The bike rides that aren't helping the planet

Whilst Iain Dale was live blogging his old boss on Question Time I was watching Newsnight...

Newsnight had teamed up with the Daily Mirror to show what happened after David Cameron leaves his home at the start of his eco-friendly bike ride (Picture 1) to Parliament...

Picture 2 shows Mr Cameron's Government Car Service driver arriving a few minutes later to collect the Tory leader's clean shirt, shoes and box full of papers.

Picture 3 shows Mr Cameron's driver putting the blue box of papers into the back of the environmentally-friendly Lexus.

On a more serious note Ming Campbell has written to David Cameron encouraging him to accept five principles to underpin a cross-party approach to the environment:

• "Green taxes should be used to change behaviour
• Green taxes - including excise duty on fuel - should not fall in real terms from year to year
• There should be a substantial increase in the top rate of Vehicle Excise Duty
• The climate change levy should be reformed into a universal carbon tax - including household emissions as well as business emissions
• Air passenger duty should be restructured as a tax on aircraft emissions, not passengers."

My guess is that David Cameron won't reject Ming Campbell's letter out of hand.  The Conservative leadership looks at the political landscape and is delighted at the crises engulfing Labour.  What it cannot see is the LibDems losing seats on the scale that would be necessary for the Tories to form a majority of one. As I'm quoted as saying in this week's Spectator, Team Cameron appears very keen to build good relations with the Liberal Democrats and the environment is at the heart of that coalition-friendly tactic.

Comments

[Richard North]

You forgot to tell readers that the Boy King went to Bury yesterday to promote "cleaner greener" trains - flying up in a not so "cleaner greener" helicopter to get there.

[Richard]

Unless I'm mistaken green taxes tend to hurt the poor the most eg fuel tax. But then I suppose it depends on the nature of the tax.

[Gregor Hopkins]

It is unfortunate for someone like Dave, the bike ride in the end may not be carbon neutral, but at least he is setting a good example in terms of healthly living. You cant win 'em all.

[Matthew Sinclair]

Lol... that's actually funny.

[James Hellyer]

It's quite damning that while embodying the change he wants to be, David Cameron has shown that change to be little more than a PR gimmick totally disconnected from the substance of his life. Could this be Cameronism in a nutshell?

[Chad]

I think it might have been John Hustings who noted that Cameron's "Be the Change" has a real chance of backfiring as badly as Major's "Back To Basics".

It is not just Cameron, but if the entire shadow cabinet do not fully embrace a votebluegogreen lifetsyle beyond superificial photoshoots it will backfire horribly.

If the shadow cabinet aren't prepared to fully embrace the CamCon message and ditch their large cars, use only energy-efficient bubls etc, then Cameron's message will be in serious danger of going of the rail.

Relative comparison to Labour will be meaningless as it is the CamComs who making the call to be the change.

I was pleased to hear Zac Goldsmith cautious tone and laugh at the picking up a piece of litter cam-mandment on the ToryRadio interview (and the posh bloke vs right notherner accent clash that Joanthan promised us!) :-)

For me, if you really want to win, you have to ask yourself this single question:
Why should the people vote out Brown?

Not why you want him out, but why would the people vote him out.

What is Brown doing wrong? If you identify the reasons (ridiculously high taxation, big government etc), but do not make these solutions your core message, then you will lose.

What have the CamComs proposed to answer this question? High taxes and big government proposals. This is a losing strategy.

[Paul Kennedy]

Can somebody explain to me what all of these extra taxes are going to be spent on, might they be used for example to help people upgrade their central heating boilers, pay for development of high performance low emission petrol engines, clean coal technology development etc etc, or will they be used to make good state sector employees pension scheme deficits?

PS You don't need a Lexus to collect a case and some clothes, a Smart car would suffice, second thoughts a couple of panniers on the back of the bike would be OK!

[Ted]

I second panniers.

