LABOUR 'ALL TALK AND NO ACTION' ON ENVIRONMENT (Durham Liberal Democrats)

Durham Liberal Democrats <info@durhamlibdems.org.uk>

LABOUR 'ALL TALK AND NO ACTION' ON ENVIRONMENT

November 4, 2009 12:00 AM

10:10 The Labour County Council has been widely criticised for refusing to sign up to the 10:10 environmental campaign.

Lib Dems in Durham had called on the Council to take the lead in the fight to reduce green house gas emissions by pledging to reduce their carbon footprint by 10% in 2010.

The Labour Council refused to sign up and instead merely offered words of support for the project. While dozens of other Councils across the Country have joined the campaign, including the Lib Dem-run Newcastle Council - Labour bosses in Durham have claimed that they are doing enough already.

Carol Woods, Lib Dem campaigner in Durham, seconded the motion to Council and said she was disappointed that it had been watered down.

Carol said, "This Labour Council, like this Labour Government, is all talk and no action on the environment. There is a line of hypocrisy and cynicism which marks their view of environmental issues. You can see that in the way our Labour MP voted against action on climate change in Parliament just last month.

"We are all aware that much bigger reductions in emissions are required in the long run but what this Council and our MP seem to have missed is the opportunity this campaign gives us to kick start change right now. They should be putting their full support behind this as many others have. Instead they have merely offered warm words which will do nothing to halt global warming."