Mapping out climate goal

I had to smile when I read Eric Pickles' recent claims in the Brentwood Gazette that the Tories and Liberal Democrats shared similar views on a number of policy areas.

While we may agree on certain areas such as being against 42 days detention and the introduction of ID cards, there are many areas where we definitely do differ and never more so than on the environment.

Despite David Cameron's best efforts to spin the Tories as the party for the environment even he can't hide the truth about their dismal record.

Their environmental policies have been slammed by both Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, they have the least green local councils according to a Guardian survey and they are the only political party split on climate change science.

On transport they are known to support a big road building programme, they were the ones that wrecked Britain's railways with a botched sell off and David Cameron's own car pumps more carbon than the top 10 UK cars.

In contrast the Liberal Democrats have put together a number of radical new policies to tackle climate change.

The goal is to reach a zero carbon Britain by 2050. The plans will make Britain a world leader in tackling climate change.

Our policies will see local people given more power over the running of bus services. It will see major improvements to our rail networks and it will see Income Tax cut and a switch to green taxes on pollution.

If this country is serious about tackling climate change and saving our environment then some tough decisions are going to have to be made.

I am proud that the Liberal Democrats are the first major British party to map out the route to a carbon neutral Britain.

If the Tories ever want to be taken seriously on the environment then it is time that Eric and his Conservative colleagues set out their own case because they can't hide behind their empty rhetoric forever.

Cllr David Kendall

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Brentwood and Ongar