The C-o-n-s-e-r-v-a-t-i-o-n Party

By Tim Montgomerie
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When ConservativeHome started in 2005 we put an environmental shield in our masthead.

For us the preservation of the natural environment and good stewardship of the planet's resources should be a central feature of conservatism.

In this light we warmly welcome the initiatives being taken by Caroline Spelman to invest in and enhance Britain's beautiful and essential countryside. The Environment Secretary writes about this work for ConservativeHome today.

You can be a sceptic about unilateral action to combat climate change and still believe that conservation should be at the heart of our party's mission. Canada's Stephen Harper has pursued such a distinction very successfully and has just become leader of a majority Conservative government in Ottawa.

To avoid duplicating discussion we won't be opening comments on this thread. Please comment beneath Caroline Spelman's piece.