According to the Lib Dems, the Conservative's "may have started to talk green but are continuing to act dirty":
- David Cameron switched to a supposedly green hybrid Lexus GS, but it is so big that it is more polluting than the 10 best selling models in the UK.
- The Conservatives were silent or critical during the debate on the recent Finance Bill on fuel duty, vehicle excise duty, climate change levy, land fill tax and aggregates levy. Their year long tax commission did not come up with a single proposal for David Cameron on green taxes, stating that this was "beyond their remit". Shadow Chancellor George Osborne clearly didn't think it was important enough to include in their remit, and this 'expert' Tory group decided to ignore it anyway. The Tories have backed green taxes... but spelt out none of the detail [on green taxes]." Nick Robinson 30 Oct 06, BBC.
- Cameron avoided the tricky issue of nuclear power by shunting the decision off to his policy commissions, which is not due to report until 2007. And Scottish Tories voted in May for the building of new nuclear power stations north of the border.
- Conservatives shadow ministers in the Lords voted against measures in the Company Law Reform Bill requiring companies to give greater regard to the environment.
- In March, Tory backbenchers attempted to kill off the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill by filibustering - talking it out of time.
- In his first speech as party leader, David Cameron said: "I want to build more roads, we need a concerted programme of road building."
- Half the Tory party, including David Cameron, have snubbed environmental motions calling on the Government to tackle climate change.
- Tory Euro MP Caroline Jackson admitted: "I think from the point of view of the Conservative party pursuing the green line it is all talk and no action at the moment." Yet European action is key to tackling global climate change, as it was with Kyoto.
- Tories on the London Assembly and in Richmond-on-Thames attacked plans to impose higher parking fees on gas-guzzling cars.
- Penny Hedgeland, a councillor in Mole Valley, Surrey, quit the Tory party last month, saying: "Mr Cameron does not seem to be following up his rather vague aspirations with any solid policies."
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