Brown vs blue on going green
Updated on 12 March 2007
They both want to be Prime Minister - they've now revealed how green they're prepared to go when in power.
Gordon Brown and David Cameron today set out their rival visions on how to tackle climate change. It's an issue that was once on the fringes of political debate - the next election it could be at the centre of their campaigns.
But in a reversal of traditional politics, it is the Conservative leader who wants to bring in environmental taxes - and the Labour Chancellor who is opposed to them.
The next political battle took off today - Gordon Brown and David Cameron squared off against each other on environmental policy. Both would be prime ministers agreed on the scale of the problem, but David Cameron offers green taxes; Gordon Brown says they're a sideshow.
Cameron's cross-dressing has brought him praise from Blairites and anger from the aviation industry.
David Cameron sported recycled trainers at the weekend for a tree-planting photo opportunity. He says he's thinking of taxing each plane trip taken - and introducing a carbon allowance for flights. Go over the air mile limit and you pay heavier taxes per flight.
This latest piece of political cross-dressing has brought him praise from Blairites and anger from the aviation industry.
Gordon Brown in his speech, didn't mention the aviation industry and he didn't mention green taxes. He did talk of a big push on home insulation, he emphasised the importance of international agreements like the one agreed at the European Union summit last week.
While the Chancellor was delivering that sideswipe to the Conservatives they were firing off press releases claiming the only thing the Chancellor was recycling was old announcements on energy conservation.
David Cameron insisted he'd give back money raised by his new green taxes in tax breaks
Both David Cameron and Gordon Brown believe policy on the environment will be critical in shaping how they're perceived. But each of them has learnt a completely different lesson.
David Cameron thinks talking tough on the environment - talking up green taxes - could help soften his parties' image. When voters are asked how they perceive the conservatives they see them as out of the mainstream on the right.
David Cameron's seen as less right wing than his party and thinks talking tough on green issues will help haul him and the party back to the centre ground.
Gordon Brown is seen as left wing - not as left wing as the Labour party - but significantly more left wing than Tony Blair. He believes that if he talked UP green taxes - or any other taxes - that would risk making him look even more left wing. Pushing him away from the centre ground.