The point about taxes is that they should be painful otherwise how do the depressives in the Green Lobby, who want masochism as basis of policy, know the LDs (and maybe us) are serious :-)

Doesn't matter that like the CC the admin costs swallow up the revenue, doesn't matter that we would see less cash for NHS, Education, Policing, Defense as economy contracts - they have taken on board an old Tory slogan " if its not hurting, it isn't working"

[Chris Palmer]

Good old Newsnight. Always there to give the Leader of the Opposition a fair hearing, especially by inviting a Conservative neutral newspaper to help the investigation.

Did Tony Blair ever have the BBC investigate him when he made his spurious claims on policies now proven deceit?

[John Hustings]

Shallow Dave is exposed once again as a fraud.

Unfortunately, I think this could do long term damage to our "brand".

After our next election defeat, the environment might be as much of a no-go area as marriage, health, crime, immigration, europe and taxes are at the moment.

We won't have any issues left.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

"Can somebody explain to me what all of these extra taxes are going to be spent on, might they be used for example to help people upgrade their central heating boilers, pay for development of high performance low emission petrol engines, clean coal technology development etc etc, or will they be used to make good state sector employees pension scheme deficits?"

The money will be spent on buying votes, ie:
Pension Credits and Benefits etc.

[William]

Picking up litter, the big issue of whether to bicycle or not. It's not hitting the electoral spot.

People who live in the real world are concerned about real political issues. They don't want Conservative-lite image-creation, demonstrating that if you live in a nice area you can do nice things like bike around without being mugged, run over or choked with pollution.

No harm in it if it was accompanied by a real political programme - but it isn't.

[Paul Kennedy]

"The money will be spent on buying votes, ie:
Pension Credits and Benefits etc". 09:12

Now there's a surprise.!

[malcolm]

I would agree with Chris Palmer,by highlighting this ridiculous story we are playing the game of such unbiased commentators as the BBC and the Mirror.
It does give me the joy however of seeing the usual suspects the opportunity to attack our leader again and again and again on this blog.What fun!

[Chad]

OK Malcolm, he's doing a great job. No more criticism. Hooray, hooray for Dave.

Election victory is now assured.

[Mark Fulford]

It would be impossible for senior politicians to do their jobs effectively without consuming more resources than the average Joe. Following this “hypocrisy” line of attack, no politician could talk about saving resources, and that would be daft.

The good done by David Cameron’s green campaign outweighs the environmental damage it causes.

P.S. “Boy King” is *so* UKIP.

[John Hustings]

"Following this “hypocrisy” line of attack, no politician could talk about saving resources, and that would be daft."

Isn't that exactly what has happened with "family values"?

[Richard North]

So, the Fraud King's eco-chic turns out to be bull-chic! Stop sniggering in the ranks!

[Richard Hyslop]

I cycle to work on a daily basis in central London and I have to take with me a brief case and some times much more. I manage to do all this using my bike.

While it is all well and good for Cameron to cycle to the House of Commons it looks very bad if shortly after he has left a man comes to collect a change of clothes and his blue box. So an empty car - no matter how environmentally friendly - drives to and from his house with nothing in it but a shirt, some shoes and a box of paper work!

It would be far better if he had actually just said that he would use an eco friendly car to get around in his capacity as leader.

Being environmentally friendly can make life slightly more difficult and it seems that Cameron is not willing to go the whole way hence the car and the helicopter! IF we are to be taken seriously on the issue of the environment we should not have any more of these embarrassing incidents!

On the issue of green taxes the answer should be no. We should be offering green tax cuts not green tax hikes.

[John Hustings]

Isn't he actually causing more carbon emissions than if he drove to work himself?

Presumably his chaffeur has to drive from his own home to Dave's place, before going on to Westminster.

[Editor]

Malcolm: "I would agree with Chris Palmer, by highlighting this ridiculous story we are playing the game of such unbiased commentators as the BBC and the Mirror."

Why is it ridiculous, Malcolm? Those images of David Cameron riding his bike have been presented as powerful expressions of his green credentials. This story partly undermines those credentials.

