91훑괵 NEWS | Nick Robinson's Newslog

At the Stern Review launch

Nick
30 Oct 06, 11:11 AM

Dateline: At the back of the room at the Stern Review launch.

When asked about those tax rises Tony Blair has just said "wait for the budget".

Meanwhile, Gordon Brown has just announced that the environment secretary will unveil a climate change bill this afternoon, as we predicted a couple of weeks ago.

I'm on my way to the launch of the report which Tony Blair says is the most important he's received since becoming prime minister. I am travelling by tube so my green credentials are safe (today at least!)

Others will write more eloquently than I can about the environmental and economic analysis in the Stern Report on climate change. Allow me to focus on the raw politics and the suggestion from some that we are witnessing the birth of a new political consensus.

Yes, the three major political parties now all say climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our era and that is hugely significant. Yes, they now all say that we need to tax "the bads" - airline travel and gas guzzling cars. But no, they don't agree yet on how to do it.

The Lib Dems are the only party to have spelt this out - green tax hikes offset by income tax cuts.. The Tories have echoed this approach but spelt out none of the detail. Labour - until yesterday's leaked memo from the Environment Secretary - had said nothing much on new green taxes. An intriguing thought occurs to me. Could Gordon Brown use his last budget just before he looks set to become PM to hike green taxes and challenge his opponents to back them or reveal that their greenness is only skin deep?

Just because parties agree on ends doesn't mean they'll agree on means - witness the debate on nuclear power and the need for a climate change bill. Talk of a new consensus is - as ever - premature.

Got to sign off now. Tube arrived and can't type and walk at same time!

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