LABOUR MP VOTES AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd Oct 2009

The Labour MP for Durham has been criticised and accused of hypocrisy after she voted against action to tackle climate change.

In a vote at Westminster yesterday, Liberal Democrats had put forward a motion which called on the Government to sign up to the 10:10 campaign which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 10% by the end of 2010. Durham's Labour MP voted against the motion, which was ultimately defeated by 71 votes. Around 10,000 people had written to their MP to demand they back the motion and the MPs from all parties gave their support.

Carol Woods, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Durham commented, "Once again our MP has placed blind loyalty to her party ahead of what's right for Durham and, in this case, the country as a whole. Other Labour MPs did the right thing and supported this motion but our MP has let us down again.

"She is very willing to attend meetings to talk about climate change or to make press statements expressing her support for green issues but when you look at how she actually votes, her record is shameful.

"The Lib Dem proposal would have produced a concrete commitment to an immediate cut in emissions. Our MP has voted against that. However she tries to spin it, that is now a matter of fact."

Carol also expressed frustration at the MP's hypocrisy on the 10:10 campaign.

Carol commented, "I welcome our MP following my lead by personally signing up to the 10:10 campaign but it is clearly a political gesture aimed at covering up her failure to back this motion. It is hypocritical and cynical of her to feign support for 10:10 just minutes after she has voted against the Government signing up."