No:   L7/024                                                                           20 February 2007.

MPs PUT ASIDE PARTY DIFFERENCES TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE

Top Tory MP John Gummer has agreed to share a platform with Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney to help tackle climate change. The two environmental campaigners will be fronting a public meeting at The Chetwynd Centre in Stafford on Thursday 8 March (7.00 pm).
They will be joined by Dr. Jeff Ridley from the world-famous Hadley Centre for Climate Change, who will explain the latest science.
David Kidney says the meeting is part of his commitment to help Stafford constituents take action to prevent an environmental catastrophe:
“Nationally and internationally, the case for urgent action to tackle climate change is clear. You only need to look at the latest report of the IPCC (Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change) for the science community’s consensus. Or read Sir Nicholas Stern’s recent report on the economic case for action sooner rather than later.
“I am grateful to Dr. Jeff Ridley for agreeing to come to Stafford. He will take us through the scientific evidence. The Hadley Centre is independent and objective, with no political axe to grind.
“I am impressed that John Gummer has agreed to join me. He is a Conservative MP who has served as Secretary of State for the Environment and the Labour Government took him to Kyoto as part of the team that negotiated the first International Treaty to impose legal limits on emissions of greenhouse gases.
“It’s a real tribute that John has agreed to come to Stafford. By having this strong cross-party platform, we will demonstrate that saving the planet requires our politicians to rise above narrow party interest.”