Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why should I contact my MP?
MPs are directly accountable to local constituents for how they carry out their role. Local people choose a candidate and may choose not to re-elect them if they are unhappy with them. Constituents who are unhappy with the views or voting record of their MP are encouraged to take up their concerns directly with the MP’s office or local constituency association. Equally, it is important to let your MP know when you are pleased with what they have said or done.
2. Who is behind this site?
‘Climate Election’ is hosted by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at LSE and is overseen by a cross-party supervisory committee. The supervisory committee members are: Lord Deben, Conservative Party; Lady Helena Kennedy, Labour Party; Lord Teverson, Liberal Democrats; and Lord Wigley, Plaid Cymru.
3. Which political parties does this site cover?
We are currently collecting information about all sitting MPs. During by-elections and General Elections, we aim to cover all main candidates.
During the 2024 General Election campaign the project covered candidates for the four parties in England and Wales that had committed to the UK reaching net zero by 2050 and who had held power in the Westminster or Cardiff-based Governments since the Climate Change Act was passed in 2008, i.e. the Conservatives (2015-2024), Labour (1997-2010 and 2024-present), Liberal Democrats (in coalition with the Conservatives 2010-2015) and Plaid Cymru (2007-2011 in forming the One Wales Government with Labour in the Welsh Assembly).
4. How do I know that you are independent of any political party?
As described in the answer to question 1, our supervisory committee come from each of the four political parties which were covered in our 2024 General Election coverage. As all are members of the House of Lords, none is eligible to be a candidate in any General Election and all take the Whip of their respective Parties.
The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment is independent and non-partisan. We have no interest in telling you how to vote, only to ensure you have information available to make informed choices.
5. If I send you information, what will you do with it?
All information received will contribute to an assessment of the MP or candidate’s position on tackling climate change and net zero. Any information you send us will be treated anonymously – no statement we publish on the website will ever have your name associated with it. Please see the LSE privacy policy for further information.
6. How have you assessed candidates’ stance on climate change and net zero?
Initial assessments are based on a summary of publicly available information. This can include campaign materials, speeches or other written statements and social or traditional media. Priority is given to statements recorded on Hansard from parliamentary debate.
Select proxies are used where support for or opposition to climate action and net zero can be confidently inferred, such as support for Early Day Motions or particular campaigns. The voting record is largely avoided due to the influence of the whip, as the aim is to understand individual rather than party preference. The notable exception is voting on carbon budgets.
These initial assessments are intended to give a voter enough information to encourage contact with their MP, and the MP enough information to verify/correct. We do not claim assessments are absolutely accurate until the MP has responded.
Where we have contacted a candidate or MP but not received a response, the assessment is marked with an asterisk (*) to show that it has not yet been independently verified, with details in ‘further information’. Where a response has been received, this is also noted in ‘further information’, but the asterisk is absent.
7. How do I know the assessment is up to date?
All entries are marked with the last update date, to give an indication of how current the information is. It is especially important to contact your MP if the information is more than a year old to ensure that it still reflects their current position.
8. What is the Climate Change Act?
The Climate Change Act commits the UK government by law to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. You can read more about the Act here. Net zero is explained here.
9. What do you mean by ‘tackling climate change’?
For this project ‘tackling climate change’ means climate change mitigation. Climate change mitigation “refers to actions or activities that limit emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from entering the atmosphere and/or reduce their levels in the atmosphere. … The ultimate goal of mitigation is to preserve a biosphere which can sustain human civilisation and the complex of ecosystem services which surround and support it. This means reducing anthropogenic GHG emissions towards net zero to limit the warming, with global goals agreed in the Paris Agreement” (IPCC AR6).