Between liberals & conservatives

Last summer saw attempts at the European Union (EU) to raise CO2 emission reduction targets. Lib Dem MEP Mr Chris Davies (2011) wrote, rather scathingly, on the divide the issue was driving between the coalition partners.

Mr Davies was clear however that such a divide was not necessary, since the coalition agreement contained a resolved government policy on the matter (2010). It states that:

'We will push for the EU to demonstrate leadership in tackling international climate change, including by supporting an increase in the EU emission reduction target to 30% by 2020'

As it turned out, Mr Davies' concerns were accurate, as Tory MEPs did indeed vote against the increase - and against the agreed policy (Harvey, 2011).

Accompanying the CO2 reduction in driving a wedge between the coalition partners, are the EU's attempts at taxing air travel. These attempts provoked outrage - with the press happy to run the doom & gloom consequence stories, from fears of US punitive counter-policy (Millward, 2011), to outright refusal to comply by major Chinese airlines (Watts, 2012), to fears of rising travel costs (Massey, 2011).

And it's not just Britain where liberals and conservatives are being driven to hostility by divides over environmental issues. In Canada, the parties have also been at loggerheads over the withdrawal of the nation from the Kyoto agreement (BBC, 2011).

Conservative Federal Environment Minister, Mr Peter Kent, had been chastising the opposition for not taking part in the Kyoto proceedings in Durban - inspite of the fact that the governing Conservatives had banned non-government MPs form being part of the Canadian delegation.

This appears to have been more dishonesty than Liberal MP for Papineau, Mr Justin Trudeau, could stand (Fitzpatrick, 2011):

NDP MP Megan Leslie: The rest of the world is moving forward, building a new energy economy, but Canada is being left behind by this Conservative inaction. So why are they refusing to act?

Kent: Well Mister Speaker my honourable colleague, if she had been in Durban, would have seen that in fact [shouting] that Canada was...

Trudeau: [shouting from the backbenches] ...Oh, you piece of shit

Later Trudeau rose to say that:

'During Question Period the Minister of the Environment chided the Member of Parliament from Halifax for not having attended the conference in Durban, after he prevented any member of the oppositions from attending - therefore, I lost my temper and used language that was most decidedly unparliamentary and for that I unreservedly apologise and withdraw my remark'

Both in Canada & the UK, Conservatives have taken a very sceptical attitude towards reduction of carbon emissions. While in Canada the matter is a dispute between government & opposition, in the UK those differences are contained within the governing coalition.

The differences of opinion within the coalition on both Europe & the environment are well known. As such the coalition document was intended to be a jointly binding agreement, placing disputes out of the way for the sake of 'national stability'.

It is a wonder then how the Conservatives have flaunted the document. The Tory rebellion on CO2 emissions broke one small commitment the party had made. Yet it was a commitment signed nonetheless. And when combined with incidents such as the Euro 'veto', where the Tories left their partners high and dry (BBC, 2012), it builds a picture of broken trust.

The Tories failed to get a majority at the 2010 election. As such they must govern in coalition with another party - the only likely party being the Liberal Democrats - if they wish to govern at all. It seems beyond belief that they can hold together a coalition for another three years with so much broken trust to repair.

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References:
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+ Chris Davies' 'Conservatives and climate change – Tuesday’s revealing vote in Strasbourg'; in Liberal Democrat Voice; 4 July 2011.

+ The Coalition's 'Our Programme for Government'; May 2010.

+ Fiona Harvey's 'EU votes against reducing carbon emissions by 30%'; in The Guardian; 5 July 2011.

+ David Millward's 'EU green tax triggers fears of aviation trade war'; in The Telegraph; 23 December 2011.

+ Jonathan Watts' 'Chinese airlines refuse to pay EU carbon tax'; in The Guardian; 4 January 2012.

+ Ray Massey's 'Now Brussels clobbers British holidaymakers with a green tax on flights: Family of four forced to pay £80 more to fly to America'; in The Mail; 22 December 2011.

+ BBC's 'Canada withdraws from Kyoto pact'; 13 December 2011.

+ Meagan Fitzpatrick's 'Justin Trudeau apologizes for swearing at Kent' on CBC News; 14 December 2011.

+ Sarah Montague & Nick Clegg on 'Today'; on BBC Radio 4; 5 January 2012.