You can’t trust the Tories

Well; we all know that you cannot trust the Tories. But how often do we actually catch them out voting against Coalition Government policy? Not that often.

At the April plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg they really took the biscuit. I am referring to the vote on the European Commission's "backloading" proposal for the carbon Emissions Trading System (ETS). Even worse, 16 Tories were part of the gang involved in trying to destroy it, against British business interests. Now that is ironic.

Let me explain.

The ETS was a Liberal Democrat supported keystone EU initiative to achieve our EU-level commitment on reducing our CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020. How are we going to achieve this?

Companies receive free permits to produce CO2 emissions which can then be traded. If they produce less CO2 than their permit allows, then the rest can be sold on the market to those companies that are producing more than their permit allows.

Now, we come to the crux of the current ETS problem: there are too many allowances on the market.

Oversupply has led to a collapse in the price of carbon on the ETS market. Last year, the price to buy a CO2 permit was around €20/tonne. After Tuesday 16 April vote, the price collapsed to €2/tonne. And the vote? The Tory whip was to refer the ETS "backloading" proposal back to the Environment Committee. It was approved by 334 in favour: 315 against: 63 abstentions.

What is the "backloading" proposal all about?

Basically, the European Commission has proposed to suspend the issue of more carbon allowances onto the market, because of the current problem of oversupply, and support the carbon price and the ETS market. This will buy time for them to bring forward a further proposal to amend the current system.

Major companies with important British bases, such as Shell, Unilever, Alstom and General electric support this proposal. They even want the price of carbon to go up! Because what they want is security and stability in the market before they make long term investments in low carbon technologies.

So why would a Tory not support this?

20 Tories against and only 4 in favour of saving the ETS.

What a bunch.

What were they thinking of? Certainly not protecting British business' interests. And you can usually count on them to be seen to be doing that.

Also, it was against Coalition Government policy. Supporting the ETS, and reaching our 20:2020 CO2 emission limits, was a key Liberal Democrat policy objective that got into the Coalition Agreement.

So what were the Tories up to?

Who knows? You will have to ask them.

Most of the abstentions were Spanish and Portugese Conservatives and Socialists. So there are national issues going on there. At least four Tories saw sense and voted with the Liberal Democrats to support the Commission's initiative to bring stability to the market.

UKIP unsurprisingly voted to kick it in to the long grass. Well, I would not expect any better from UKIP MEPs because most of the time they abstain, as they do not understand what they are voting on.

But as climate change deniers, they would in any case wouldn't they?

However, this is serious.

Some 11,000 power stations and industrial plants in 31 European countries are covered by this scheme. And it is legally binding.

Several countries around the world - such as China, Australia and South Korea - are setting up their own ETS schemes and are looking to the EU to set an example. So the stakes are very high.

So what happened with the Tories?

Perhaps the communication from London to Strasbourg broke down? Or perhaps it was an open rebellion against the Coalition Agreement? Who knows?

Either way, the ETS is not dead - yet. And no thanks to the Tories!

It is fighting for survival.

I hope it does survive. Because how are we going to reduce our CO2 emissions, meet our 2020 commitments and reduce climate change?

We have our children and grandchildren to consider. Please.

And save our planet.

Deborah Newton-Cook

Brussels. 18 April 2013