Tree-hugging isn’t just for the Greens, it seems – as former Tory leadership contender James Cleverly will insist this evening. At a London event tonight, the ex-Foreign Secretary will make the case that Conservatives should care about the climate and urge his colleagues to reject ‘both the luddite Left and the luddite Right’ on green policy. ‘Conservative environmentalism doesn’t mean a choice between growth and sustainability,’ Cleverly will tell the Conservative Environment Network tonight in a dig at both the Labour government and Reform UK.
The former Cabinet Secretary will speak this evening at the annual Sam Baker Memorial Lecture – where he will award Tory MP Andrew Griffith for championing the marine environment of Chagos. Cleverly will tell his audience that the country must ‘push further, faster and smarter’ on green tech, before going on:
The idea that we must choose between a strong economy and protecting our environment is outdated.

Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in