Glad to see a Tory Council implementing sensible environmental measures which actually save money. As long as it doesn't become militant...or linked to 'global warming'...they should be ok...

NM! What are you doing posting comments at four in the morning? Are you unable to sleep whilst there's someone with centre-right views out there who hasn't gone unanswered? I shall not rest!

NM, you brighten up my day. Keep taking the tablets, and it'll all be fine...

Erm, I'm assuming he was being ironic...?

We don't need women any more than we need other types of people. We need people who are competent and best suited to the job. It's what sets us apart from the other parties - we believe in ability, not tokenism.

Your point being...?

Dominic, you may be right to be sceptical...but isn't politics about persuading people of opposing views to come round to your way of thinking? If you question their motives and claim that they shouldn't be in the party, doesn't that give out a pretty bad message? Is noone allowed to change their views...? Welcome to the party Francis - it's good to have you!

'If climate emissions are a problem' - you have it one. Until greenhouses are proved to be damaging for the earth (including the biggest of them all, water vapour), then we should carry on as normal.

Interesting idea Phil - what do you think the effect on the world economy would be of that, and who might enforce it?

Very much agree there are good reasons to switch away from fossil fuels re energy security etc. However, can someone point me to evidence that man-made carbon emissions are responsible for increasing temperatures both now and throughout history? I find myself agog at the way Governments across the world are basing all of their policies on something which noone seems to be able to prove is actually definitively happening...Happy to be proved wrong though.

Tony, it may only be half nine in the morning, but you need a drink to help you take life less seriously

Can we have a proper definition of 'eco-friendly' for a start please? One that doesn't include a pledge to combat 'climate change' by reducing carbon emissions? There are many reasons to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy use, but let's not bang on about 'climate change' which isn't actually happening, according to the evidence.

What a relief to hear from someone in an elected position who doesn't swallow the alarmist global warming line whole! The vast majority of people getting worked up about 'global warming', e.g. Al Gore, have got no idea what the facts are. According to the debate I've read, scientists are not in agreement, and most of the alarming predictions are based on computer models rather than empirical facts. Sound basis for making public policy? I don't think so.

It's pretty outrageous. It's not as if they're not lobbying on a worthy cause - the 'rain tax' which is hitting community groups around the country is going to cripple so many of their activities. Ofwat are behaving in a disgraceful way, so I hope this story brings more attention to the fact that they're not worthy to be called a proper regulator...

What is it that makes the Labour Party so patronising? Since when were gay people part of a bloc, who all vote for one party over another? Do all black people vote the same, and all disabled people, and all short people, and all old people? Utterly disgraceful - the bigotry and intolerance in this present Government is reason enough to sling them out as soon as possible.

Albert, that was only in winnable seats. And there weren't too many of those either...

This advert is hilarious! Can't wait to see Tom Watson defending it when Labour get kicked in the groin at the election...

My usual opinion is that George Foulkes is not a very pleasant chap. He's one of the worst Labour toadies ever to grace parliament. However... In this case it needed to be said. Not so much the content of what he was saying, but the fact that he challenged someone from the Beeb over their extravagant use of public money. Quite right too! £92k for reading a script and asking a few questions? Makes me glad I don't pay the licence fee. He's quite right to highlight Paxman and Humphrys. More spotlight on BBC waste, I say.

m wood, you could have added that where computer models have made predictions in recent years, they've been mostly proved to be completely wrong. What scares me is the fact that 'climate change' policy is being made on the basis of predictions, and not empirical facts. The fact that the Met office predicted that 2008 would be one of the hottest summers ever, and it proved to be the opposite gives one some idea of the reliability of the people we rely on as experts.

jack, you never fail to cheer me up with your comments. I notice you appear to have left-wing views and a lot of time to comment on this blog. do you by any chance work in the public sector?

...so one minute cars and carbon emissions are bad and need to be taken off the road at all costs... ...and next, they're the best thing since sliced bread and we need to sell as many of them as we can. Brilliant!

Trev, something tells me the delicate way you state your nuanced argument may not have the desired effect of swaying Sally's opinion. Or anyone else for that matter.

Thanks Matthew, very sensible piece. On economic, environmental and social grounds, claiming that high-speed rail is an alternative to Heathrow expansion is ludicrous. They should go together, with a new high-speed hub at Heathrow to go hand-in-hand with a third runway.

Sorry Charlie, completely disagree with you. Theresa Villiers has shown shocking judgement, naivety and petty politics at every turn. The problem is she's firstly a politician seemingly bent on making petty factional points at the expense of coming up with serious policy. Her policy on high-speed rail and Heathrow clearly show she hasn't the first idea about transport issues and how to solve them. The solution to overcrowded airports is not to rule out all expansion, and put in place a high-speed rail system which would duplicate existing provision, and only come online in over 20 years time! For the sake of our party, let's get rid of her now.

Of course it doesn't matter. What do mottos say about Councils? That they're willing to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds on an exercise which will do nothing to deliver better value services to its residents. Scrap the lot of them.