Three-quarters of Tory members believe that energy prices are likely to be a bigger political issue by the time of the next General election than climate change according to a ConservativeHome survey. Just 10% think climate change will weigh more heavily on voters' minds.
Speaking at a meeting of centre right think tanks and campaigners yesterday, Matt Sinclair of The TaxPayers' Alliance warned that voters would be furious if their energy bills rise because of green measures at the same time that their pay is being squeezed and their taxes rising.
At the same meeting Lord Lawson was very upbeat about the prospects of climate change sceptics prevailing. There is no way he said that a nation like India, with 30% of its population lacking any electricity, will not increase its energy usage in the years ahead. He also said that it would be too expensive for them to use renewable fuels. Their priority - rightly - would be to increase the health and welfare of their own people.
In this global context a Conservative government needs to be very careful about increasing the energy bills of UK consumers without any hope of reducing the 'global carbon footprint'.
The results are summarised below alongside two results on CCTV and smoking in private clubs: