Conservative MEPs betray British business in carbon vote

Last week, the European Parliament narrowly rejected a proposal to delay the auctioning of greenhouse gas allowances to avoid a further drop in the price of carbon. The European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was originally introduced to incentivise investments in low carbon technologies by putting a price on polluting greenhouse gas emissions. Among those who voted against the proposal, which is supported by the coalition government, were 22 Tory MEPs as well as UKIP and the BNP[1]

Chris Davies commented: "Remember those pictures of David Cameron behind a sledge pulled by huskies as the Conservative leader tried to show that his party cared about the environment? With their votes in Strasbourg his MEPs not only killed the husky memory, they gave its corpse a good kicking"

Fiona Hall MEP, added: "British Tory MEPs must be held to account for wrecking the EU emissions trading scheme. Their votes to reject the Commission's proposals have pulled the rug from underneath new green technology and jobs and undermined efforts to get a global climate change agreement[3].