Brown faces climate change revolt

The Climate Change Bill completes its detailed committee stage on Tuesday. Gordon Brown is facing the prospect of another significant backbench rebellion - this time over climate change. More than 80 Labour MPs have signed an amendment to the Climate Change Bill, which would force ministers to promise greater cuts in carbon emissions. The Climate Change Bill commits the government to make at least a 60% cut in CO2 emissions by 2050. The MPs want that figure to rise to 80%. The rebels say the 60% goal will not do enough to control global warming. They also claim it is based on out-of-date science. The government is not unsympathetic to the 80% target and the prime minister has already said the evidence points that way. However, he has handed the issue to an independent Climate Change Committee, headed by former CBI chief, Lord... [read full story]