Stuck in the middle with you!

Liberal Democrats:

Philosophy:

"Liberal Democrats believe that protecting the environment is one of the greatest challenges this generation faces. We must hand on to our children a planet worth living on. That requires action across government – this is everybody's responsibility, not just one climate change minister's. It is because we believe concern for the environment is important in every part of people's lives that we have identified policies in every chapter of this manifesto to protect the
planet."

Politics:

The Lib Dems have taken a visibly different approach to environmental policy by weaving it through every chapter of the manifesto - a tactic that has already secured plaudits from a number of green groups.

The main political dividing line is the decision to ditch the planned roll out of new nuclear reactors on the grounds that they are likely to prove more expensive than renewables and energy efficiency measures. However, it could be argued that plans for a green stimulus package are more detailed and ambitious than the low carbon strategies presented by the other main parties.

Policies:

• Launch a job creation and green economic stimulus package funded through £3.1bn of public spending. Aim to create 100,000 green jobs.
• Set up UK infrastructure banking systems to invest in low carbon projects. Allow individuals to save with the new bank.
• Invest £400m in upgrading shipyards to support offshore wind and marine energy industry.
• Launch one year scrappage scheme offering households £400 when they install double glazing, replace an old boiler or install microgeneration technology.
• Launch green home loan scheme and target loans and grants to renovate 250,000 unoccupied homes.
• Increase school energy efficiency.
• Invest £140m in council bus scrappage scheme, accelerating roll out of low carbon buses.
• Reject a new generation of nuclear power stations; "based on the evidence nuclear is a far more expensive way of reducing carbon emissions than promoting energy conservation and renewable energy".
• Block unabated coal-fired power stations.
• Set target to generate 40 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2020, raising to 100 per cent by 2050.
• Strengthen Carbon-reduction Commitment scheme and require all businesses and government departments to report on carbon emissions.
• Sign government up to 10:10 campaign.
• Replace per-passenger Air Passenger Duty with a per-plane duty (PPD), ensuring that air freight is taxed for the fi rst time, and introduce higher
  rate of PPD on domestic flights where alternative forms of travel are available.
• Oppose expansion of Heathrow and support major overhaul of railway network with addition of new lines and new rules to help cut fares.
• Work internationally for strong and binding climate change agreement.
• Work with EU to set a target to make all cars zero emission target by 2040.
• Set clear zero waste targets, aiming to edn waste being sent to landfill.
• Hold an immediate Strategic Security and Defence Review (SSDR), including non-military challenges such as climate change.

Get set for a green election!!

Gordon Brown fires the starting pistol on what promises to be the closest election in decades, green business leaders ask whether the low carbon economy could prove a vote winner?

We remain divided on the scale of the impact that environmental and low carbon issues are likely to have on the election campaign, which was formally kicked off yesterday when Gordon Brown confirmed the election would take place on May 6. And this will be a very close race as many can't see a clear leader!!

Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband said that the environment and climate change could emerge as a "top three" issue during the campaign as each party seeks to tout its green credentials.

What I'd like to see is the whole thing being fought on the architecture of a Green New Deal, Only Vince Cable seems the type of spokesman we would all listen to on topics of economy and green together (some say he would be a good PM if only he joined another party).

Lord (Mandy) Mandelson talks about a low carbon revolution, he only gives it lip service as it needs to on a much bigger scale than anyone on Silicon Valley would ever recognise.

He added that there was a strong case for the parties to make low carbon policies a central part of their manifestos, particularly given the scale of the economic opportunity clean technologies represent.

"I would not even couch it in terms of climate change and would solely focus on the opportunity," he said. " But I would be very surprised if I am not disappointed by the campaign."

Lord Mandelson

"We're pleased to see the election has finally kicked off but disappointed to see that environment and energy policies seem to be taking a back-seat for all parties," she said. "The environmental business sector should be seen as one of the key drivers of jobs and growth to lead us out of the recession, not as an afterthought or add-on. Environmental matters are central to many voters concerns – it's a shame that political parties seem to have forgotten that."

Juliet Davenport, founder and chief executive of Good Energy

However, others are convinced that environmental issues could yet emerge as a somewhat surprising electoral issue, particularly at a local level.

