Cameron hit by Tory backlash on environment
David Cameron is facing a growing challenge to his authority from senior members of his own party who say they have doubts about the Conservatives’ stance on global warming.
Leading figures including Peter Lilley, the former cabinet minister, Andrew Tyrie and Ann Widdecombe are openly questioning the political consensus on climate change.
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Mr Cameron led calls for a Climate Change Bill to entrench an emissions cut into law. But five Tory MPs voted against the measure last year – Mr Lilley, Philip Davies, Andrew Tyrie, Ann Widdecombe and Christopher Chope. Only about 40 of the 193 Tory MPs actively supported, and many abstained. Party managers were accused of imposing a low priority one-line whip to prevent a backbench rebellion that would have highlighted Tory divisions.
In the European Parliament last week, two Tory MEPs, Daniel Hannan and Roger Helmer, voted against a motion calling for the Copenhagen talks to agree an 80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050 – the official Tory policy.
They were among 18 members of the breakaway European Conservatives and Reformists Group, including its Polish leader Michal Kaminski, to oppose such a deal.
Last month Mr Helmer accused the Church of England of having “abandoned religious faith entirely and taken up the new religion of climate change alarmism instead”.
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