Write to Nick Clegg and get a standard reply

On environmental matters, the EU often leads the way and the rest of the World often follows.

So a boring sounding but groundbreaking piece of EU legislation called the Fuel Quality Directive is something we should be proud of, except the UK is set to vote against it this Thursday.

Why? Because it includes a CO2 value on the crude oil known as Tar Sands, which as we all know, is higher than most oils. As the EU has a target to reduce it's fuel emissions responsibility, this would effectively bar the tar sands from EU soil, and Canada doesn't like this.

The Harper led Canadian government has transformed this clean country into a petrostate allowing unfettered expansion of it's Tar Sands industry. They have joined with the powerful oil lobby to put pressure on the UK government to delay or block the EU directive.

The minister in charge - Norman Baker, a keen environmentalist, must really be feeling the heat as he has acquiesced to their demands.

Greenpeace decided to go over his head and set up an online email opportunity for us to write to Mr.Bakers leader - Nick Clegg.

Many of us have done this, compared notes and hey presto, identical standard replies from a Rory Belcher (extract pictured above).

OK, it was a standard email from Greenpeace, so I wrote my own version, sent it off and back came the same reply.

I have since replied to it pointing out that the main argument stated in the Rory's letter - that we should wait until all crudes have CO2 values, is completely undermined by the fact that the Fuel Quality Directive already has a review clause which allows the inclusion of other oils as soon as data becomes available and values decided.

There simply is no argument for not acting as soon as possible to deter the expansion of the dirtiest of oils.

Please make this clear to the deputy Prime Minister and get your very own standard reply letter.