It’s Thornberry vs. Cameron for MPs’ Environment Award

Emily and Tory leader David Cameron will go head-to-head for the title of Environment Champion of the year in the ePolitix.com’s MP Charity Champion Awards 2006.

Environment charity WWF has nominated Emily, saying “she has in her short time in Parliament made a considerable impact on the environmental debate”. Meanwhile David Cameron, who said winning one of the awards two years ago was his "proudest achievement", has been nominated by The Woodland Trust who said Cameron would be “very worthy” of the award.

Most significantly, WWF praised Emily’s work on the proposed Marine Bill in her Islington constituency, saying: “Emily has used the issue of the Marine Bill to link the environment with another of her passions – young people – by going in to schools in the constituency and discussing the importance of protecting marine ecosystems and the role that Parliament can play”. Emily is visiting all of her constituency’s primary schools to explain to Islington’s young people how they can show their support for protecting our seas.

WWF also paid tribute to Emily’s work in Parliament, saying: “Emily was instrumental in securing and helping steer the environmental audit committee’s inquiry into the Marine Bill”. The charity praised Emily’s sponsorship of the Climate Change Bill, which would bring in guaranteed year-on-year reductions in carbon emissions, alongside her push for greater environmental and social corporate responsibility through her contributions to the Companies Bill.

Emily said:

“Since I was elected I have worked hard with the green charities to push this issue up the Government’s agenda, with some success. I have just been doing what a large number of local people want me to do. Although I must say that the be nominated for this award is a real honour”

The Woodland Trust has nominated David Cameron for being “prepared to make environmental policy one of the defining themes of his leadership”. The three other nominations for the Environment Champion are Tory policy review chairman Oliver Letwin, Lib Dem backbencher Norman Baker, and former Labour environment minister Elliot Morley. The winner of the award will be chosen by a free ballot of all MPs.

For more information of the awards click here