Gareth Kane on the Political Conference Season

With the Lib Dems and Tories publishing radical green policies, Gareth Kane wonders whether Gordon might pull something out of the bag.

If you're a political trainspotter, then September is your month with all three main political parties holding their annual jamborees around the country. This year has added frisson with continuing speculation on whether Gordon Brown will call a snap General Election this autumn, maybe even as Dave Cameron is addressing the Tory party faithful.

From an eco- point of view this year is going to be more interesting than most with the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives slugging it out for the green-ish vote. The Lib Dems will be debating their proposals to go carbon neutral by 2050 and the Tories publishing plans to ban standby switches and cutting stamp duty on energy efficient homes. This is do-or-die stuff - the Tories need beat the Lib Dems in the South to beat Labour across the country. The green agenda is a traditional Lib Dem fortress, so they'll be determined to beat off the blue/green threat.

So where does this leave Gordon Brown? On the face of it, if green votes do exist in large numbers, then he should be very worried. Green taxes are at their lowest since 1981 when noted ecologist Margaret Thatcher was making pronouncements on how the 'great car economy' would save the country. But never write Gordo off. You can call him many things, but he is not stupid. He can also be ruthlessly populist when faced with an electoral threat - remember the one-off £200 council tax relief to pensioners in 2005 just before that year's election?. It would not surprise me if he pulls something big and green out of the bag in Bournemouth.

Until next time,

Gareth

Gareth Kane
Eco-living Blog
Terra Infirma

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