Tory's just wrong, says Labour boss

A POLITICAL row has broken out over a Derby Conservative councillor's decision to show a climate change-sceptic film in the city's council chamber.

The new film, Not Evil Just Wrong, is a documentary which suggests evidence of global warming is inconclusive and that the impact climate change laws will have on industry is much more harmful to humans than beneficial. It is a direct challenge to Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, with was shown to councillors in Derby during Labour's control of the authority in 2007.

Tory councillor Frank Leeming put forward the idea to show the new film today, sparking criticism from Labour councillors.

Labour group leader Chris Williamson said: "I am totally appalled. The council is committed to reducing carbon emissions, yet the Conservatives are pushing a film which threatens all of that.

"It reaffirms our belief that the Conservatives have merely been paying lip service to environmental issues in pushing their new branding as a caring party."

And Labour councillor Ranjit Banwait, who is vice-chairman of the council's climate change commission, called for the resignation of its Conservative chairman.

He said: "If the Conservatives don't believe in climate change, then perhaps the chairman of the commission, Tory councillor Phil Ingall, should step down.

"They're setting an incredibly dangerous precedent. They're peddling a viewpoint which disputes what scientists have already proved about the state of the planet. Why would they do that?"

But Harvey Jennings, leader of the Conservative group, said Mr Leeming's view was not shared by the group as a whole, adding that the Tories were "committed to tackling climate change" and believed it was a reality.

He said: "This is about facilitating freedom of speech."

He added that Mr Leeming's actions were not an embarrassment to his party.

Mr Leeming confirmed he was a climate change sceptic.

He said: "Al Gore's film contained nine 'facts' which were wrong – and this film shows scientists answering those points."

He said he did not feel his strong views, which differ from the local Tory group's stance, meant he should not be a member of the party.

"We are a democratic group which allows free speech. I don't see any reason why I shouldn't do this," he said.

Conservative MEP Roger Helmer is an outspoken sceptic of climate change and has even published his own book challenging the issue.

He said it was right that councillors should be able to show another side to the debate over climate change and screened the film himself in the European parliament.

"There is no point saying a party which has signed up to a green agenda is not allowed to say a word, that is not honest politics," he said.