Tory frontbench signs up to 10:10 climate change campaign

Organisers of the 10:10 campaign said, "More than 8,000 individuals have signed up to the campaign. Some 270 businesses, including law firm Pinsent Masons, Reed Recruitment, Ocado and Oracle, and four major power companies, have so far pledged their support, as well as nine councils, 42 schools and 125 other organisations, such as the thinktank Demos."

As politicians embrace the campaign the conservative party have pledged that their entire frontbench would sign up. The shadow energy secretary, Greg Clark, said, "Conservatives strongly support this campaign. Once again it shows how voluntary action can show the way, proving that a low-carbon future is an essential, achievable and urgent priority."

Energy and climate secretary Ed Miliband said at the 10:10 launch event at Tate Modern, "I pledged to cut my personal carbon footprint and the emissions from my department's headquarters by 10% in 2010."

The Green party said it would encourage its members to join up to the 10:10 campaign, and could table an emergency resolution to its conference on the subject. Caroline Lucas, the leader of the party, said: "I would encourage all Green party members to commit to this, bearing in mind that most Greens will have been striving to reduce their carbon footprints anyway, and for many people the next steps towards, for example, carbon-neutral housing, would need to be facilitated by a package of government grants, subsidies and feed-in tariffs."

The Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "The government welcomes the national 10:10 campaign. By signing up … we hope people will send a broader message to governments round the world."

Guardian