Labour / Tory Alliance Blocks Call for Action on Climate Change
June 22, 2005 1:58 PM
Political cowardice plumbed new depths today, as with an hour of scheduled council time to go, the Labour & Tory groups voted against hearing, discussing or voting on a topical motion on climate change.
A motion to be proposed by Cllr Gary Hopkins calling upon Tony Blair to make use of his special relationship with George Bush to tackle climate change at G8 on 6-8 July did not actually get debated by Bristol City Council.
Every single Labour & Tory councillor present took part in a named vote to halt discussion of motions. The meeting eventually finished over an hour before its anticipated time.
Labour councillors were repeatedly chided by the Lord Mayor for apparent repetition on the previous motion as it took up the allocated 30 minutes on the agenda, as he warned that time was running out to debate the motion on climate change.
Cllr Gary Hopkins, Executive Member for Sustainable Environment & Neighbourhoods and proposer of the scuppered motion said "I am saddened but unfortunately not surprised that councillors from the other parties failed to recognise their responsibilities and chose instead to run away from this essential and topical motion. Bristol, after years of inaction and failure as a council, is starting to take a lead on many of the issues affecting global warming. A large number of citizens are very concerned and committed on this issue. I believe that they are owed an explanation".
Lib Dem councillors are mystified as to why the other parties would want to stifle debate on such an important topic.
Councillor Barbara Janke said "On the same day as Labour & Tories joined forces to stop this motion, a Guardian/ICM poll found that 83% of voters actually want the prime minister to challenge the US president on climate change. The motion called on me, as Leader of the Council, and for the Bristol MPs to express our concerns about climate change to the Prime Minister. I will be writing to the Prime Minister and I will contacting the Bristol MPs to ask them to do the same. I believe that this is an important issue and I think it is a great shame that the other parties do not recognise the widespread public concern that surrounds climate change."
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