Bridget signs up for action on climate change

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 7th Sep 2007

Bridget is backing the Big Ask campaign

Liberal Democrat campaigner Bridget Fox is backing Friend of the Earth's 'Big Ask' campaign for real action on climate change. Bridget, who is the candidate for the marginal Islington South & Finsbury constituency, is supporting radical proposals from her party for Britain to go carbon-neutral by 2050. The Liberal Democrat plans include a commitment to 100 per cent carbon free, non-nuclear electricity. They would abolish the unpopular council tax, switching to taxing pollution instead. New green taxes on aviation would be offset by a 4p cut to 16 pence in the basic rate of income tax.

Bridget says "We need a green tax switch, to tax pollution not people. Here in Islington, Lib Dems in local government are installing wind turbines on public buildings and giving cheaper parking to drivers who chooser greener cars. There are lots of actions the Labour Government could be taking too; from removing VAT on home improvements to stopping airport expansion. Instead they are going backwards."

There is concern among environmentalists that the Labour government is retreating from real action on climate change. Local Labour MP Emily Thornberry talked tough on environment issues when first elected but has now quit the Environmental Audit Committee; she has angered many environmentalists with her support for nuclear power. Meanwhile the Tories are divided over green taxes and are proposing airport expansion and road building that would make the problem worse.

This week Bridget renewed her sign-up to Friends of the Earth's 'Big Ask' campaign. Bridget says, "Last year Friend of the Earth supporters got the Government to promise a Bill on Climate Change. But now we need to know it will actually do the job."

The 'Big Ask' campaign says the Climate Change Bill must:

• reduce emissions every year so the UK reaches a target of at least 80% cuts by 2050

• include annual targets so politicians can't blame preceding Governments for missed targets

• include emissions from international aviation and shipping.