A Green and Prosperous Land?
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Centre Write A green and prosperous land? lord deben | mark hoban | stanley johnson | ben goldsmith | sarah newton mp Contents Contributors DIANE BANKS is a non-executive 03 Editorial 18 Why I’m a Bright Blue MP director of Bright Blue Richard Mabey Suella Fernandes MP NICHOLAS BOYS SMITH is the 04 Director’s note 19 The 2015 Tamworth essay Director of Create Streets Ryan Shorthouse Oliver Shore JAMES BRENTON is an Associate of Bright Blue 20 Letter from America climate change James Brenton BEN CALDECOTT is an 05 The Conservative case for Associate Fellow of Bright Blue 21 Research update low‑carbon subsidies LORD DEBEN was the Minister David Kirkby Tim Yeo for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between 1989 and 1993 06 Pricing carbon clean energy SUELLA FERNANDES is the Lord Deben 22 Sustainable energy and MP for Fareham 08 A centre‑right approach to sustainable development ADRIAN GAHAN is the international climate diplomacy Mark Hoban managing director of Sancroft Ben Caldecott 23 On energy, Europe and Brexit BEN GOLDSMITH is Chairman 10 The Swedish model Michael Liebreich of the Conservative Environment Network Eric Luth and Krisina Yngwe 24 Thinking global; acting local MARK HOBAN is a former 11 Making the political case for Sarah Newton MP Treasury Minister resource efficiency 25 Warming up the UK economy STANLEY JOHNSON is Ben Goldsmith Josh Robson a former MEP the wider environment 26 The future of onshore wind DAVID KIRKBY is Bright Blue’s Maf Smith Senior Research Fellow 12 Can British farming be sustainable? MICHAEL LIEBREICH is Meurig Raymond arts & books Chairman of the Advisory 13 Conservativism, diversity, fragility Board of Bloomberg New 27 More human by Steve Hilton Energy Finance Stanley Johnson William Humphries ERIC LUTH is member of the 14 On direct planning 28 The myth of the strong leader board of the Centre Party Nick Boys Smith by Archie Brown Youth in Sweden 15 21st century marine conservation Diane Banks RICHARD MABEY is the Adrian Gahan 29 Comparison of The flat white Editor of Centre Write economy and Universal man SARAH NEWTON is MP bright blue politics Keith Tomlinson for Truro and Falmouth 16 Bright Blue’s new 31 All I know now MEURIG RAYMOND is parliamentary supporters the President of the by Carrie Hope Fletcher National Farmers’ Union Meera Sonecha JOSH ROBSON is Head of Public Affairs for Knauf Insulation RYAN SHORTHOUSE is the Director of Bright Blue Bright Blue Director: Ryan Shorthouse Chair: Matthew d’Ancona MAF SMITH is Deputy Chief Bright Blue is an independent Board of Directors: Rachel Johnson, Executive at RenewableUK Alexandra Jezeph, Diane Banks & Phil Clarke think tank and pressure group TIM YEO was Chairman of for liberal conservatism. the Energy and Climate Editor: Richard Mabey Change Select Committee Assistant Editors: Corinna Peachey, Meera Sonecha in the last Parliament & Alexander King (Arts) www.brightblue.org.uk KRISTINA YNGWE is the Vice President of the Environment Printers: PPC, www.ppcbristol.co.uk and Rural Affairs Committee Designers: Soapbox, www.soapbox.co.uk in the Swedish Parliament Editorial Editor’s letter With the Paris climate change talks coming up in December, now is the time to push environmental RICHARD MABEY is the policy back up the agenda Editor of Centre Write In 2010, David Cameron proclaimed that the Coalition Gov- resource efficiency (Pg. 11) , while NFU President Meurig ernment would be “the greenest government ever”. Five years Raymond (Pg. 12) highlights sustainability and economic on, and the new Conservative Government has promised per- efficiency in British farming. Former Tory MEPStanley haps an even more radical agenda than its predecessor. The Johnson (Pg. 13) highlights the promises made by the Conservatives’ 2015 manifesto (pp 54–57) talks about “pro- Conservatives in their recent manifesto, and we get an insight tecting and enhancing our natural environment” and “guaran- from Eric Luth and Kristina Yngwe (Pg. 10) into Swedish teeing…clean, affordable and secure energy supplies” through environmental policy. bold, eye-catching initiatives. Boosting marine conservation, On energy, Michael Liebreich (Pg. 23) tells us that improving our offshore wind capabilities and reducing an- Britain’s renegotiation with Europe is the perfect opportunity thropomorphic climate change are all firmly on the table. to make our energy more sustainable. Sarah Newton MP But, against the backdrop of a busy policy agenda, you (Pg. 24) writes that local enterprise partnerships are the would be forgiven for not noticing. In fact, green issues do key for boosting marine renewables, while RenewableUK not seem to be commanding anything like the kind of media Deputy CEO Maf Smith (Pg. 26) writes that onshore wind attention they once used to. Did you know, for example, power could still have a future. And while we analyse renew- that