Martin Ivens, Columnist

Can Britain Go Green? The Issue Still Divides the Tory Soul

Margaret Thatcher never reconciled her warring beliefs on the environment. Her party still struggles with the same problem.

September 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM UTC

By Martin Ivens

Martin Ivens is the editor of the Times Literary Supplement. Previously, he was editor of the Sunday Times of London and its chief political commentator.

Do we want to conserve?
Photographer: Dan Kitwood/AFP

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The Conservative party is an uneasy champion of environmentalism.

The leadership of the U.K.’s party of power can take credit for placing climate change at the forefront of its domestic and international concerns. Carbon-reduction commitments are enshrined in law and Boris Johnson’s government has set ambitious green targets. He hosts the COP26 United Nations climate conference in Glasgow in early November and plans to cut a dash.