Reform fail in a bid to 'deny' that manmade climate change is real

RIGHT-WING PARTY'S BID TO 'REMOVE HYPE' AROUND NET ZERO BRANDED 'FLAWED' AND A DENIAL OF GLOBAL WARMING

- By EDDIE BISKNELL Local democracy reporter

COUNCILLORS have slammed an attempt to withdraw Derby's declaration of a climate emergency as “flawed” and “ridiculous”.

Derby City Council debated Reform councillor Tim Prosser's motion on Wednesday.

The motion claimed “there is no immediate, measurable, man-made climate emergency”.

He said a “proper conversation” about the climate, including pollution, was needed to “remove the hype” and that the climate emergency, declared by the city council in 2019, should be withdrawn.

Cllr Stephen Fowke, Reform, backing the motion, called on the authority to refocus its efforts from the climate emergency on the cost of living crisis, claiming there was a “financial emergency crippling the council”.

A member of the public in the council chamber had yelled “climate change is a load of b*******”.

Meanwhile, Cllr Alan Graves, a city councillor and Reform’s Derbyshire County Council leader, said “net zero is stupid”.

Cllr Fowke had said: “We must do better and focus on real, better, affordable change for the people.”