Many ways to tackle climate change

In the last few days, I’ve been inundated with emails from climate activists demanding to know why I didn’t attend a rally at Dynamic Earth they organised last month.

Suspecting some sort of deliberate snub, the people behind Stop Climate Chaos Scotland had failed to appreciate that Thursdays can be quite a busy day for MSPs. Why let pre-arranged meetings and appointments get in the way of your conspiracy theory, but I’ve agreed to meet representatives anyway.

As shadow transport spokesman, they want to know what I’m doing about climate change and admittedly I’m not glueing myself to the Forth Road Bridge or launching a tin of Dulux at the Scott Monument.

Nor am I supporting the destruction of North Sea oil and gas while renewable energy is unreliable and costs a fortune and I’m not arguing for over 700 people working at Torness to be made redundant because of the SNP/Green deranged opposition to nuclear power, the most efficient and climate friendly energy source we have.

When I need to drive, it’s in my second electric car, but otherwise it’s just little things, like repeatedly arguing for a new railway station at Winchburgh, pushing through the abolition of peak train fares and arguing for safer bus services so more people will leave their cars at home.

It’s funny how many politicians opposed to stripping young people guilty of abusing bus drivers of their free travel passes are often the most vociferous about net zero targets.

So, what I’m doing is applying common sense.