A poll commissioned by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth has revealed some useful data about the attitudes of Liberal Democrat voters to green energy.
It found that more than half of those who voted Liberal Democrat in 2010 said they would be more likely to do so again if the Liberal Democrats took action on carbon-free electricity generation.
It asked:
The Government’s advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, have said that to meet our climate change commitments the UK must switch to almost entirely carbon-free electricity by 2030.
Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for the Liberal Democrats if they took action to make sure electricity generation is carbon-free by 2030?
Total | Lib Dem 2010 voters | ||
NET: More likely | 37% | 55% | |
Much more likely | 12% | 24% | |
A little more likely | 25% | 31% | |
Neither more nor less likely | 44% | 34% | |
A little less likely | 3% | 2% | |
Much less likely | 9% | 2% | |
NET: Less likely | 12% | 4% | |
Don’t know | 7% | 7% |
The poll also found that 25% of all British adults interviewed, and 43% of 2010 Liberal Democrat voters, would be more likely to vote Liberal Democrat if we opposed the greater use of gas.
It asked:
The Chancellor, George Osborne, would like to see the UK generate more of its electricity from gas and for the UK to become a ‘gas hub’.
The Government’s advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, have said that too much energy from gas would break the UK’s climate change commitments.
Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for the Liberal Democrats if they opposed the Chancellor’s proposal?
Total | Lib Dem 2010 voters | ||
NET: More likely | 25% | 43% | |
Much more likely | 8% | 16% | |
A little more likely | 17% | 27% | |
Neither more nor less likely | 50% | 44% | |
A little less likely | 4% | 2% | |
Much less likely | 12% | 3% | |
NET: Less likely | 16% | 5% | |
Don’t know | 9% | 8% |
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.