Will We Miss Huhne

The LidDems are claiming that the loss of Huhme as Climate Change Minister will make no difference to them. But oddly they claim that green groups lament the loss of Huhne.

This government has so far failed to live up to most of its promises. On the day 100 tories are rebeling over wind farms I was curious about the claims so looked up some quotes to see if it was justified.

Greenpeace head John Sauven said "He has been a vocal advocate for the green agenda in a government whose green credentials are looking more than a little tarnished." So Greenpeace say he spoke well but was not effective.

David Hunt, co-founder of renewable technology firm Eco Environments, tweeted: ‘A court case too far for Chris Huhne as I said. Maybe he’ll now have time to contemplate the jobs & businesses he killed.’ Thats pretty bad.

Friends of the Earth’s executive director Andy Atkins said: ‘Chris Huhne has championed the environment in an administration that’s shown little enthusiasm for keeping David Cameron’s pledge to be the greenest government ever. ‘He should be commended for insisting on tougher climate targets and fighting for a Green Investment Bank - but his department’s incompetent handling of solar cuts has put 29,000 jobs at risk. ‘Leaving consumers to compare energy tariffs as a way to tackle soaring bills is woefully inadequate. What we really need is decisive government action to get us off the hook of expensive fossil fuels and invest in clean British energy instead. ‘The new energy secretary must stand firm against [chancellor] George Osborne’s anti-green agenda and make the case that protecting our environment is a way to boost not hinder our economic recovery.’

David Cameron promised this would be the 'greenest government ever'. But on his watch the Green Investment Bank has been delayed, thousands of jobs and businesses in the solar industry have been put at risk and the UK has fallen from third in the world for investment in green growth. #epicfail

George Osborne's speech to the Tory party conference in October, when he said the UK should cut its emissions "no slower but no faster" than other European nations. #epicfail

Rather than the greenest government ever we have seen them step back even from Labours poor effort. They will be judged on emissions going down as well as unemployment. And both emissions and unemployment seem to be increasing. Some serious green investment is needed. Only real greens promise this.

PS Local LD Gareth Epps doesnt think Ed Davey is fit to be a cabinet minister!

(Sir) Fred and 'Lord' Ashcroft

Crusader Cameron goes populist and de-knights Fred, a bit late mind. Dodgy timing.

The day before Panorama exposed Lord Ashcroft as a crook, any sign of his honours being removed? Not to mention the fuss over Hesters bonus.

Freds knighthood was at least a reward for his then sucess.

From 2000 until 2008 he presided over RBS's rapid rise to global prominence as the world's largest company by assets (£1.9 trillion), and fifth-largest bank by stock market value. Unfortunately it then had an even more rapid fall as RBS was forced into a sort of nationalisation in 2008.

In contrast Ashcroft became a Lord after a loan to the Conservative Party of (up to) £5m. Coincidental? Lord Ashcroft admitted he did not pay tax in the UK on most of his non-UK earnings, but said the undertaking agreed at the time of becoming a Lord was to be a "long term resident", and he had complied with that. On that score most of us out qualify Ashcroft, but dont hold your breath.

Others are also looking at who may be next.

Redwoods Latest Mistake

What a site John Redwood MP blog is for those wishing to ignore the science.

Just read some comments. They need to read some of the science and stop thinking its all a conspiracy theory involving watermelons.

The MP for Wokingham says:

"The fascinating thing is how uncertain the scientists are about their predictions. By the 2080s they forecast an increase in temperature in the UK of somewhere between 1 degree and 8 degrees. They think summer rainfall may have increased a bit, or may have fallen sharply. They think winter rainfall may have stayed the same, or may go up a lot.

They are not even sure what is happening to emissions of carbon dioxide. They say “It is too early to establish whether actual emissions are pursuing any particular emissions scenario”."

NASA say:

that "The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years."

"Despite the fact it's been warmer and cooler at different times in the last 10 years, there's no part of the last 10 years that isn't warmer than the temperatures we saw 100 years ago."

AWE Protest Calcot 8th Feb

"West Berkshire Council's planning committee will be hearing the application to build a new Technology Development Centre at the Atomic Weapons Aldermaston on Wednesday 8 February 2012.

Please come along to have your say and join us at the planning committee meeting at 5.45 pm at the Calcot Centre, Highview, Reading (near M4 Junction 12)."

Join the facebook group here

Shinfield Road Saga Continues

The disaster at Shinfield Road continues to frustrate motorists and residents.

This weeks paper is full of Tories complaining about how terrible it is. They hope we forget their own part in the saga.
It was a Labour sheme implemented under a ConsLD coalition administration. They broke every promise. Tories said they would replace lights with a roundabout, this was the opposite. LD said they supported cycle paths but none were built.

On this and other issues the three big parties are just the same, time for a change. Get people out of cars and in sustainable transport, buses, cycling and walking.

Benefits Cap Myths

Myths of the governments policy exposed here.

www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/exposed-six-myths-of-the-benefits-cap/

It will drive hundreds if thousands into poverty, particularlly children. The disruption of moving all those people may even result in an increase in costs.

It encourages the break up of families and increases homelesness. Aside from rich people wanting to get rid of their poorer  neighbours is there any benedit to this plan.

Come on Lords this is your chance to oppose this  disaster. time for a change

Berkshire Greenpeace Campaign Against AWE

Berkshire Greenpeace are campaigning against an application to West Berkshire District Council by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) at Aldermaston to build new research facilities. We've been here before and the council usually ignore hundreds of objections, in fact we suspect they put them straight in the shredder. We've build a state of the art objection disposal contraption to save them the trouble.

More details and information on how to get involved at facebook.com/groups/notonukes/

No say in atomic weapons development from Berkshire Greenpeace on Vimeo.