The Green Party announced today that it would for the first time put forward a full slate of candidates for London seats and is riding high in the polls in Brighton and Cambridge with a genuine chance of securing its first parliamentary seat. I even thought about joining the Greens myself and then heard that they were all originally Marxists!!

Meanwhile, insiders have suggested that Ed Miliband's role as Labour's manifesto co-ordinator could result in many of the low carbon policies he has pioneered at the Department of Energy and Climate Change being adopted as part of the manifesto. OK we'll have to see if this taken seriously and not left out after all the fudging of figures in the name of research, the research data was about as straight as an expense claim in the House of Lords!!

In addition, Miliband has repeatedly attempted to put down the Conservative support for wind farms and renewable energy targets as an electoral issue, and the contentious topic of wind farms, as well as the credibility of the Conservatives' commitment to environmental issues, could surprise all and play a key role in the campaign.

My thoughts are some prospective MPs do not regard climate change as a significant issue.

Are entrepreneurs happy with Darling’s 2010 proposals?

As a keen follower of all things made in Worcestershire & Herefordshire I am amazed at the “sin tax” on cider we have a cider orchard and used to have 30 acres just for Bulmers Cider why destroy a UK farming business.............. why not Guiness, Continental Lager and French Wines?

Otherwise a business based budget that should stimulate small business... or is it?
If we can sift through Darling's red briefcase, past the sandwiches, fag packet calculations, eye-brow pencil and see if he's on the money.

Let's see what the others say.


I think it’s brilliant

"I think it’s brilliant that Darling is setting up a credit adjudication service and forcing certain banks to give more loans to small business,” Andy Pearce Powwownow

Labour has just won the election

"Labour has just won the election" based on today's Budget. "The Budget was a masterclass in positivity, and I really approve of the measures which Alistair Darling has outlined to help small businesses (around half a million businesses in the UK) grow. I would have added a scrappage of NI contributions for the first three years for new businesses, funded by some of the taxes that have been claimed from the bailed-out banks." Brad Burton 4Networking

A complete waste of time

“nothing short of a complete waste of time, political grandstanding and gesture politics at its worst”.

“Who does Labour think it's kidding?" he asks. “We all know that whoever wins the next election will have to go through this process again. The Tories are committed to a Budget within 50 days of the election if they win and I have no doubt in my mind that, should Labour win, it will have to come clean and hold an emergency post-election Budget.

“The reality is that our Triple A credit status is under threat and nothing short of keeping the international financial markets calm will do. All this Budget has done is tinker here and there, with some clever stealth taxes thrown in for good measure.”

Quentin Pain, CEO and founder of accounting software company Accountz


Darling has failed to balance the books,
"Call that a Budget? Looked more like a gem heist to me! This Budget has not moved our economy forward one bit," he spits. "Taxes have already been increase with the 50p in the pound rate due next month, public spending is still out of control, and no attempt is being made to rain it in. There was nothing in the Budget that improved the condition of my business, my workers' incomes or my own prospects. You cannot pay for high spending with low tax – and the chancellor just does not want to lower spending! Quite honestly, Darling has failed to balance the books, he's not even close. As far as I can see, the only improvement in the figures comes from bad forecasting – the Met Office is more accurate than the Treasury."

Charlie Mullins ,Pimlico Plumbers

The feedback is very mixed and I wonder how do you feel about the budget?

Could extra funding announced in the Budget help your business go green?

With the upcoming General Election only a few weeks away, Alistair Darling's Budget speech included a raft of measures aimed at helping businesses embrace the shift to a low carbon economy, in particular the unveiling of a much-anticipated "green equity bank".

The Chancellor announced:

• The creation of a £2 billion Green Investment Bank - £1 billion from the government plus £1 billion private sector backing - to ramp up support for green transport, sustainable energy projects and low carbon infrastructure.
• A £60 million offshore wind power competition.
• Extra support for the car industry to develop low carbon vehicles.
• Funding to support 20,000 extra university places in key areas such as science and engineering - key skills required in the shift to a low carbon economy.
• A £35 million University Enterprise Capital Fund to support spin-out ventures in growing sectors such as advanced manufacturing and low carbon goods

2010 – The beginning of the green rush !

http://wp.me/pHRzP-6u

The next 12 months will fire a starting pistol on a decade which, if the pace of technical development continues to accelerate at its current rate, will ensure that the concept of green business becomes meaningless.