UK Conservative leader devotes one line in hour-long speech to climate change as he sets out election priorities
Conservative leader David Cameron hugging a husky to highlight the threat of global warming in 2006. (Source: WWF)
By Megan Darby
UK prime minister David Cameron gave climate change only a passing mention in a speech setting out his stall for the 2015 general election.
At last week’s UN climate summit in New York, Cameron said climate change was “one of the most serious threats facing our world”.
At the Conservative Party Conference on Wednesday, he claimed the UK was “leading, not following on climate change”.
That was the sole allusion to the matter in an hour-long speech.
Cameron opened with a patriotic segment, welcoming Scotland’s decision to stay in the UK. He went on to attack Labour “hypocrisy”, promise tax cuts and declare an aspiration for full employment.
It was a rousing speech that was favourably reviewed by pundits and went down well with the party faithful.
Best speech Cameron has ever made but we pundits overemphasise importance of speeches. But clarity of choice at elexn now very clear #cpc14
— Tim Montgomerie (@TimMontgomerie) October 1, 2014
Few voters will hear the whole thing, but Cameron’s speech did exactly what it should: meet many of their concerns in turn + offer a vision — Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) October 1, 2014
I’ve watched a few of them – I’d say this is Cameron’s best speech. Cracking. #CPC14 — Alex Deane (@ajcdeane) October 1, 2014
But environmental commentators were dismayed at the absence of green growth from Cameron’s narrative.
Early on in his party leadership, Cameron famously travelled to the Arctic with WWF to highlight the damage caused by global warming.
He promised to lead “the greenest government ever” and modernise his party, reaching out to the centre ground.
Interview: Three Conservatives talk climate change
That was less evident this week, with the Conservatives responding to the growing popularity of UKIP, a right-wing party campaigning to get Britain out of Europe. Two Tory MPs have defected to UKIP.
Quick mention of climate change by Cameron, immediately followed by saying building oil rigs. Not good enough #cpc14 — Donna Hume (@DonnaHume) October 1, 2014
“I believe man-made climate change is one of the most serious threats that this country & this world faces”. Cameron in Feb. 4 words today?
— Leonie Greene (@LeonieGreene) October 1, 2014
There’s a husky out there, somewhere, finally realising there will be no #Cameron cuddles this year…. #cpc14
— Jillian Ambrose (@JAmbrose_UW) October 1, 2014
By contrast, Labour leader Ed Miliband made green growth a core plank of his address last week, in what is the last party conference season before the next election.
He said there was “no more important issue for me when I think about my children’s generation than tackling global climate change”.
However, he was criticised for forgetting to mention the country’s financial deficit, as he spoke without notes.