Tories admit they have no policies on the environment

4.12.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 15th Mar 2005

The Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Guildford admitted on Friday at a public meeting that her party has no policies on waste or the environment.

GAIN (Guildford Against Incineration Network) organised a round table meeting on Friday 11 March at which local Lib Dem MP, Sue Doughty, was invited to speak, along with the Labour and Conservative candidates. The Conservative candidate started by openly admitting that her party currently had no policy on waste and that if people were to check the Conservative website they would not find any policy relating to the environment.

Sue Doughty (Lib Dem Shadow Environment Minister) said, "I'm appalled that the Tories, as the official opposition, have no policies on such an important issue. Climate change is widely accepted to be the biggest threat we face globally. For any major political party to not have an environmental policy is simply ludicrous. How can they expect to be taken seriously as contenders for Government?"

Having completed a marathon all night and all day session of voting in the Commons on anti-terrorism legislation, Sue Doughty MP arrived at the GAIN meeting just in time to set out her strong views against incineration in Guildford and the Lib Dems' policy of 'reduce, reuse, recycle and redesign'.

Sue said, "Ever since the Conservative County Council proposed an incinerator for Guildford, I have fought tooth and nail to stop the plans. I will continue to do so, as well as to push for an improved, environmentally sound waste strategy for our area."