Hazel re-asserts Lib Dems green credentials

11.13.18am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 24th Apr 2005

Lib Dem green campaigner Hazel Thorpe

As the election is now in full swing, it is such a pity that even City Councillors have to misrepresent the facts about other Parties' policies. Our residents are concerned and confused by such rhetoric. Pavilion Lib Dem Candidate Hazel Thorpe writes.

I have had the pleasure of the company of a member of the Green party on several Forums, and he, whilst having good rhetoric has resorted to misleading statements.

It would be good if, as he asserts others should do, he sticks to the facts and allow them to speak for themselves.

Fact one; whilst the Friends of the Earth (FoE), according to an email support the Green Party, Tony Jupiter , Director of FoE , (Press release 14,04.05 ) has also been quoted as saying that, " the Lib Dems have produced the greenest manifesto of the major parties at Westminster", and further commenting on our manifesto, RIBA President George Ferguson, said " The Liberal Democrats have sought to run a green thread of environmental awareness through their thinking , and I congratulate them for placing such a strong emphasis on climate change and the built environment in their manifesto", just two Independent expert opinions.

Fact two; Liberal Democrats have always been against the War in Iraq.

We have supported our Armed Forces because that is the right thing to do, especially when men and women have lost their lives and if not their life, the quality of life, that the rest of us can enjoy because they fought for us.

Over 1,500 coalition soldiers, including 86 British serviceman, well over 15,000 Iraqi civilians have died and many more injured because of the decision made by our Government in our name.

Apart from the immense human cost, and the environmental cost, the financial burden on this country has been increased by £3 billion pounds , and could rise to £5 billion by the end of the year. This cost has not been shared any other countries because we went it alone without the support of the United Nations.

Fact three; Of the three main parties the Liberal Democrats have spent the least money on campaigning, ( £2million) , both Labour and the Tories have been estimated as spending £15, million) Charles Kennedy 's campaign is carbon neutral through our contributions to "Climate Care", who fund projects around the world to reduce Greenhouse gases.

For £65 Liberal Democrats offset 10 tonnes of CO2 emissions covering 500,000 leaflets, 3,000miles of car travel and energy use from their campaign base! Our headquarters runs on green electricity and all of our literature produced locally is on recycled paper, and finally Norman Baker, our Environmental spokesman, among other MPs sponsored a new Climate Change Bill requiring emissions to be cut by 3% each and every year from 2010 - 2050

(F oE).

Therefore we can claim to be greener than the rest.