Conservatives are accused of going cold on tackling climate change by Liberal Democrats on Lancashire County Council. At today’s full Council meeting at County Hall Conservatives and BNP defeated a motion to promote eating a meat free meal each week.

The motion proposed that the Council should promote the adoption of a weekly meat free day. This would help reduce the demand for clearing vast swathes of the Amazon Rainforest to grow crops and keep livestock to feed the demand for cheap meat.

Speaking in favour of the motion, Councillor Mark Jewell said, “We applaud the sentiment of this motion which would also have health benefits in reducing a high protein diet. Whilst I would encourage eating locally produced meat, having a day a week without meat can have many benefits.”

Fellow Councillor Bill Winlow added, “There is a direct relationship between what we eat and the impact on our health, the environment and climate change. By failing to support this motion and by slashing the budget for the climate change fund all on the same day reflects a complete lack of commitment from the Tories on the challenges of climate change. Whilst they may talk green, their actions speak louder than words.”