We’re taking these negotiations seriously

By Emily Thornberry

Ed Milliband and Douglas Alexander fronted the British press conference at COP15 today.

Douglas said that his presence at this conference as Secretary of State for International Development shows that the British understand that extreme global poverty and climate change are indivisible.

Both spoke with pride about the Fast Start Finance Initiative that was agreed last month and hammered through by Gordon. It will provide £10 billion a year for 3 years. Europe has agreed to pay a large chunk of this with Britain committed to £1.5 billion.

But as Douglas said, the Developing World needs long term and predictable financing. Ed expressed everyone’s concerns that the negotiations are not going fast enough.

In answer to a question from Ben Jackson from The Sun Ed emphasised the importance of getting a financial deal and an agreement on cuts of carbon emissions.

Ed also said that although the negotiations seem incredibly difficult at the moment, the stars are aligned in a way that is very propitious. There are 130 world leaders coming to this conference in the next few days, including the new American President. It cannot all be left to world leaders, though, and the negotiations have to get a move on.

Gordon is coming tomorrow. A Daily Mail journalist asked why he was coming early. Ed explained that this was a sign of how very seriously we are taking these negotiations and that they are not going fast enough.