Afternoon:
12°c
John Prescott slams 'nimby' councils
26.08.09
Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott today launched a savage attack on wind turbines 'nimbys' - people who say "not in my backyard."
He criticised people who opposed wind turbines being set up near their homes and planning committees who uphold their objections.
Mr Prescott announced the inaugural Age Of Stupid awards - named after a hard-hitting environmental film which criticises those who fail to act on climate change - were 'won' by planners in Bedford and the Isle of Wight.
Launching a new environmental campaign ahead of this year's Copenhagen conference on climate change, he said planners in Bedford had repeatedly rejected an application by wind farm developer Piers Guy, although he had cut the number of turbines from 15 to nine to three.
Mr Prescott said the latest decision was a "disgrace" and added: "The first Age of Stupid award goes to Bedford, which follows the Isle of Wight - even when there were many people employed, they'd refused to have it.
"Stupid planning committee in Bedford, stupid planning committee in the Isle of Wight - I hope they get upset about it.
"We have to counteract the nimbys who say they want change, but not in their backyard."
Mr Prescott said opposition forces were gathering against an international climate change agreement being reached in Copenhagen.
"If you switch on the TV, there is a massive campaign in the American oil companies against any agreement whatsoever.
"At Kyoto we managed to get an agreement. I am pleased to say that Britain is one of the four countries only out of the EU 15 that has achieved its Kyoto targets."
He added: "Two thirds of applications for wind turbines are being turned down by councils.
"The opposition forces are beginning to develop."
Mr Prescott, the Council of Europe "rapporteur" on climate change, and a Kyoto protocol negotiator, was taking part in East London in a new climate change campaign called New Earth Deal.
It is designed to put pressure on negotiators when they meet in Copenhagen, and it will include a Road to Copenhagen Climate Change Conference to be held at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France in September.
Mr Prescott said it was very important that a low carbon economy was developed around the world and said some form of carbon rationing would be necessary at some point.
He warned: "Securing a deal at Copenhagen will be 10 times more difficult than Kyoto.
"Social justice and the reduction of poverty must be at the very heart of any agreement. It also means equalising greenhouse emissions per head in each country.
"The climate change we are experiencing across the world has been caused by the richer developed countries. They must now recognise the central principle that the polluter pays.
"Failure is not an option in Copenhagen and that's why our Europe-wide campaign will be galvanised in public opinion to lobby governments to make that deal. "
Reader views (13)
Yay for idiots. You dont derserved to be saved.
- Daniel, Malmö
Typical of this idiot who has not managed to get anything right - ever. He forgets it is not his back yard it is OURS. We tell him what to do. Difficult for him to understand perhaps but he is there to serve and carry out the wishes of the majority. The majority can see that wind turbines are designed to make money, not save the environment.
- Derek, Evesham, evesham uk
Unfortunately for the man who has a Jaguar car to transport his portly frame everywhere he goes, or flies when that is not possible, this is democracy and, local democracy at its best. Able to stand up to the bullying, hectoring and lobbying by minority groups.
When the historians write this up, they will say that it was the biggest confidence trick ever perpetrated by inept governments and fly-by-night companies, who seeing the gullibility of the British Government in particular, got permission to build these cash dispensers of tax payers money almost everywhere and anywhere.
With the notable exceptions of the Isle of Wight and Bedford, where the residents and the Councils are not that naive.
So by all means give us the award. We shall treasure it as a reminder that you can fool some of the people..... but not us. You can bully some of the people.....but not us.
Three cheers for the people of Bedford and the IOW!
Make the most of your time in the limelight J.P., because this time next year you and your cronies will be history, as will wind turbine planning applications, especially in Bedford and the IOW..
By the way, a local so-called "news source" has Prescott as Deputy P.M. in their daily diatribe against the Council. As usual, poor and inaccurate research. The ex Ship Steward quit that post on 27 June 2007, but whats two years when a chance to belittle or smear those you disagree with comes along!
- Vince, Isle of Wight
Remind me,how many 125m turbines are there in London eg Hyde Park and Regents Park (and Hull)
- Steve, Bedfordshire Home of Balanced Planning
Prescott, i'm from Bedford and i'm afraid being called stupid is insulting. So my answer is to you 'two fingers'
- C Cusano, Bedford
Prescot, god help us.
- Alex., brighton
I'm afraid that, whatever his recently-professed "green" credentials, Mr Prescott remains at heart a class-war hooligan. He is a thug with a chip on his shoulder, determined to punish anyone who he perceives as being middle class.
This is the man who so arrogantly over-rode the opinions of many tens of thousands of people, the democratic decisions of two elected councils (Elmbridge and Surrey)and insisted that a new M25 service station should be built at Downside - on Green Belt land. This is despite the fact that professional reports had indicated that the site was the least appropriate of those under consideration. Now he is doing the same thing in respect of the latest blight on our landscape; memo, JP - how about some wind-turbines in Hull - they would certainly improve the look of the place (although of course they might ruffle Pauline's hair-do).
We can only conclude that the urge to spoil the lives of these people of whom he is patently envious (why John, you earn a lot more than we do?) is just too much of a temptation for him, and leads him to these crass and disastrous decisions.
- Brian, London
Heavens above, John Prescott has finally said something I agree with. Not exactly Al Gore, but a stumbling step in the right direction.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
Whoever asked Mr Prescott to present an award with Stupid in the title has either a fine sense of irony, or not thought through how people's minds associate ideas.
There are nimby arguments against wind farms, fair enough: but the crucial point is that they are a very inefficient way of combatting climate change. A pound spent on energy efficiency or conservation is worth ten spent on wind power generation. Until all lighting is LED, until all buildings are properly insulated,until we have an effective car-use minimisation policy, until maritime emissions - which nobody likes to talk about- are cleaned up, windmills are window dressing.
As for:"The first Age of Stupid award goes to Bedford, which follows the Isle of Wight - even when there were many people employed, they'd refused to have it" Does Mr Precott apply the same criticism to people who oppose nuclear power stations? If not, why not?
- Mdj E10, london uk
Is he still alive? Whatever.
Nobody listened to him before, why would they now?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Perhaps this awful clown would have a bit more credibility if he installed a wind turbine in his own backyard, before expecting others to do so.
- Percy Vere, Chipping Campden, Glos
Champange socialist
- P Staker, London
I'm curious, does he still drive a multitude of jaguars?
- Bob, Cheam