the Chancellor has announced the creation of a marine able energy efforts in the developed world, former Treasury reserve around the Pitcairn Islands that is four times the size Minister Mark Hoban (Pg. 22) provides a useful reminder of Great Britain? Or that Britain is building the world’s first of the impact of renewables on the developing word, as it goes tidal lagoon? Probably not. Major announcements like this through its own industrial revolution. just don’t seem to get the coverage these days. Bright Blue also welcomes 20 new Parliamentary supporters With 196 countries coming together in Paris this December to its burgeoning list since the General Election, and we hear to sign a new climate change deal, there has never been a better from a selection of those of our supporters who are entering time for the Government to get these policies right back to the Parliament for the first time. One of them, Suella Fernandes top of the agenda. This will no doubt be challenging. With a MP (Pg. 18), tells us about why she is a Bright Blue MP. slender majority and with the Party not always united on the Bright Blue is doing what it can to bring environmental topic, David Cameron must devote all his resources to push issues back to the top of the policy agenda. This edition of forward the major legislation required to deliver on his mani- Centre Write goes to print as a major new paper from Bright festo promises. In short, the party of economic responsibility Blue is released: Green and Responsible Conservatism. must also prove it is the party of environmental responsibility. Authored by Ben Caldecott, and with a foreword from In this edition of Centre Write, we tackle the sometimes former Conservative leader Lord Howard, the report sets out thorny issue of climate change head-on. Lord Deben how the centre-right of British politics could better embed (Pg. 6) writes that the market has failed to price carbon sustainability and long-termism within the UK economy. effectively, while the former Chair of the Energy and Climate For Conservatives, the Green agenda has always been of Change Select Committee Tim Yeo (Pg. 5) makes the great importance. As Lord Howard wrote for us in our recent Conservative case for low-carbon subsidies. And Bright report: “Ever since Margaret Thatcher’s speech to the UN Blue’s Associate Fellow Ben Caldecott (Pg. 8), in an General Assembly in 1989, British Conservatives have been extract from his latest report for us, brings an international in the vanguard of developing environmental policy. It is vital perspective to the debate, highlighting the challenges to be for that tradition to be maintained.” faced in Paris in December. This edition of Centre Write should be essential reading But environmental issues do not end with climate change. for Conservatives, and indeed all policy enthusiasts and On the wider environment, the Chairman of the Conservative influencers, as we strive together to build a green and Environment Network Ben Goldsmith makes the case for prosperous land. Summer 2015 | 3 dirECtor'S notE director’s note Ryan Shorthouse a grave misunderstanding. As his friend ‘we’ rather than just ‘me’. Showing RYAN SHORTHOUSE is the and former adviser Steve Hilton writes that the Party is about nurturing strong Director of Bright Blue in his new book, Cameron has “an communities, as well as protecting uncommon sense of duty”. Being Prime personal liberty; about urging social Minister is about public service, doing action, not just individual advancement. After the unexpected General the right thing, supporting others, not In fact, The Spectator named our Election result, the first majority Tory trying to impose a certain vision on the co-President, the former Cabinet government since 1992, what should complex and largely successful country Minister David Willetts, as “the real Britain expect from a Conservative we live in. father of Cameronism” thanks to his Party unchained? His final term in He is guided by common sense and 1995 pamphlet Civic conservatism. office, the next five years gives the traditional values: we should live within In this magazine, we focus on Prime Minister the opportunity our means, look after the vulnerable, environmental responsibility. This to define his legacy, to reveal what do our bit for society, put the kids is a contentious policy issue on the Cameronism really is. first, reward hard work, protect our centre-right of British politics. But There will be no surprises. David environment. Hardly groundbreaking. taking steps to mitigate and adapt Cameron will continue to deliver But the right values. Throughout to climate change, and to protecting a broad and balanced programme of this Parliament, Bright Blue will be our natural environment, should not policies, just like in the last parliament suggesting and critiquing policies to be dismissed as “green crap”. It is an where we saw the Conservatives get ensure these values are realised.