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Thursday 23 June 2011

Chris Huhne attacks Tory green law 'zealots'

Conservative ministers who want to scrap environmental red tape have been accused of being "deregulation zealots" by the Energy Secretary, it has emerged.

Chris Huhne: anti environment red tape Tory ministers 'deregulation zealots'
In a speech Mr Huhne suggested several environmental protection laws currently under review should be exempt from being scrapped. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

In an outspoken attack on his Coalition government colleagues, Chris Huhne, the senior Liberal Democrat accused those pushing for less environmental regulation as being "right wing ideologues".

In a speech to a conference of social democrats within his party, Mr Huhne said they instead had a “real chance to define an evidence-based, intelligent and distinctive approach”.

Mr Huhne suggested that several environmental protection laws currently under review by ministers in a new clampdown on regulation should be exempt from being scrapped.

These included laws such as the Climate Change Act, the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the National Parks Act.

"Between the obsession with micromanagement and target-setting displayed by the Labour party, and the fixation with deregulation and scrapping rules just because they are rules on offer from some right wing ideologues, we Liberal Democrats have a real chance to define an evidence-based, intelligent and distinctive approach,” he told the conference.

“It is based on the real world, and it is complex. But it also meets the real challenges we face.

“Whatever the good intent, we have mistakenly given the impression that an exercise designed to scrap unnecessary minor bureaucratic hurdles is now placing the cornerstone of climate protection under threat.”

He added: “Of course this is nonsense. Let me assure you: there is a very good case for our key regulations protecting the environment to stay.

“We need to remember that deregulation can have unintended consequences.

“The argument shouldn't be about regulation versus deregulation, more laws versus less. It's about the kind of regulation we need.”

Mr Huhne attack at the weekend is being seen as part of a growing Liberal Democrat revolt against Coalition policies.

The government has recently retreated on four fronts – the NHS, welfare, refuse collection, foreign student numbers and opening up other public services to private companies.

In the face of Liberal Democrat opposition to his proposed shake-up of the NHS, Mr Cameron last week diluted the Coalition's health reforms.

Ministers are currently considering changes to the amount of regulation in the country and are encouraging suggestions from the public to a government website called the "red tape challenge".

After being identified, minister must decide if they support the popular vote or ignore their pleas and protect it from being abandoned. The list currently includes almost 300 environmental regulations currently under review.

A spokesman for Mr Huhne was unavailable for comment last night.

But a close to the Energy Secretary told The Guardian that he was supported by the business secretary, Vince Cable while other Lib Dem ministers were set for a fight over the regulation reviews.

telegraphuk
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