How the Tories could get the public to go green
10:52am
The YouGov poll in Sunday Times which shows that Labour is five points ahead also contains some instructive data on the public's reactions to the policies suggested by the Tory Quality of Life policy review group. Whenever there is a genuine combination of carrots and sticks proposed there is popular support for the ideas. So, 80 percent of people favour raising taxes on gas guzzling cars while reducing those on low emission vehicles. Equally, 83 percent support lowering stamp duty on energy efficient homes. By contrast, 70 percent oppose charging people to park in supermarket car parks and 54 percent disagree with the idea of putting VAT on short haul flights. A green agenda that worked on encouraging good behaviour as much as punishing bad would be both good for the planet and a vote winner.
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simon
September 16th, 2007 11:42amThese are encouraging figures for Cameron as"carrot & stick" is his policy. Yougov dont adjust for turnout so Labour's lead probably about 2%.
David Parker
September 16th, 2007 5:59pmIf Green means callow and inexperienced then Cameron leads the field. Certainly, we (in the West) live in a profligate and probably unsustainable society which, for our own sakes as well as those of others must adapt and change. However, climate change, which is a natural and long term cyclical phenomenon and the so called current 'abnormal global warming'(which is certainly scientifically disputable) have both been allowed to become political and media bandwagons, which have so distorted cool, rational and unbiased debate that few, if any, of the main proponents have recognised "the elephant in the room". At the present predicted rate of growth in demand the known reserves of hydro-carbon fuel sources will probably be exhausted before the end of this century. This, unless we can develop sufficient sustainable alternative energy sources, is more likely to result in a massive (possibly nuclear) global conflict over the dwindling remaining reserves, with a destructive potential far greater than any so called "carbon footprint". Unfortunately,since this is a definite, but not immediate prospect, political campaigns will be concentrated upon maximising the present perceived problem rather than honestly addressing the real long term one. ,
jimmy
September 17th, 2007 11:40amCould you find a more recent photo, please? I already feel the cold from the coming Autumn. That photo makes me feel it's winter already! Brr!