20140214_NB
Source: BBC TV News
URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26187711
Date: 14/02/2014
Event: Natalie Bennett urges removal of government advisors with unacceptable thoughts on climate
Attribution: BBC TV News
People:
- Natalie Bennett: Leader, UK Green Party
- Ross Hawkins: BBC political correspondent
Ross Hawkins: Are you saying that every government advisor, even if they advised on - I don't know, Chief Veterinary Officer - they wouldn't be allowed to perform in those positions unless they accepted this view on climate change?
Natalie Bennett: Well, what we're talking - we're talking about is senior advisors - we're not talking about the whole Civil Service, or anything like that.
Ross Hawkins: Well, that would be a senior advisor.
Natalie Bennett: Yes.
Ross Hawkins: So we are saying that everyone will be asked their opinion. Their thoughts will be checked, and if those thoughts are unacceptable, they would be removed from their post.
Natalie Bennett: Well, what we have is a situation where we have to get people signed up to action. And that's really what matters is they're signed up to taking action, on this. And we have a situation where Eric Pickles. who, in 2010, withdrew the responsibility of local government to take action on climate change, we have George Osborne, who's chasing after the fantasy of fracking, as any kind of solution to our future energy needs. Those are situations that simply can't be allowed to continue in government. People need to accept the reality and need to act, to take the choices we need, to deal with climate change.
Ross Hawkins: Yeah, I understand there are politicians with whom you disagree and who you would like to replace. I'm just intrigued by this thing about government advisors. I am understanding this right? Every - as this says - senior government advisor, who refused to accept the scientific consensus on climate change, as you describe it, shouldn't be in their post. Every one of them.
Natalie Bennett: Yep, we need the whole government behind this - this is an emergency situation we're facing now. We need to take action, we need everyone signed up behind that.
Ross Hawkins: And I'm not reducing this to the absurd? That literally would include every senior government advisor, i.e., it could be the Chief Veterinary Officer, it could be any advisor, whether or not they were directly connected with the issue of flooding.
Natalie Bennett: Yes.
Ross Hawkins: And you would see them removed from their post.
Natalie Bennett: Well, we would ask the government to remove them - they're the people who are in that position. And I'm calling on David Cameron and Nick Clegg to accept this 10-point plan -
Ross Hawkins: And how would that work, in practical terms, if they'd never expressed a view on climate change, because it was irrelevant to their role? The Chief Medical Officer - I don't know their view on climate change - they would be asked, and if they didn't accept this view, they would be take out of that post.
Natalie Bennett: Well, I think what we're doing is looking - looking at the realities of what action people are prepared to take, prepared to acknowledge that they need to take action, on this. And, you know, that's what the government needs to do, is take action. The whole issue of this being - this so-called "greenest government ever" is currently a sick joke.