Simon Burgess

Scientist and Brighton Labour MP Des Turner, who is attending the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit on behalf of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, says that he is ready to put BNP leader Nick Griffin straight on the scientific facts around climate change.

Nick Griffin is going to Copenhagen in his role as an MEP on the European Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee.

Des Turner said:
"Tackling climate change is vital to the future of our planet. It doesn't surprise me that in addition to BNP members denying the holocaust, being racist and homophobic that they also think that man made climate change is 'somewhat dodgy science'. The only 'dodgy science' he should be challenging is that used by his members to try and justify 'racial superiority' and hate against a whole range of people including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.

"As much as everything he stands for makes me angry I am more than ready to calmly debate with him the overwhelming scientific evidence that backs up man-made climate change as fact. I'm sure he has no evidence to try and back up his absurd accusation that climate change is a "global Marxist mantra" and that Copenhagen is an "anti-white guilt hatefest. The fact is that to tackle something as important as climate change you have to work internationally - not something Nick Griffin could ever do."

Simon Burgess, Labour candidate to take over from Des, said:
"I'm proud of Des's commitment to climate change, he has fought long and hard for a greater role for renewable energy. Combined with his passion for equalities he would wipe the floor with Nick Griffin in any debate, and that's about all Nick Griffin might be good for."

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