[Chris Palmer]

"Isn't he actually causing more carbon emissions than if he drove to work himself?" - John Hustings

Wrong. The extra weight of David Cameron in the Lexus would add to the fuel consumption.

This is what gets me about his Norway trip. The flight was going whether or not David Cameron took the journey. In that respect he was not creating extra pollution.

However, in my belief, global warming is not even an issue. It doesn't exist. Global warming is for all the eco-freaks and former far-left who have re-branded.

Someone once said that without a belief in God, you believe in nothing. Completely wrong. If you don't believe in God, you believe in anything. Global warming is just another four-horseman of the apocolypse - without the influence of God. Evidence on the subject is so contradicting.

[John Hustings]

"Completely wrong. If you don't believe in God, you believe in anything. "

It was Chesterton who made that remark, which I happen to find very true.

[Chad]

Wrong. The extra weight of David Cameron in the Lexus would add to the fuel consumption.

Richard Hylsop was spot on.

Bike + Lexus or Toyota Prius? Which would be the more green and practical choice for Dave's needs?

[Chad]

..and of course Dave could drive himself. There is no need for two people in the car when discussing the impact of body weight on pollution output.

Many other people with important jobs manage to struggle to work without the need for a chauffeur.

[michael]

Who said Cameron cycles for environmental reasons? Many cycle for exercise or even to avoid traffic.

In these days of Labour turmoil, it's good to know that not everyone has lost their heads and are still able to turn their fire on the Conservative Party...the BBC, the Daily Mirror and ConservativeHome.

[Henry Whitmarsh]

Don't believe a single word Newsnight ever say, particularly if it concerns politics.

Marr = Husband of Jackie Ashley, she of the New Statesman and the Guardian.
Wark = Best mates with former first minister of scotland as well as being on the committe which signed off on the godawfual scottish parliament building.

Ming's just worried we're moving onto their soverign territory. Where's that Jag at then?

[Chad]

Michael,

When the party's core message (check the website) is Vote Blue Go Green, and Cameron is urging people to "be the change" how can it be irrelevant to question the leaders choice of travelling to work being bike plus one other to drive a lexus with his bag in?

[John Hustings]

"and of course Dave could drive himself. There is no need for two people in the car when discussing the impact of body weight on pollution output.

Many other people with important jobs manage to struggle to work without the need for a chauffeur."

HaHa!

Precisely. I was right after all. Unless of course David Cameron is so much fatter than his chauffeur.

[Mark Fulford]

If you don't believe in God, you believe in anything.

If you don't believe in God, you CAN believe in anything.

I could believe in Noah's Ark, but I don't.

I could believe that everything is God's will, but I don't.

[Chad]

..remember Caroline Jackson has accused Cameron's green credentials of being "all talk and no action".

[John Hustings]

"Who said Cameron cycles for environmental reasons? Many cycle for exercise or even to avoid traffic."

When he made his first speech as party leader, he specifically made a point of his cycling being an environmental choice (he then cracked a joke at the BBC's expense).

[Henry Whitmarsh]

This is just a pathetic attempt on the part of the BBC to claw back the news cycle away from Labour's woes, just as every hack in the real world is looking to see what those crims Clarke let go have been up to. Oh, and who else Prescott has been sleeping with, and the fact that the Department of Health don't know how old the NHS is, and the nurses who aren't nurses anymore.

[michael]

Chad, my point is that it isn't very "relevant" to our (Conservative members that is) efforts to expose Labour's current turmoil.

There are already 6 posts from you and 6 from John Hustings. i think those determined to undermine Cameron are a little to eager to jump on this 'story'.

[Editor]

Michael - thanks for your helpful comment.

Can I recommend this site to you? You'll be happier there - shielded from any serious discussion.

[John Hustings]

"There are already 6 posts from you and 6 from John Hustings. "

I'm sorry, I just find this story particularly funny. Cameron's getting a bit of comeuppance for being such a shallow joke.

