Time was when you knew where you stood in about what the major political parties stood for. Generally speaking they were on different sides of the fence and you could more or less predict what they would say about the big issues.
Not now.
Last week saw Gordon Brown entertaining Baroness Thatcher at number 10 and highlighting the similarities between them both. And the Tories published their ‘blueprint for a green world’ which calls, amongst other things, for higher taxes on polluters, changes to electrical goods to remove the standby option.
So what’s happening, is it a good thing and who are we to support? I found myself, somewhat incredulously, nodding in agreement as I read a piece by John Gummer (yes - he of the force-feeding beef burgers to his children in public to ‘prove’ they were safe!). He wrote in The Observer last Sunday “If we are to create a way of living that one planet can sustain then water, waste, transport and energy, as well as farming, food, fishing and the built environment – have to be thought of as a whole”. He’s right of course. We can’t go on treating things as if they are in separate silos if we are to really reduce the damage we are doing to the environment.
It’s what I was trying to say in my last piece about the way some campaign groups are mounting blinkered campaigns. Constitutionally the Vegetarian Society can’t really campaign on environmental issues and Friends of the Earth can’t endorse vegetarianism (with its attendant benefits for the planet) because that’s not what they are there for.
It seems to me that there’s got to be a greater convergence of thought about climate change and the environment. It’s time to dismantle the barriers between different groups and promote a single message. Precious time is being wasted on political point scoring and inter-organisational battles. Let’s act holistically.
I sense a groundswell of opinion that wants action but it’s being squashed by political and organisational inertia.
What do you think? Is this pie in the sky stuff?
I’ll finish with another quote from an unlikely source - “We do not have this world freehold, but on a full repairing lease” (M Thatcher).
Surely no one can in their right mind can believe Tory claims about how 'green' they would be if they were allowed back into office - god forbid? If you actually look at their proposals in detail, the Tories' so called green agenda would have zero effect in helping the environment. Traditionally, the Conservative Party has always been the party of pollution: they supported, the mass building of roads, destroyed Britain's public transport system, and introduced the me, me, me agenda of toxic Mondeo man who continues to thrive. And beneath all the rhetoric and spin of today, I don't see that anything has changed. The Tories also support animal cruelty and would have never banned fur farming or the vile, 4X4 generating practice of hunting with dogs. The mainstream party with the best green credentials are the Lib Dems so why on earth are you - a vegan! - bigging up a band of dishonest, selfish and hypocritcal individuals better known as the Conservatives?
Posted by Incredulous | September 23, 2007 12:27 AM