Cameron's green contradictions

David Cameron has made environmentalism his raison d'etre and has changed the party logo to an oak tree. This stance has unified the party - and even Norman Tebbit says the closest colour to blue in the rainbow is green.

So all well and good.....and yet Mr Cameron and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne have indicated that they might reverse Tory policy and build houses all over the green belt - undoing the new Tory environmentalism at the stroke of a pen.

Cameron hinted at this in his conference speech and a few months ago wrote an article in the Independent on Sunday describing those who opposed house building as Nimbies. Just what is going on? Tory MPs in the South East and Eastern region are understood to be furious and a number of Parliamentary Candidates have made representations.

The problem seems to be that whenever Mr Cameron or Mr Osborne talk about new housing for aspirant home owners, their spin doctors sell it to the press as building over green belt land. Zac Goldsmith is also understood to be extremely unhappy about the Nimby article.

One thing is clear. Mr Cameron, Mr Osborne and Housing spokesman Michael Gove need to sort this one out. Green belt Shadow Minister Caroline Spelman needs to throw her weight about. This is the kind of issue that could cause serious divisions within the party and put at risk Mr Cameron's hard won green credentials.

To read more by Watlington, see Watlington.