Uk Policy

UPDATE: Twenty-five climate campaigners were arrested at 5.30pm today after ending their two day occupation of one of Britain's dirtiest power stations. One of the volunteers Ben Stewart said, "Since being here we have halved Co2 emissions from this power station by stopping coal entering the facility. We've forced Tony Blair to answer direct questions from us about his climate trashing policies and shown that there is a cleaner, more efficient way of generating energy."

Remember 1997? Imagine somebody had predicted then that, within a decade, the Conservatives would be advocating "a revolution in green energy" and New Labour would be the only mainstream party still clinging to nuclear power as a central part of their energy policy. You probably wouldn't have rushed down to Ladbroke's.

Tony Blair

At regular intervals over the last few years, Tony Blair has given strong speeches on the importance and urgency of tackling climate change. He has told us that this is the single greatest challenge facing the international community, and that the scientific evidence is alarming. He is certainly right about that. He has also said that he is personally passionate about solving the problem.

Greenpeace has been sharply critical of Blair on other issues - on GM, nuclear power and, above all, Iraq. But on climate we have tried to believe in his sincerity. We need politicians to take the lead, and we need to support them when they do. It's not our style to ask automatically, as Jeremy Paxman does, "why is this bastard lying to me?"