There is no threat to Sammy Wilson's position as environment minister over his views on climate change, DUP colleague Nigel Dodds has said. Mr Wilson, DUP, has faced calls to step down after blocking the broadcast of a national TV commercial urging people to cut down on carbon emissions.
Stormont's environment committee passed a vote of no confidence in the minister earlier in the week. However, Mr Dodds told the BBC he does not believe Mr Wilson should resign. Mr Dodds said his colleague had the right to express his point of view. "Sammy has provoked a debate around this issue," he told the Inside Politics programme.
A vote of no confidence in Environment Minister Sammy Wilson has been passed by Stormont's environment committee.
It follows Mr Wilson's decision to block a government advertisement campaign on climate change.
Mr Wilson, who does not believe that climate change is man-made, said the advertisement was part of an "insidious propaganda campaign".
Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Sammy Wilson has blocked a government advertisement campaign on climate change.
The advertisements urged people to reduce energy consumption and cut carbon dioxide output.
Mr Wilson said the Scottish executive had objected to the advertisements and stopped them being broadcast.
He said the adverts were part of an "insidious propaganda campaign" which would not be imposed on people in NI.
Mr Wilson said they were "giving people the impression that by turning off the standby light on their TV they could save the world from melting glaciers and being submerged in 40ft of water".
Spending billions on trying to reduce carbon emissions is one giant con that is depriving third world countries of vital funds to tackle famine, HIV and other diseases, Sammy Wilson said.
The DUP minister has been heavily criticised by environmentalists for claiming that ongoing climatic shifts are down to nature and not mankind. But while acknowledging his views on global warming may not be popular, the East Antrim MP said he was not prepared to be bullied by eco fundamentalists. “I’ll not be stopped saying what I believe needs to be said about climate change,” he said.