How Green Is Your Party?

Description

We open with views of countryside, industrial landscapes, a derelict factory and modern farming as the environmental issues that face the country are summarised. Interview with the director of the CPRE, Robin Grove-White who talks about the most pressing environmental issues. European Environment Year begins in March 1987, a year which will also see a General Election. Each of the political parties have been invited to talk about their environmental manifestoes.

First it is the turn of William Waldegrave MP who is the Minister of State for the Environment who talks to camera in an office about the Conservative policies towards the environment. He talks about the government record and during his speech there are cut-aways to rural scenes and wild flowers.

We return to Robin Grove-White who is particularly concerned about Conservative plans to relax planning controls on farm land.

Next it is the turn of the Labour spokesperson on the environment, Dr David Clark MP who talks to the camera in an industrial location in the West Midlands. He covers town planning, industrial decay and urban parks. Robin Grove-White is again sceptical in particular about Labour’s plans for a new ministry of environmental protection and that the trade unions are often not strong on environmental issues fearing job losses from industry. We return to Dr Clark who talks about Labour’s policy towards nuclear power.

We then have the policies of the SDP Liberal Alliance from their environmental spokesperson, Baroness Stedman. She presents her piece from Kenilworth and talks about plans to bring light industry into villages and the views on nuclear power, an issue that has split the alliance. Robin Grove-White is more positive about their plans for ‘green-growth’.

Finally from an open cast coal site we hear the policies of the Green Party who are given by their co-chair Jean Lambert. Grove-White describes them as a marginal party. We then see various newspaper cuttings showing the rise of the German Green Party and the recent successes of environmental pressure groups in influencing government policy.

Credits

Thanks to A. F. Budge Ltd
Cameramen: Bob Bolt; Colin Clark; Dave Hutchins
Sound: Mel Marr; Steve Philips; Chris Renty; Tony Dutton; Robin Ward
Production Secretary: Anne Clarke
Production Assistants: Jenny Wright; Julie Stoner
Researcher: Simon Bailey
Film Editor: Georgina Read
Producer: Vivica Parsons
Director: John Thornicroft

Notes

Central Television production number 7523/87.