Labour, Conservatives and Lib Dems clash over environment policies

26 Apr, 2010

Adapted from an article by Juliette Jowit 'The Guardian' 22.04.2010

Important differences between the major parties on the environment have emerged when they clashed in the second election debate over nuclear power, windfarms, expanding flying, and the number of climate change sceptics in their ranks.

While Labour and the Conservatives seem to agree on new nuclear power stations, Miliband accused the Lib Dems of "ducking" difficult issues, and asked their spokesman, Simon Hughes, to explain how his party would meet their pledge to cut electricity emissions without it.

Hughes did not answer directly, but said instead that a key reason they could meet their energy targets was because they would do more to make homes and businesses energy efficient.

Clark was also challenged to explain how the Conservatives could insist there would be no taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power, despite reports that new nuclear reactors could not be built and operated without public support. "We're very clear, we're not going to subsidise it," Clark said in response.

Miliband and Hughes attacked the record of Conservative councils in opposing windfarms, but Clark said this was because "we have more councils, and they are more likely to be in rural areas where wind is built".

Labour and the Conservatives disagreed on how the problem could be solved. It was a debate that went to the heart of a wider clash between the party manifestos, over whether the government needed to intervene more to deliver environmental improvements.

Clark said "It does require leadership. Of course we are in favour of [profit-sharing], but the question is: are you going to say to local authorities 'you have to be part of our plan', or not?"

The most heated debate, was over claims many Conservatives are sceptical that climate change is caused mostly by humans and that the government needs to urgently tackle it. In the most high-profile case, Miliband claimed Tory culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, had responded to a question by saying "there are climate sceptics in all parties", implying that the shadow business secretary was one.