Daily archives: April 17, 2006


MPs' Green press releases

More from the corridors of spin-

Energy Review: MP Calls On Pm To Make Good On His ‘Renewables Rhetoric’

In her submission to the Energy Review, deadline today, Lynne Jones points out the failure of the Government to act on the rhetoric of Tony Blair’s high profile speech on the environment of 6 March 2001 and calls on the Government to get back on track with its original energy policy. This emphasised the importance of energy conservation and investment in renewable energy.

Lynne Jones said “Five years ago the Prime Minister said that 50% of the world’s energy needs could be met by renewables by 2050 and the role of Government is to accelerate the development and take up of these new technologies until self-sustaining markets take over”.

“Welsh Lib Dems Submission to Energy Review: Nuclear Power Is Not The Answer”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats made a submission to the Energy Review Consultation today telling the Government that nuclear energy was ‘not the answer’ to Wales’ energy needs.

Commenting, Mick Bates, AM for Montgomeryshire and Welsh Lib Dem spokesman on Energy in the National Assembly for Wales, said:

“Our submission to the Energy Review clearly outlines our position: we are strongly against building a new generation of nuclear power plants in Wales and the UK.

“Instead of walking us up the nuclear path, the Government should do more to encourage energy efficiency, decentralise our energy supply system, and develop renewable energy to ensure Wales has a sustainable and secure energy supply.”

‘16,000 tonnes of nappies a year boost case for real thing’, says MP

Brighton Pavilion Labour and Co-operative MP David Lepper is backing the events to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Real Nappy Week from 24-30 April.

Fashion shows, ‘nappuccino’ coffee mornings and hundreds of other events across the UK and abroad will reveal how far real nappies have come in the last decade. No longer just an eco and economic option, real nappies are now a fashionable lifestyle choice.

Technorati tag: , ,


Could anyone ever be that angry?

Anger with the main parties has led more people to consider voting for the British National Party, a report for a social policy research group says.

The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust said up to 25% of voters said they “might vote” for the far-right party.

The BNP said the report reflected voter “tension” about multi-cultural Britain.

It sounds more like stupidity to me. If you’re angry at the way the main parties are running the country the last thing to do is vote in a bunch who could only be worse.

I’m probably voting Green in the local elections. But I need to know a bit more about who’s standing.

Technorati tag: , ,


Local planning inspectors- not doing their bit to save the world

A Wilmslow man who wants to build an “excellent” eco home has had planning permission denied a second time because it wouldn’t look enough like the buildings surrounding it. The design called for lightweight concrete for the walls, reconstituted timber for the frame, recycled rubber for the flat roof, and solar panels to generate electricity and had impressed Macclesfield council’s design officer, the Wilmslow Trust, and Cheshire Wildlife, who all supported the proposal. However the council planning sub-committee rejected the scheme because of the views of a planning inspector who had said the new house would be so different from any other in the locality in terms of shape, style, and design and materials that it would fail to reflect any aspect of the local character, making it unacceptable in the countryside.

I can see the reasons for wanting to retain local character and not knocking down historically significant buildings, but planning inspectors seem so damn inconsistent. They’ll let butt ugly modern builds go through if they’re “traditional” looking cookie cutter designs, but have hissy fits over bespoke low energy houses designed around their location. It makes me despair.

Technorati tag: ,