I wrote in the FT this morning about Tory PPCs being sent by Steve Hilton on a course (last Thursday) to teach them about climate change. It’s a sign that the leadership are worried that Cameron’s backing for the green agenda is not shared across the Conservative party.
“Reducing Britain’s carbon footprint” is the lowest priority (out of 19) of 144 PPCs, according to this Conservative Home poll. Anne Winterton in a recent PMQs voiced the idea that heavy snow proved that climate change was a nonsense.
So which of these two points of view is the genuine Tory heartland belief?
1] This
or
2] This
What’s fascinating is that the green issue is one on which both sides of the Tory party are prepared to take strong positions in public.
Could it form the basis for a major falling-out if and when the Conservatives are in power?
You might argue that it’s not a primary concern for most of Middle England on a day to day basis – but then that was always true of Brussels as well.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey
