I am writing in response to Bob Steel’s letter 'Sutton MPs' green credentials is in tatters'.

I wanted to see new investment in low carbon technologies, measures to reduce electricity demand and agreement to lower emissions, including a decarbonisation target.

However, many Conservative MPs did not want these measures introduced.

Voting for the decarbonisation target amendment could have put all the positive elements of the Energy Bill at risk, including a trebling of support for low carbon energy by 2020, measures to reduce energy demand and agreement for the UK to push for the EU to adopt an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 50% by 2030.

This would have been snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

This was not a gamble I was willing to take, particularly as the Bill sets in law the need for the UK to set a decarbonisation target for 2030 in 2016 when the next carbon budget is set.

Tom Brake, Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington