tactically is immense," says Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley, saying at the last election they did stand down in a number of seats for Labour.

This time, he says: "It's just been a continual disappointment to make moves but get no reciprocation whatsoever.

"If there was a minority Labour government we want to see how we can support Labour to hold their feet to the fire, to make them bolder and more radical than they are, particularly on the climate.

"We want to work constructively where there is common ground with other parties. But where Labour won't embrace electoral reform, all they're doing is lining up another Tory government

"We do need to see Labour embrace a less tribal way of working with other parties."

BBC Radio 5 Live

Now a question from Ed, a livestock farmer from Devon, who asks how much the Green Party’s meat and dairy tax will be?

Jonathan Bartley says doesn’t know exactly how much it will add to individual items but it’s a matter of pence rather than pounds.

He says it’s hard to put actual figures on it “until we see the policy in action” but the party will make sure the money is “ring-fenced” and goes back into farming so farmers “don’t lose out".

He says the party is proposing support for farmers like Ed, and he agrees that there has to be a transition towards more "organic meat" - but he adds it's industrial farming on a widespread scale that causes the big environmental damage.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Jonathan Bartley is also asked about his arrest at a climate change protest earlier this year, and is asked whether the police were right to arrest him.

The Green Party co-leader replies: "There's a pending investigation so I can't really comment on that if that's OK. I'm not trying to cop out."

But he adds that he thinks "it's important for politicians to walk the talk" and that what happened with the protests shows that people feel politicians have let them down and should have done more to respond to the climate emergency.

BBC Radio 5 Live

The first question comes from Josh, 32, an account manager from Wolverhampton who wants to know Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley's thoughts following the Extinction Rebellion protests - "Do you think it was good PR or seen as negative and London-centric?" he asks.

Mr Bartley says he thinks "in the round" it was viewed positively - although questions were raised, including from some in Extinction Rebellion, over some of the tactics.

He adds that "of course, [Sir David] Attenborough coming out very, very strong" to talk about climate change and "all these things have happened in the last year to really ramp up" awareness.

"That in the round has to be a good thing," Mr Bartley adds.

Asked about criticism of the climate campaigners that they can be quite white and middle class, Mr Bartley replies that "the whole climate movement needs to take these on board... it's the poorest on board who are going to suffer".

BBC Radio 5 Live

An hour-long Q&A with Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley is about to get underway on BBC Radio 5 Live and the News Channel.

We'll bring you updates from Mr Bartley's interview as it happens.

He is the latest party leader to face questions from the audience on the BBC.

Earlier this month the PM also took part - you can watch video on BBC iPlayer.

Image source, UK Parliament/Getty

The fallout from last night's TV debate is continuing to make the headlines, but don't forget there is another one this evening.

Senior figures from seven major political parties will be quizzed in a live debate on BBC One in Cardiff, hosted by Nick Robinson, starting at 19:00 GMT.

Lib Dem leaders Jo Swinson and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon are among those who will take part. Read the list of the other participants here.

Each will have opening and closing statements and they will face questions from the audience in Cardiff.

Boris Johnson's father has defended his son's decision not to take part in the TV debate on climate change, saying the PM sent "a valid substitute" in Michael Gove.

Stanley Johnson, a former Conservative MEP, author and environmentalist, attended the debate after being invited by Channel 4 and spoke in the run-up about the importance of the discussion and the need for all parties to attend.

He says he sent his son a message via Whatsapp before the event and the PM replied “Gove on” - which his father took to mean that former environment secretary Mr Gove "was on the case".

Mr Gove offered to take the PM's place, but the broadcaster said the invitation was for leaders only.

Mr Johnson says he is “not privy” to the PM’s diary and he says he didn’t know exactly where his son was.

He says that, as prime minister, his son has “enormous demands" on his time and there may be other more important things to do.

"What is a very important debate has been slightly side-tracked by the discussions on whether the prime minister should have appeared - of course I personally would have liked to have seen him there," he says.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is quizzed about the Conservatives' pledge to give an extra £10m of funding to Ofsted.

The BBC presenter asks him whether he regrets the Tories' significant budget cut to Ofsted?

"No, we're not saying that was a mistake, we were dealing with an economic crisis that the last Labour government had created," says Mr Williamson.

"Labour governments always tend to leave you with a big deficit... We've been recognising that we need to put more money into Ofsted."

Both Labour and the Lib Dems want to replace Ofsted with different bodies.

The Conservatives are focusing on education today - and in particular on their plans for watchdog Ofsted.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says his party is planning to hold a pilot to trial inspections of schools with no notice.

"There are certain situations where there may be particular concerns about a school and what it's doing and the ability to have no-notice inspections is important to... have that as a key part of a toolbox that Ofsted have," says Mr Williamson.

"But what's more important is the £10m we are spending on Ofsted, raising the standard and the quality of the inspection that schools will have.

"And also looking at some of the larger schools... making sure that they are getting discipline right, making sure that they are delivering the full range of enrichment activities whether that's PE and sport."

He's asked about the headteachers' union NAHT, which has warned, external that teacher recruitment is suffering because of the pressure of inspections.

Mr Williamson replies: "The reason we are running a pilot is making sure we can take on everyone's views and thoughts on this process."

If you care about what the parties are promising to do about crime, here are some key issues to watch for.