I wonder how all of this will affect the Tory "brand". I'm sure cynical opportunism will do just the job in reaching out to new voters.

[Chad]

Michael,

Yes, I think Cameron is a terrible mistake as leader. Is the right thing to do to bang the drum and wait for another election defeat or fight for real change?

You will note, that I did ask what I consider to be the big question:

"Why should the people vote out Brown?"

I want the party to first answer this then ensure the solutions are the core message, as this is the only way to beat Brown.

Please tell me, what is your answer to that question?

[Chad]

..it's elevator pitch time:

30 seconds to convince a sceptical voter why they should vote out Brown.

[michael]

Your sarcasm aside Tim, www.conservatives.com is a good site for information but I do hope it will become more interactive in future.

Apropos your point on serious discussion - I'm not sure the Mirror and the discussion yesterday on Newsnight would be the best way to instigate serious discussion.

I'm sorry, but I agree with Malcolm and Henry on this.

[Chris Palmer]

Is there any similar analysis elsewhere of Lib Dems and their green policies? but not being 'green' themselves?

[Richard]

"Can somebody explain to me what all of these extra taxes are going to be spent on"

Preferably allowing taxes to be cut in other areas. We don't want the overall tax burden increasing.

[malcolm]

Editor,as you know I'm not an uncritical supporter of David Cameron.I've several differences with him on policy such as Iraq or selection in schools and on his plans for the Conservative party such as the A list and party funding.However I think he is trying to do the right thing by raising the Enviroment as a serious subject for discussion in our party.
This story is the sort of mischief making one could expect from Newsight or the Mirror ,I'd thought CH would be a bit above it.Still I've enjoyed reading the comments as always.

[Richard North]

"This is what gets me about his Norway trip. The flight was going whether or not David Cameron took the journey. In that respect he was not creating extra pollution."

Er... no. That might have been the case if the Fraud King had taken a scheduled flight, but he didn't. He flew in a private jet - and it wasn't even a hybrid. (Was there another one behind, carrying his dog sleigh?)

[Sarah Richardson]

I think the separation of politician and paperwork in this instance is for security issues - you can't just put documents which could include confidential briefings in a pannier in case anything happens to them. I live in a big block of flats in Victoria - around 20 minutes' walk from the House of Commons - and three MPs live in the same block. Two of them have at some point served as Labour ministers and it wasn't unusual for them to walk to work and for their government cars to pick up their red boxes.

[Deputy Editor]

If we're using Christian quotes, may I suggest "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"?
Cameron has a very important job to do for the sake of this country - if practically he needs someone to help him take things to work (so as not to have a creased/dirty shirt in PMQs) whilst taking the trouble to set a good example by still using his bike, then I think it's worth a few of us to cycle that little bit more to 'make up for it'.

[Editor]

Malcolm: "However I think [DC] is trying to do the right thing by raising the Enviroment as a serious subject for discussion in our party."

So do I, Malcolm but at the heart of David Cameron's 'go green' message is the idea that we all as individuals have to change our behaviour - don't overfill our kettles, turn down our thermostats and buy green cars etc. This story is 100% relevant in this context as it shows again (after the Lexus versus Prius preference) that there's less change in DC's lifestyle than we're being led to believe.

Sometimes in politics these sorts of stories have more effect than policy issues. I fear this is such an example.

[johnC]

What bothers me most about this story is that Cameron didn't forsee it. Surely he should have realised that he was laying himself open to this negative publicity ? Up until now I always thought his media presentation skills and ability to project a positive image one of his greatest strengths. We need a Tory media strategist able to identify and dispose of obvious banana skins like this.

Panniers for the shirt and shoes, and a couple of bungees for the blue box.

[James Hellyer]

However I think [DC] is trying to do the right thing by raising the Enviroment as a serious subject for discussion in our party

The question is *why* it's the right thing. Cameron's behaviour betrays his rhetoric and to my mind shows that he's not doing this because he's an environmentalist, but rather because it's a PR manouevre. That's why he seems to want the good image without the awkwardness of altering his lifestyle choices.

