The Green Party has today welcomed the news that the politically motivated climate change sceptic group founded by Lord Lawson is to split into two separate arms: a charitable educational division and a separately funded political division.
The split follows complaints from a number of bodies including Green Party Councillor James Abbott:
“We have been recording the GWPF output for about 2 years and it has been evident throughout that they have an overtly climate sceptic, pro-fossil fuel, anti-Green agenda. Many of their published articles have crossed way over the line of their status as an ‘educational charity’. This includes both the content and the way in which a number of republished articles have had their titles changed to suit the GWPF agenda. We submitted this evidence to the Charity Commission.
“Whilst is it regrettable that it has taken so long to bring the GWPF to account, we welcome the moves by the Charity Commission to now require the GWPF to split its activities so that it can no longer use its charity status to promote its very one sided agenda.
“Looking ahead, a further key investigation into what drives Lord Lawson’s GWPF is who is funding it. The recent controversy over Lawson’s appearances on the BBC represents far more than just the fact that Lord Lawson is not a qualified scientist. The GWPF relentlessly promotes the use of fossil fuels – so who are the funders behind that lobbying ?”