A vote for the planet means a vote for Labour or the Greens | George Monbiot

For the first time, the environment is central to British election manifestoes. But only these parties really get itWe are often told that curtailing the freedom of business is coercive and undemocratic. But by what democratic principle should corporations and billionaires decide the fate of current and future generations? When a government releases them from regulation, it allows them to determine whether other people live or die. No one elected them to do so.Even businesses with apparently strong credentials cannot be trusted with this extraordinary power. Take Marks & Spencer, famous for its "Plan A" environmental standards. Its goal, it says, is "to be a zero waste business across all that we do ... we already send zero waste to landfill." But a few days ago, it commissioned a wraparound ad in a limited number of Metro newspapers, in which a video screen was embedded promoting Christmas jumpers. The screen, battery, electronics and casing were designed for a single use. Continue reading...