Kennedy: environment is Prime Minister's blind spot

Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, responding to the Prime Minister's comments on the environment this morning, said:

"The environment is the Prime Minister's blind spot. On environmental issues he's at his least convincing. He has no answer to how, having only cut CO2 emissions by 0.2% since he came to power, he will meet his target to cut it a further 12% by 2010. The Prime Minister clearly doesn't regard the environment as a priority and he won't take the tough decisions necessary to address the environmental problems we all face."

"One the one hand the Prime Minister announces his concern about carbon emissions from the transport sector. Yet on the same day his Transport Secretary promptly announces a huge road expansion project of the M6. He can't have it both ways. New roads are environmentally damaging and very expensive. Privatised motorways are not the answer to Britain's long term congestion problems. When Alistair Darling came to office he announced that 'Britain isn't big enough for us to be pouring more and more concrete over its green and pleasant land'. Sadly, this is exactly what he's doing."