Lib Dem green policies non-negotiable in coalition talks, says Clegg

The Liberal Democrats’ green policies will not be up for negotiation if the party is approached to form a second coalition government, according to deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

At the launch of the Lib Dem manifesto on Wednesday morning, Clegg said that the five green laws which are on the front of its general election manifesto, are the party’s “top priorities” and would have to be included in any coalition agreement for him to accept it.

Clegg said that in the 2010 coalition negotiations, he would not have accepted a deal unless the party’s top priorities were agreed upon and adopted by the government, adding “we will take the same approach this time”.

He said: “We will fight tooth and nail for these priorities in the next parliament.

“This is a programme for government, not opposition. It is not a shopping list of pie in the sky ideas, but a set of proposals that builds on our record of action in government.”

Clegg added that the Lib Dems had overseen a “quiet revolution in renewable energy” in this parliament, and that he is looking to build upon this over the next five years.

The five green laws, unveiled by the party in September, would introduce a “Zero Carbon Britain Bill”, which would set a decarbonisation target for electricity generation, expand the powers of the Green Investment Bank, and ban electricity generation from unabated coal by 2025.

The laws would also establish a “Heating and Energy Efficiency Bill” – which would create a national programme to raise the energy efficiency standards for all Britain’s households – and a “Green Transport Bill” – which would only allow low emission vehicles on the roads from 2040.

The Lib Dems would also introduce a Nature Bill, which would set legal targets for biodiversity, clean air, clean water and access to green space, and a zero waste bill.