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The AA
and Climate Change
Below are
extracts of letters between the AA (the Automobile Association) and Peter
Shullot about climate change. The letters in full are at the bottom of the page.
This is one of 65 sets of letters so you can find out what your supermarket,
energy supplier and car manufacturer, and oil companies, airlines, house
builders and other companies really think about climate change. The name
Peter Shullot is made up – it is an anagram of The Polluters.
To Tim
Parker, Chief Executive –
I’ve been a loyal member of the AA for years. Or to be exact the wife has as the
membership is in her maiden name – it helps with the cheaper car insurance as
I’m sure you understand.
Why I’m writing to you is that I’m concerned the government is using the Great
Lie of global warming to penalise the motorist.
I know there are many people who do not share the prevailing belief in the Great
Lie. Could you form an alliance of Clarkson, Cowell, Edmonds and other men in
tight trousers to fight the Lie?
Recently I read, "Don't for a moment imagine that the bicycle-riding,
organic-hedgerow-grazing, self-denying, 40-watt miserablists are in fact
selfless crusaders for the common good. Never underestimate the sustaining
pleasure of a hair shirt. Just look at George Monbiot, and witness a man who
couldn't be happier about the imminent demise of life as we know it. It has
given him purpose, prestige and celebrity: without global warming he'd be a
geography teacher." That was AA Gill in the Sunday Times. Is he one of your
members? Perhaps he could be honorary chairman?
Maybe you could join forces with the RAC to stop the Great Lie?
The AA replied –
We are certainly with you on much of what you say – though with some of the best
scientific minds at loggerheads over global warning and CO2 we think we will
stay out of that one! However, when it comes to UK motorists we do indeed fight
their corner regarding the increasingly punitive measures aimed at forcing many
off the road and creation of new revenue streams to add to the £46 billion tax
taken from motorists each year (with so little invested on roads in return).
We certainly oppose measures that seek to punish motorists for what and where
they drive. Global warming has indeed become a massive issue and when it is
played out wrongly at national and local level we challenge in a rational way,
bearing in mind our members often have conflicting views.
Letter to the AA
Reply from the AA
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