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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Brown faces climate change revolt | Brown faces climate change revolt |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown is facing the prospect of another significant backbench rebellion - this time over climate change. | |
| More than 80 Labour MPs have signed an amendment to the Climate Change Bill, which would force ministers to promise greater cuts in carbon emissions. | More than 80 Labour MPs have signed an amendment to the Climate Change Bill, which would force ministers to promise greater cuts in carbon emissions. |
| The Climate Change Bill commits the government to make at least a 60% cut in CO2 emissions by 2050. The MPs want that figure to rise to 80%. | The Climate Change Bill commits the government to make at least a 60% cut in CO2 emissions by 2050. The MPs want that figure to rise to 80%. |
| The rebels say the 60% goal will not do enough to control global warming. | The rebels say the 60% goal will not do enough to control global warming. |
| They also claim it is based on out-of-date science. | They also claim it is based on out-of-date science. |
| Refusal to change | Refusal to change |
| The government is not unsympathetic to the 80% target and the prime minister has already said the evidence points that way. | The government is not unsympathetic to the 80% target and the prime minister has already said the evidence points that way. |
| However, he has handed the issue to an independent Climate Change Committee, headed by former CBI chief, Lord Turner, and he is refusing to change the bill until the committee has agreed a new target. | However, he has handed the issue to an independent Climate Change Committee, headed by former CBI chief, Lord Turner, and he is refusing to change the bill until the committee has agreed a new target. |
| Lord Turner is not due to report until 1 December - after the Climate Change Bill is likely to have passed into law, probably in November. | Lord Turner is not due to report until 1 December - after the Climate Change Bill is likely to have passed into law, probably in November. |
| The rebel MPs want the government to pre-empt Lord Turner's committee and put the 80% goal in the bill now, or persuade the peer to report earlier so that his target can be put into the measure. | The rebel MPs want the government to pre-empt Lord Turner's committee and put the 80% goal in the bill now, or persuade the peer to report earlier so that his target can be put into the measure. |
| The Climate Change Bill completes its detailed committee stage on Tuesday. | The Climate Change Bill completes its detailed committee stage on Tuesday. |
| Tory position | Tory position |
| The rebel amendment, backed by 85 Labour MPs - including Tony Lloyd, chairman of the parliamentary Labour Party - was debated a fortnight ago and defeated, as expected, by the government-dominated committee. | The rebel amendment, backed by 85 Labour MPs - including Tony Lloyd, chairman of the parliamentary Labour Party - was debated a fortnight ago and defeated, as expected, by the government-dominated committee. |
| But the rebels say their amendment is a marker and are threatening to force a vote on the floor of the Commons at report stage in October or November, if the government does not act. | But the rebels say their amendment is a marker and are threatening to force a vote on the floor of the Commons at report stage in October or November, if the government does not act. |
| The Conservative frontbench, like the government, is waiting for Lord Turner's report and abstaining on votes on carbon emission targets. | The Conservative frontbench, like the government, is waiting for Lord Turner's report and abstaining on votes on carbon emission targets. |
| This could save the government from defeat in the autumn. | This could save the government from defeat in the autumn. |
| But there are fears within government that the Tories could harden up their position, back the 80% target and therefore make a government defeat more likely. | But there are fears within government that the Tories could harden up their position, back the 80% target and therefore make a government defeat more likely. |