Huhne: We are the real deal on climate change
The Conservatives are just “talk, waffle and words” on the environment and must not be allowed to “piggy back” on Liberal Democrat policies, Chris Huhne has warned.
The Lib Dem environment spokesman said that while the two parties had cooperated in backing plans for a new climate change bill, this partnership would be suspended until the Tories could put their policies where their rhetoric was.
“We would not let the Tories hide behind our efforts, or piggy-back on our policies. Now the Tories have to come up with policies of their own,” he told delegates at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton.
He added: “As people care more about climate change, they do not want cut-price Cameron copy. They want the real deal. And that is what we offer.”
Speaking later Treasury spokesman Vince Cable also attacked the Conservatives, in particular David Cameron’s practice of cycling to work followed by his official car carrying his suit and papers.
“There is a new version of the 4×4 called the Cameronette – it has a little windmill on the top to power the air conditions and cycle section for use between photo calls. These guys are not seriously about the environment and we are,” he said.
However, shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth accused the Lib Dems of being “vitriolic” and said they were scared because Mr Cameron’s commitment to the environment “is not in any doubt”.
“The time for petty point-scoring on climate change, from any political party, is surely past,” the Conservative MP said.
“We are pushing for a climate change bill in the next session of parliament. We look forward to working with both Labour and the Liberal Democrats to make this bill as robust as possible.”
Mr Huhne also attacked Labour’s record on climate change, accusing them of a “completely disjointed” policy that pledged to tackle global warming but allowed carbon emissions to rise and built homes on flood plains.
He condemned Tony Blair’s support for nuclear power as a way of reducing Britain’s reliance on fossil fuels, saying: “Nuclear technology is tried, tested and failed. We say no to more nuclear power.”
And Mr Huhne warned that instead of taxing polluting behaviour, chancellor Gordon Brown had “done the opposite – he has cut taxes on polluters by 20 per cent and put up taxes on income”.
By contrast, the Lib Dems’ new tax proposals being debated this morning would use the tax system to get people to live more environmentally friendly lives, by taxing gas-guzzling 4x4s and airline emissions.
“Green taxes are the only realistic way of achieving real cuts [in emissions] quickly. Green taxes raise the price of pollution and ensure we pollute less. They change behaviour,” Mr Huhne argued.
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