Monday, 15 January, 2007
- 15 Jan 07, 06:01 PM
Marks and Spencer aims to become completely environmentally friendly by 2012 - Ethical Man asks if the company can achieve it.
Plus: David Grossman looks at Dr John Reid's progress at the Home Office in light of the recent foreign offenders fiasco; Iraq executions and the US troop surge plan explained; and Will Hutton on China ().
Jeremy will be hosting all of that at 2230GMT on 大象传媒 Two and on the Newsnight website - leave your thoughts below.
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It is great to hear this news from M&S - I know that they always work to high standards, having worked for a company that supplied services to them.
BUT
When M&S replaced their British and N Irish clothing manufacturers with asian firms in developing countries they created a need to ship finished goods many thousands of miles rather than nationally. That is also unregulated emissions from ocean going ships versus highly regulated UK freight firms driving low sulphur diesel trucks.
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I agree with Conner, not only did M&S go for cheap labour they threw lots of our own workers onto the dole.
That apart, going green sounds very laudable, but they do things for profit, green is beginning to equal good business.
However, this is a good thing if multinationals see a profit in being green, global warming might be stopped.
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Superb announcement from M & S, provided it sticks to the plans it has announced and uses offsetting as a last resort, this is a milestone for the High Street shopper.
Admittedly, this has not been done without profits in mind, but this may be the only way that other companies will accept the fight against climate change. I'm sure this will only improve M&S's profits and having spoken to people today, this can only boost the retailers standing.
This is a long overdue decision from a major British retailer and I only hope that the other retailers listen to what the consumer wants from their shops.
Well done Stuart Rose, for having the guts to do this.
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I agree with Connor as well.
It's commendable of M&S to take this important measure of commiting to positive green policies & I hope they can deliver.
I also agreed with the MEP from the Green Party, who appeared on Newsight and said that there needs to be some kind of baseline legislation for businesses across the board to reduce carbon emissions.
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HOME OFFICE FIASCO
The problem is Tony Blair never leaves John Reid in one post long enough for him to have to take responsibility for the consequences of his own actions. Whether or not Reid can weather the storm seems increasingly unlikely.
While John Reid fights for credibility, Newsnight asks whether he will have his time cut short. One civil servant has been suspended. Questions were asked today in the Commons, but Sir David Normington (Home Office) appeared unable or unwilling to answer questions put to him.
It is certainly inappropriate for a civil servant to conduct an internal inquiry into the Home Office debacle. Lib Dems and Conservatives are right to insist on an independent inquiry.
In a House of Lords debate last month, Lord Avebury said: the Home Secretary has been in his job for 8 months and it is time for him to take the rap instead of blaming his officials.
This month, Nick Clegg, Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman has said John Reid is fast resembling Manuel from Faulty Towers, who made a habit of declaring 'I know nothing'.
Theresa May, shadow Commons leader, has said she can see "no sign of effective reform" of the Home Office under John Reid's leadership.
Re the backlog of 27,000 files on British citizens convicted abroad, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe has issued a press release, dated 11.01.07: "I am surprised by John Reid's attempt to blame the 1959 Council of Europe Convention for the backlog of unrecorded crimes committed by British citizens ..."
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Outstanding Jeremy yet again, with Michael Roberts & Caroline Lucas, and Lord Powell & Will Hutton. Also loved Mark's graphics!!
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With reference to Newsnight Scotland Monday 15th January- this was yet again an appalling example of political bias.Your extremely poor journalist loading the questions in favour of the SNP and attacking the government spokesman so disgracefully.I am not a Labour party member, but I am sick and tired of seeing this blatant lack of balance on nearly every programme I watch!The SNP will change the nature of Scotland more than any other party,and probably not for the good,so get stuck into them,our future is on the line!
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I do hope Stuart Rose's green policy will not stop in the clothes department. Turning plastics into polyester may sound environmentally friendy but who wears polyester these days! Granny, maybe.
I hope to see him supporting our farmers by buying British produce and paying a decent price for a litre of milk.
He could lead the way here and put many supermarkets to shame who are payng more for a litre of bottled water, whilst our dairy farmers are going to the wall
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