FROM GREEN PROMISES TO POLITICS AS USUAL: THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, THE COALITION AND THE ENVIRONMENT, 2005-2013.

This paper examines the trajectory of attitudes and policy commitments on the environment within the British Conservative prior to and following the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition formed after the election held in May 2010. The first part addresses the environmental policy of the British Conservative Party under the leadership of David Cameron from 2005 to the general election in 2010. The second examines how Cameron's environmental commitments were translated into practice following the formation of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition in May 2010. The third part characterises and employs the idea of 'politics as usual' to describe the forces directed against strong environmental policies and draws together the themes of the first two parts through a consideration of the Coalition's attitude to airport expansion in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]