Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed yesterday that green issues could be at the forefront of the May 6 general election. The prime minister formally kicked-off the election campaigns with his announcement and the election could prove to be the closest vote in decades.
Ed Miliband, spoke last month about the upcoming election, saying that the climate change issues would most likely emerge as one of the ‘top three’ deciding factors in the election. Each party is expected, according to Miliband, to showcase their environmental action plans as a leading ticket for election.
However, Ed Miliband, also added that businesses would need to amp up their interests in a low carbon economy in order for climate change and the environment to remain at the forefront of the election campaign. Green business leaders have stated that they believe low carbon policies will be out-trumped by current woes in the economy and solutions to the economic downturn.
In similar news, the Green Party followed these comments with the announcement that, for the first time, they would be putting forward an entire slate of candidates for London seats. Currently, the Green Party is riding higher in the polls than it has in the past particularly in Norwich South, Lewisham Deptford, and Brighton Pavillion.
Insiders are hinting that Mr Miliband may attempt to include many of his low carbon policies he fostered during his time as Department of Energy and Climate Change Secretary into the Labour Party’s manifesto. The Conservatives also recently launched several new initiatives designed to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions, and will most likely be reluctant to abandon these commitments during an election campaign.
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