LOCAL MP NOMINATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER AWARD
Local Lib Dem MP, Norman Baker, was this week nominated for the 2006 Epolitix Environment Champion award for his work in trying to establish a Cross-Party Consensus on Climate Change.
Mr Baker, who is jointly nominated for the award with former Tory Environment Spokesperson, Oliver Letwin, initiated the Cross-Party Consensus early last year in his former capacity as the Lib Dem Shadow Environment Secretary with the aim of taking the issue of climate change above and beyond the short-termism of party politics. Norman continues to take forward the work of the cross-party consensus in his role as Chair of the All Party Environment Group.
In an article backing the nomination, Friends of the Earth described how the cross-party duo "rose above the usual party squabbles and developed a highly credible solution, welcomed by a public fed up with parties opposing each other for the sake of it."
Other awards that Norman has won include the Best Newcomer MP award in 1997, the Zurich/Spectator "Inquisitor of the Year" Award in 2001, the Channel 4 Opposition MP of the Year Award in 2002 and the RSPCA Lord Erskine Award, in recognition of his tireless campaigning in the field of animal welfare, in 2003.
Commenting on the nomination, Norman Baker said:
"I am of course honoured to be nominated for this award and delighted that the work that Oliver and I have done has been recognised.
"Climate change really is the biggest threat facing us all today and it is a threat that we can only tackle by working together. I am heartened to see the constantly increasing level of cross-party agreement when it comes to the urgent need to tackle climate change and, in particular, the willingness of a number of individual politicians to put aside their political differences and find what common ground they can. What we desperately need now is government leadership on the issue - not just rhetoric and cleverly staged photo opportunities, but tough, enforceable targets for emissions reductions."