Do they all support us number 10

Half-way through our journey down from Saddleworth to Manchester we were met by Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, Phil Woolas (Labour). Phil is the Minister in the Department for Environment responsible for climate change. Unsurprisingly we couldn't get him to publicly disagree with the government's current position on the climate bill; he's the one responsible for it.

We did however have a lively debate, during which Phil said two interesting things.

Firstly, it was reassuring that Phil acknowleged that the UK and UK government are "still at basecamp and tying our shoelaces" in the battle against climate change. When I challenged him on the need for the government to implement policies such as regulations on builders and landlords, subsidising renewable energy and halting the expansion of airports, he agreed that such policies are necessary.

However Phil also used an argument we have heard from a lot of Labour politicians on this march: "we must take the people with us", the implication being 'the people' are actively opposed to government policies to reduce carbon emissions.

I don't know of any mass campaigns to keep the incandescent lightbulb, but we still have them. Neither are people hammering on the door for poor quality housing lacking insulation. I haven't yet met a protestor outside a coal power station with a placard saying "We want more". And the last time I looked, protestors at Heathrow are calling for the third runway NOT to be built.

I don't think it is the public who are stopping the government acting to reduce our emissions. I reckon the true opposition are companies dependent on our continued use of fossil fuels, and a government who finds talking about climate change a lot easier than acting.

Distance covered so far: 453 miles
Number of showers during our walk into Manchester: 103
Number of UK marchers surprised by number of showers in Manchester: 0