Spare Time

The demonstrators, all wearing Gordon Brown masks, gathered outside local MP Malcolm Wicks’ office in Thornton Heath to urge him to vote for a more robust Climate Change Law.

The protest which was organised by Croydon Friends of the Earth and local environmental campaigners want the Government to change the new bill expected to be debated in Parliament later this month.

This omission they claim will mean that Britain cannot fulfil its part in tackling climate change.

A Croydon Friends of the Earth supporter and local resident said:  “It’s crazy for Gordon Brown to leave out climate change emissions from planes and ships from the new Climate Change Law but, that’s what he is doing. 

Why should our local industry and businesses be held to account for their carbon emissions but not the aviation industry?  We hope our MP, Malcolm Wicks, will use his vote to call for a tougher Climate Change law that covers all emissions.”

drastic actions

The handful of protesters are, hoping their demonstration will help to drive the message home both to the MP as well as local people.

As one demonstrator put it:

“This is something we can't ignore, we need to get it right for our children, and we have a responsibility to get it right we can't continue to back away from tough decision – we need quite drastic actions.”

You can hear more from the campaigners, listen to interview with Croydon Friends of the Earth Co-ordinator Muriel Passmore and the views of some of the demonstrators, by clicking onto the link below or top right.

What do you think?  Do you think the Government is already doing sufficient to tackle climate change, or should they be doing much more?

Email your comments/views to evadney.campbell@bbc.co.uk