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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Voting Green is a waste - Clegg | Voting Green is a waste - Clegg |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Backing the Green Party at the next general election would be a wasted vote, Nick Clegg has said. | Backing the Green Party at the next general election would be a wasted vote, Nick Clegg has said. |
| The Lib Dem leader told a fringe meeting that the Greens could not bring about change as they did not have enough influence at a national level. | The Lib Dem leader told a fringe meeting that the Greens could not bring about change as they did not have enough influence at a national level. |
| He said the Lib Dems had the most "bold and radical" environmental policies of any British party. | He said the Lib Dems had the most "bold and radical" environmental policies of any British party. |
| The Greens said their supporters would never vote for Mr Clegg after his "recent lurch to the right". | The Greens said their supporters would never vote for Mr Clegg after his "recent lurch to the right". |
| Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas is hoping to be elected to Parliament in the Brighton constituency where the party garnered 22% of the vote in the 2005 election. | |
| The Greens got more than a 1.3 million votes at June's European elections, in which it had two MEPs returned to Brussels. | The Greens got more than a 1.3 million votes at June's European elections, in which it had two MEPs returned to Brussels. |
| Electoral strength | Electoral strength |
| Mr Clegg told party members it was a "crucial" moment in the environmental debate and the next Parliament was perhaps the "last" chance to make progress towards a more sustainable economy and success in carbon reduction targets. | Mr Clegg told party members it was a "crucial" moment in the environmental debate and the next Parliament was perhaps the "last" chance to make progress towards a more sustainable economy and success in carbon reduction targets. |
| He urged people who care passionately about the environment but who do not support the Lib Dems to come over to the party at the next election. | He urged people who care passionately about the environment but who do not support the Lib Dems to come over to the party at the next election. |
| Nick Clegg is kidding himself if he thinks he can sell Lib Dem policies to Green voters Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader | Nick Clegg is kidding himself if he thinks he can sell Lib Dem policies to Green voters Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader |
| "I am absolutely confident that we have the most radical and bold set of environmental policies of any party in British politics," he said. | "I am absolutely confident that we have the most radical and bold set of environmental policies of any party in British politics," he said. |
| The party's backing for policies such as an 80% target for cutting carbon emissions by 2050, smart utility meters in all new homes and the requirement for companies to publish details of their annual carbon emissions had helped shift government policy. | The party's backing for policies such as an 80% target for cutting carbon emissions by 2050, smart utility meters in all new homes and the requirement for companies to publish details of their annual carbon emissions had helped shift government policy. |
| His party's electoral strength at Westminster - in both Houses of Parliament - meant it had the opportunity to influence policy in a way that the Greens did not have, he said. | His party's electoral strength at Westminster - in both Houses of Parliament - meant it had the opportunity to influence policy in a way that the Greens did not have, he said. |
| "I obviously disagree with some of the policies of the Green Party but I understand the instincts which means quite a lot of people might be attracted to the Green Party." | "I obviously disagree with some of the policies of the Green Party but I understand the instincts which means quite a lot of people might be attracted to the Green Party." |
| But he said those considering their options at the next election had a "straightforward" choice. | But he said those considering their options at the next election had a "straightforward" choice. |
| "They [the Greens] simply cannot affect change. It is not an empty allegation." | "They [the Greens] simply cannot affect change. It is not an empty allegation." |
| Those desiring real change in attitudes to the environment in government and industry did not have the "luxury" to split their support, he said, as this risked fragmenting the coalition for action. | Those desiring real change in attitudes to the environment in government and industry did not have the "luxury" to split their support, he said, as this risked fragmenting the coalition for action. |
| "Our plea to people who care as much as I do about this is let's not quarrel among ourselves. We just don't have the time. The clock is ticking," he added. | "Our plea to people who care as much as I do about this is let's not quarrel among ourselves. We just don't have the time. The clock is ticking," he added. |
| 'Fairness' | 'Fairness' |
| Caroline Lucas reacted angrily to Mr Clegg's claims. | Caroline Lucas reacted angrily to Mr Clegg's claims. |
| The Green Party leader told BBC News: "Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but the LibDems would have to do things very differently to be a convincing imitation of the Greens. | The Green Party leader told BBC News: "Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but the LibDems would have to do things very differently to be a convincing imitation of the Greens. |
| "Nick Clegg is kidding himself if he thinks he can sell Lib Dem policies to Green voters, especially right now. | "Nick Clegg is kidding himself if he thinks he can sell Lib Dem policies to Green voters, especially right now. |
| "With his latest lurch to the right, and his promise of 'bold and savage cuts' in public spending, Clegg is increasingly demonstrating that, as David Cameron has said, there's 'barely a cigarette paper' between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. | "With his latest lurch to the right, and his promise of 'bold and savage cuts' in public spending, Clegg is increasingly demonstrating that, as David Cameron has said, there's 'barely a cigarette paper' between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. |
| "Greens want to protect public services, not cut them, especially in a recession." | "Greens want to protect public services, not cut them, especially in a recession." |
| She said the Lib Dems could not be trusted on issues like climate change as Lib Dem councils had opposed wind farms and backed airport expansion. | She said the Lib Dems could not be trusted on issues like climate change as Lib Dem councils had opposed wind farms and backed airport expansion. |
| "The bottom line is that if you want Green policies, the best way to get them is to vote for Green politicians," she added. | "The bottom line is that if you want Green policies, the best way to get them is to vote for Green politicians," she added. |