Environment 'Lib Dem priority'
The Environment is more of a priority for the Liberal Democrats in government than Defence or Foreign Affairs, Danny Alexander has told his party's conference.
In a Q&A with party members, Mr Alexander explained that ministers Nick Harvey and Jeremy Browne had been moved in the reshuffle because having a minister at Defra was "a higher priority" for the Liberal Democrats.
"Both Nick Harvey and Jeremy Browne did fantastic jobs but in terms of what are the areas particularly important to Lib Dems, we didn't have a minister at Defra, for example, and we decided that was a higher priority for us as a party," he told delegates.
In an interview with the Guardian ahead of his party's conference, Mr Alexander also warned of a "constant war of attrition" on green issues and that a “blue roadblock” of Tory ministers was endangering billions in green investment and undermining the UK’s growth strategy.