For some reason my local MP didn't like the look of my flip camera, so what was going to be a video post is now a written one, still fascinating, of course!

Earlier today, I attended a very informal 'tea party' at a local community centre. There's 115,000 of you and only one of me, he announced dramatically. Just then I felt a tiny pang of guilt as I was gearing up to begin my interrogation! The Labour party may not be my cup of tea (forgive the pun), but I can appreciate the enormous workload and just how much he does.

During the afternoon several smiley people approached me, asking what my 'problem' was, and if I wanted to speak in person to Mr Dismore. I found myself responding, I've arranged an interview about climate change, it is the least pressing matter, so I'm happy to wait until the very end. I can't believe I said that. 

Anyway, after much tea-sipping and biscuit-dunking, my turn finally came, and here is what I learned...

- I read with interest your recent environmental report, can you summarise, for people who aren't aware, the latest developments in Labour climate policy?

Well, everything is focussed on the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, trying to achieve the objectives of the international agreement. That's what we've been talking about in the European Council over the last few days. I haven't seen the statement yet, we'll see that on Monday.. .You can't solve climate change in one country

- How common is it for environmental concerns in the local area to be brought to your attention?

Not as common as you might think, in terms of climate change. In terms of general climate issues, rubbish and that sort of thing, yes quite a lot. We've probably got a couple dozen people who are very interested in it, and some who have a passing interest in it.

- Do you personally believe that climate change is man-made?

I think we've got two things. I think the climate is definitely heating up, of its own accord, but I also think that what humanity has done is accelerating that process.

- Should MPs be leading by example, when it comes to looking after the environment?

As individuals, we do what we can, but I am reluctant personally to sign up to specific commitments in very general ways because there's a lot of intrusion into MPs' private lives, and I don't want people snooping round my flat, and saying 'ooh he's forgotten to turn the lights off or something'. You end up as a hostage to fortune if you sign up to very specific things. That doesn't mean to say you do what you can in terms of things like turning lights off, turning the heating down, those sorts of things. There are a lots of things that individuals can do, not filling the kettle right up, all very small, but collectively make big contributions.

- With the current focus on emissions, should MPs be thinking twice about their second homes?

That's a different issue altogether. The fact remains that if your constituency is in Newcastle, and work four days a week in London, you have to have two places to live. You can't do it any other way. That makes no difference to climate change, whether you have a rented property or you have a hotel room or you have a flat you have bought with a mortgage. It doesn't make any difference...

- Well, the size of it DOES!

My view is that if the taxpayer is going to pay for a second home, (obviously not in London), you should have something modest.

- Have you personally set yourself any targets in terms of being greener at home?

Well, as I said, I mentioned some things which I do. ( I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT BIT!)

- I don't know if you remember the exchange between Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown during last week's Prime Minister's Questions, it was rather heated. I wonder if you envisage a time when climate change is no longer a politically divisive issue, but one which unites all the main parties?

There's a consensus now, which there once wasn't, that climate change exists. Particularly the Tory party has climate change deniers, so we've got that particular problem to overcome, I don't know how we're going to do that, but you know, you're always going to have arguments. The real problem is that it's very easy in opposition to raise demands, and particularly for the Liberal Democrats because they are never going to be in Government, you can say what you like, you are never going to be tested on whether you can do it or not. The difference for a party in government is that you have can only agree to do things that you believe are achievable and can be delivered, otherwise you are being dishonest with the public. Sometimes you want to do things, and it turns out in practice you can't. What you shouldn't do is commit to doing things you know you can't do in the first place, and it's all well and good for the Liberal Democrats to start saying 'do this, do that, do the other', but if it's not deliverable, there's no point.

Finally, looking forward to the Copenhagen Conference, will you be attending?

No, it's a bit beyond my pay grade. (FAIR ENOUGH!)

What do you anticipate, and what are you hoping for?

What will happen and what I'm hoping for aren't necessarily the same thing. I'm hoping we can have a universal international agreement. The dividing line here is no longer between the United States and the developing world. George Bush didn't believe in climate change, Obama does, that's made a huge difference... In particular, we need to see what we can do to allow developing countries to continue to develop, in a sustainable way. It's hardly fair for countries which are already developed to say to other countries 'you can't develop because of the impact of climate change.' So that means that we have to reduce our emissions disproportionately to those emerging economies.

I needn't have felt any guilt, not even a pang. MPs represent us and climate change matters, so we've got to talk to them about climate change, and we have to do it NOW.