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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Brown faces climate change revolt | Brown faces climate change revolt |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Gordon Brown is facing the prospect of another significant backbench rebellion - this time over climate change. | 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| They also claim it is based on out-of-date science. | They also claim it is based on out-of-date science.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. |
| This is one of the biggest issues facing domestic politics and clearly goes beyond party politics Steve WebbLiberal Democrat MP | |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 'Clear choice' | |
| 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 Liberal Democrats will also table a new amendment to the bill - calling for an 80% cut - to make sure the issue is debated and voted on when it returns to the Commons after the summer recess. | |
| Environment spokesman Steve Webb said he wanted to ensure the government was committed to the extra cuts before critics within the Treasury and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform intervened. | |
| "This is one of the biggest issues facing domestic politics and clearly goes beyond party politics," he said. | |
| "We welcome support for the 80% amendment and hope that Adair Turner can produce his advice swiftly so that Parliament has a clear choice in November." | |
| Defeat? | |
| 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. |