Public support for Quality of Life commission

A report by pollsters Ipsos-Mori confirms what environmentalists have been saying all along: high levels of popular support for the green agenda.

The report, Public finds much to support in Conservative's new Green Agenda, explored a number of potential Tory policies, and found widespread support for green taxation: 62% of people support the 'polluter pays' principle, while only 10% oppose it.

The Tories aviation policies are popular with voters, particularly Conservative ones. 49% of people support ending airport expansion, with only 20% opposing it, and 25% undecided. VAT on flights is evenly matched: 37% supporting, 34% opposing - but there's still a slight majority, and amongst Conservative voters, 44% of people support charging more for budget flights.

Cameron's attempt to rebrand the Blues as Greens may not be paying off in the polls, but his policies enjoy popular support. If they're serious about tackling climate change, the Tories must not be tempted to pander to a minority of unreconstructed back-benchers and colleagues, eager to return to the Thatcherite days of low-tax, sod-the-environment that got us into the state we're in today.