Braverman's jibe at the Green Party MP's work on climate change hits a sour note
Suella Braverman has been slated for accusing Caroline Lucas of ‘alarmism’ and ‘doom-mongering’ in an attempt to belittle the Green Party MP’s work over the years highlighting the climate crisis.
Lucas announced last week that she will stand down at the next election in order to focus more time on climate and nature campaigning, having served 13 years as the Green Party’s first and only MP.
The Home Secretary took the opportunity to offer Lucas a back-handed dig in the Commons which left Lucas shaking her head in disbelief.
“The honourable member of Brighton Pavilion spoke with characteristic alarmism if I may say so.” Braverman quipped.
“We’ve become accustomed to her doom-mongering over the years. And I will actually miss it when she leaves this house.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank her, for her years of hard work for her constituents and for the causes for which she’s so evidently passionate.”
Causes supposedly referring to the now indisputable nature of the climate crisis and it’s long-term impacts on the planet.
Suella Braverman joined a range of outspoken climate science deniers at the National Conservatism Conference in May, where hostility to net zero and climate denial was a common feature of its attendees. Braverman also received a £10,000 donation from a prominent climate denier’s firm during her leadership bid.
But Caroline Lucas managed to get the last word on Twitter in her response to the video clip of Braverman’s jibe.
Lucas hit back: “I certainly won’t miss Suella Braverman‘s culture war-stoking, protest-bashing draconian legislation when I leave this House.”
Other on Twitter have further pointed out the irony of Braverman accusing Lucas of being a doom-monger, as one Twitter user reflected: “Cruella shows her ignorance and lack of any sense of irony or self awareness. 1. Climate change and environmental degradation are real 2. Govt policies make both worse 3. Doom is actually being inflicted on millions by the Tories.”
Lucas has worked tirelessly over her political career to highlight environmental issues and raise awareness of the climate crisis, as Adrian Ramsay, Green party co-leader noted, ‘Very few politicians can claim to have changed the course of the national debate in the way Caroline has.’
It comes in contrast to the nature of recent Tory MP resignations, as Nadine Dorries said juggling her TalkTV show, her weekly Daily Mail column and being an author, ‘takes a lot more time than I ever thought it would do’ as she looks to focus on these priorities instead.
It throws into question how she found the time to juggle her media and book career alongside her ministerial duties in the first place? The same can be asked of Boris Johnson and his million-pound speech giving career and recent extensive trips abroad.
In her leaving statement, Lucas reflected: “The intensity of these constituency commitments, together with the particular responsibilities of being my party’s sole MP, mean that, ironically, I’ve not been able to focus as much as I would like on the existential challenges that drive me – the nature and climate emergencies.”
You can read Luca’s leaving statement here.
(Photo credit: BBC screenshot)
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