Prioritise the climate over Brexit in the upcoming election – Esmé Peters

What are we bored of? BREXIT. What would we rather see? POSITIVE CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION. Who’s going to give it to us? THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS!!! 

Brexit is seen as very much the topic of the ‘now’, but is it really only an issue that has been plaguing politics since the referendum? The answer is no, many Prime Minister’s of the past have seen their party divided over the topic of the European Union. In 1974, PM Harold Wilson had promised to put the issue of membership to the people after renegotiation of Britain’s membership terms. His cabinet were so divided over the issue he allowed ministers such as Micheal Foot to campaign against it. Then there’s Margaret Thatcher, who resigned days after her former Chancellor Geoffrey Howe made a damning speech, a key part of which was scathing criticism of her Euro-Scepticism. The exit from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992, followed by rows over the Maastricht treaty, were defining in John Major’s time as PM. It was David Cameron’s wish his party stop, “banging on about Europe” that led to the referendum in the first place. 

It has been an issue from the moment we joined the EU, it will be an issue for years to come, it is the issue of the ‘now’ – but does that mean it should determine who you vote for? 

It is my belief that you should always vote for what you believe in, not what your parents say, not what all your friends say, but what YOU believe in. To me, I put a greater level of importance on positive climate legislation than I do Brexit. I am not actually a firm believer in the Liberal Democrats Brexit policy, I believe a second referendum to be a better way forward. However I believe enough in their climate policies to hold unwavering support for them. 

Of the Lib Dems 5 main pledges the 2nd one is the promise to ‘tackle the climate emergency’. Now I really like this for 2 reason, first the acknowledgement that the situation facing our world is an ‘emergency’ and secondly the placed importance of this by making it their second pledge. So what are they promising: 

• Pledge to plant 60 million trees a years in the largest tree planting programme in UK history
• To generating 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030 
• To insulating all low-income homes by 2025.
• To push for a UK target of net-zero emissions by 2045 – five years earlier than the Consertiave Government’s proposed deadline. 
• Bring back a Whitehall department for climate change, while appointing a new chief secretary to the Treasury to oversee spending to help meet the zero-carbon pledge.
• End the sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2030 – 10 years sooner than the Conservatives. 

Now why are these policies so beneficial to our us, and our world? As an example here are the benefits to the pledge to plant 60 million trees: the UK is one of the least forested countries in Europe, with just 10% of England covered by woodland, compared with 31% of France and 37% of Spain. If Jo Swinson comes through on this (as the current government haven’t – Only 1,420 hectares (3,507 acres) of trees were planted in England in the year to March 2019, against the government’s target of 5,000 hectares), then it would dramatically help the Liberal Democrats on their way to achieve their target of net-zero emissions by 2045. Not only will the initiate achieve that it will also nurture biodiversity, combat air pollution and improve public spaces.

When our generation reaches the age of 80 we will look at the world and with any luck say, ah we did/did not leave the EU what a joyous outcome/shame but ooh look at the state of the planet aren’t we so relieved we did something when we could – we have more trees, species are thriving and the oceans are clean. I believe this to be a better outcome for the country (and the world) than focusing on Brexit. The Brexit party is a one issue party, the people of Britain deserve better than this – and that is why you should vote Liberal Democrat.