Liberal Democrats serious about Climate Change, Tories need encouragement

2.07.33pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th Jun 2006

The Liberal Democrats have suspended their participation in a cross-party approach to climate change due to failure to reach agreement with the Conservatives on the development of specific policies.

Sir Menzies Campbell said: "We are open to co-operation with other parties on the key challenge of climate change, but it is evident to us that this does require urgent agreement on specific measures. The Tories are unable to provide that agreement."

"When the Conservatives have some specific ideas to discuss, we will be happy to look at participation again. The whole idea of the cross-party approach was to allow all parties to be braver in putting forward new ideas, but the Conservatives are unable to commit."

Tony Blair wants more nuclear reactors; Gordon Brown supports him. Will Dave Cameron join Ming Campbell and the Liberal Democrats in opposing this wrong-headed move?

"Nuclear power, fuel duty, vehicle excise duty and the climate change levy are all areas where we believe we have to make a judgement now."

The issue was brought to a head by attempts to negotiate a joint submission to the all-party climate change group which is enquiring into the cross-party approach. The agreement between the parties dates back to December, following an initiative taken by Charles Kennedy during the general election."

The talks over the joint submission were led for the Liberal Democrats by Chris Huhne, the shadow environment secretary, who reported back on progress to yesterday's shadow cabinet.

Chris Huhne said: "We could not even get the Conservatives to agree that green taxes should rise as a percentage of national income, even though the leading countries in this field all levy more than we do as a way of changing behaviour. It is all very well agreeing to targets, but you have to have some idea of how you are going to meet them if you are going to be taken seriously."

Philip James, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Liberal Democrats in Bristol East, commented:

"Concerted action to counter climate change is urgently required. Let's hope the Tories can 'stiffen their sinews' to join the Liberal Democrats in making the hard decisions needed to stop large parts of Great Britain being flooded by the sea. When will the Conservatives admit that civil nuclear power is not the silver bullet the top leadership of New Labour are making it out to be."

Related Link:

The Green Switch - Lib-Dems praised for their environmental policies.