I'd also add that his ideas for green taxes will be entirely regressive. As with hybrid cars, all such costs associated with pollution achieve is squeezing the poor out of the market. People like Cameron can still pollute, because they can afford to pay for it.

[Ted]

Editor

Agree that this story has relevance. David Cameron made an issue of the environment, he supported the issuing of a pamphlet that talked about the little things we can do. He can presumably afford more than one clean change of clothes and one pair of shoes so a weekly collection / delivery to his offices would cover that.

He also a planned diary, and in his position oplans are usually around him not the people he meets, so could instruct his office on limiting car journeys and organising events in such a way as to reduce his use of his official car.

As regards official papers - yes there are confidential ones that need protection but on the whole he could have his office provide him with overnight background briefings that are not official secrets or really confidential and concentrate on those in the office - anyway I imagine secure panniers are available, lockable and securely fitted.

Then he could even use how he has organised his life to make it that "little bit greener" but regret that because of his job he does need to use the car, have papers etc delivered but tries to minimise it.

Showing he's trying, while admitting its hard is good politics.

But does every thread have to now contain references to "Boy Kings" or contain multiple regurgitations of the same issues? I might be guilty of this but try not to just post the same thing and return to the same arguments whatever the subject.

On the religious vein Sam raised - sometimes this blog seems like a Scots Presbyterian mirror world with Frees, Wee Frees, even more Wee than you are Wee Frees arguing points of doctrine and proclaiming X cannot be conservative because.

[Louise]

I think there is a danger of this discussion falling into an argument between too totally polarised camps. The Michaels and Henrys of the Party who will defend the leadership and cry foul against whoever attacks it and the John Hustings and Chads who will attack David Cameron at all costs. Even if we win a majority of 50 at the General Election, the complaints will come in that Dave wasn't good enough and we should have won by 55. Neither attitude appeals to most of us.

I think there is a critical point to be made though. David Cameron, rightly, brought up the issue of the environment and gave suggestions as to how we can all make minor changes to our lifestyles to help. He is portraying himself as the Green leader and the cycling to work is a key elemenet of that. The Mirror/Newsnight story does open him up to a fair charge of hypocrisy on this issue.

While I am generally supportive of Cameron and his policies I can't sometimes help thinking "Well that's ok for him to say that" and this is a prime example, it's ok to suggest that we cycle to work when a car takes all your paperwork to the office, it's ok to support the imposition of tuition fees when your family can afford them etc. Although these examples aren't major problems yet, it is a charge that can be levelled and an answer to the accusation can be found.

It's a valid discussion point.

[Richard North]

Dear Ted - in your defence of the Fraud King, I don't think you even begin to understand the damage that has been done.

It was always a high risk strategy to major on the environ-mental issues, in what to many is a quasi-religious crusade. Then to be shown to be a fraud destroys utterly any credibility the man has. And, so people will say, if you can't trust him on this, what can you trust him on? Further, the one thing that plays very badly with the electorate is hypocrisy. And the Fraud King is now show to have it in spades. The man is dead in the water.

[Editor]

I agree with you Ted on not liking the Boy King/ Fraud King stuff. I'd prefer if, when we took issue with Cameron, we all did so without name-calling but that's probably a futile hope...

Thanks for your post, Louise. I agreed with every word.

[Chad]

and the John Hustings and Chads who will attack David Cameron at all costs

Ahem. I defended DC's choice of car, his PPB, have championed his work for the disabled and much more.

However, I believe he his strategy will lead to electoral defeat by ignoring the core issues and ditching core conservaitve (not old-fashioned) values.

I have posed a simple question yet no DC supporter has tried to answer. in 30 seconds, tell me, a sceptical, floating voter why I should vote out Gordon Brown.

Please have a try. Then we can discuss why the strategy does not address the issues needed to oust Brown.

