Things were sure hotting up in Cheltenham last night as candidates James Green (Labour), Martin Horwood (Lib Dem), Mark Coote (Tory) and Peter Bowman (UKIP) joined the neon pink table at Cheltenham’s St Andrew’s Church in Montpellier to deliver their ideas on climate change.
With an audience of 70 eager faces suitably refreshed with tea and coffee and the Gloucestershire Echo’s photos taken, the panel were ready to begin.
The Chair, Oxfam’s Kathleen Spencer Chapman, introduced ‘Ask the Climate Question’ as the sun went down the church spire, the candidates in turn opened with a short introduction about themselves, their party and their views on climate change.
Then it was the public’s turn. They probed the panel with questions about reducing carbon emissions, population growth, the Robin Hood Tax, monitoring targets, aviation and de-forestation.
Chair Kathleen then invited the audience’s opinion about the Robin Hood Tax. Clearly involved, passionate listeners were quick to stick up their hands, as the majority in the room agreed with the idea. Then they learned from the Tory candidate that he has been heavily lobbied about the tax – fantastic!
Friends of the Earth received recognition for leading the campaign for the Climate Change Act, and the Tory candidate said, “We want to be the greenest government ever”. Let’s hope that includes the glorious green-coloured Robin Hood Tax!
The Lib Dem candidate mentioned an approach of measuring happiness levels instead of using GDP and GNP, like they do in Bhutan. Perhaps this changed the level of cheer in the room.
The candidates finished on a high note, very much welcoming the opportunity to examine an issue in depth thanks to a very erudite audience! The pink cloth is cooling off until the next showdown.