[Christina]

Cycle panniers are okay for ordinary papers, but Cameron most likely has confidential papers which need to be transported more securely in the locked boot of a car. Mind you, I don't see why he just doesn't drive the car himself.

[Richard Allen]

Surly the real problem here is that people will see this as proof that Cameron isn't really serious about the envioronment. It enforces the Labour attacks on him over his oppurtunism.

[Henry Whitmarsh]

The environmental agenda is much bigger than recycling your yoghurt pots or taking your bike to work. Whilst it is true that small changes add up to a big difference it is also the case that those who advocate an environmental agenda should not have to live like monks in order to be taken seriously. If it were the case that David Cameron's centerpiece environmental policy was that everyone should cycle to work, which he does, regardless of what his papers are doing, then yes it might seem a little hypocritical. However, his policies focus on national issues like recycling, urban transport and green taxation.

Cameron has his papers, which he can't possibly carry on his bike, driven to his work? Go find another barrel to scrape, or go to Guido Fawkes' for some decent gossip. Sheesh!

[Rob G]

Interesting though that the Green Party rep on Newsnight didn't argue that this showed insincerity on DC's part. His (the rep's) concern was to find out what policies are going to emerge from the current review.

[Editor]

It's not just ConservativeHome that is reporting this story, Michael and Malcolm etc.

In an article headlined "Cameron's bike ride to work - with a car in tow" The Telegraph Online is now reporting:

"The Conservative leader David Cameron's pursuit of the green vote has been dealt a blow after it emerged that his bicycle ride to the House of Commons is routinely followed by his official car."

[malcolm]

I would agree with you too Louise.But nor do I think that the fact that DC has his papers taken by car particularly important.What will matter far far more is if we eventually (and it is tough having to wait so long)have a set of credible energy and enviroment policies.The fact that we ignored this subject in the 2005 GE was brought up with me many times when canvassing.

[michael]

Malcolm, I think you're right.

One story shouldn't be given more publicity than it deserves and be allowed to obscure what has been a serious and sustained effort to associate the Party with environmental issues - least of all one from the Daily Mirror written to damage the Party.

Despite Tim's justification that the Telegraph is reporting this story online too, I think it was naive to think posting it in the way that it is, would lead to "serious discussion".

[Andy Peterkin]

It was silly on Cameron's part to think that this wouldn't be discovered. Slapped wrist.

The real story here is that the BBC now appears to think it is fine to launch blatant, overt and brazenly partisan attacks on the Conservative Party in collusion with Labour supporting newspapers.

This is a clear breach of the BBC charter, and we should be making a serious fuss about it.

[Cynthia]

I don't think Norman Tebbit quite had this in mind when he was alleged to have said 'on yer bike'.

Hard images of 1980's economic progress are out.

Now it's the 'Caramel' way - a hint of luxury, smooth, tasty and soft in the centre.

[Derek]

Trying to follow an environmentally friendly life-style was always going to be fraught with difficulties. This sort of exposure was only too predictable. If we are going to continue to state that we are going to try to prevent global warming and the effects of climate change, I fear we will get caught out again and again. Our leader is in real danger of being labelled as King Canute.

[Editor]

What this post portrayed Michael is indefensible so I can understand you wanting to shoot the messenger.

[Mike]

Isn't anyone else getting sick and tired with this silly environmentalist lunacy that seems to have overcome the Conservative party? The Lexus isn't even environmentally friendly, it just has an expensive and unnecessarily complex engine. There isn't any debate on environmental issues anymore, just "how much of an extremist enviro-fascist can I get away with whilst massively raising taxes?"

[eugene]

Yes- this episode shows what nonsense some green policies are. We cannot ride a bike to work as we have equipment that cannot be carried on a bike.

In DCs case, he SHOULD NOT be riding a bike-he is an important person who can easily become a terrorist target and on his bike, he is a sitting duck. He NEEDS to be in a secure car followed closely by security services.

This green obsession is PC nonsense, doing more harm than good. The problem with green policies is that they are like tomatoes- they eventually turn red.