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The car has long been a status symbol and MPs are keen to show off their green credentials with their dream choice of motor. An environmentally friendly car such as a hybrid is the most popular choice. An exclusive ComRes survey for Total Politics reveals that eco cars such as a Toyota Prius were preferable to the traditional choice such as Aston Martins and Ferraris in answer to the question: “If money were no object, what car would you drive?”. Some 12% of MPs chose a hybrid or similar while 2% chose Ferrari. David Cameron is ahead of the pack because he actually leases a Lexus GS450h. Only 9% of MPs asked from the three main parties admitted to currently driving a part-electric, part-fuel powered car. Labour are way behind in the polls but far ahead of the other two parties with their green choices. Of their MPs surveyed, 15% claim to want a hybrid while only 7% of Lib Dems and 5% of Conservatives feel they would want to be seen in one.

 

The global economic difficulties, a common phrase on the lips of our politicians currently, and its associated fuel cost rises has sparked a massive demand for the eco car. Honda claim a 20 week waiting list for one model while Volkswagen are claiming a massive nine month waiting list for its Polo BlueMotion which promises 72 miles to the gallon and road tax of only £35 per year. The image problem - no-one has ever described hybrids as sexy - doesn’t hold back MPs from aspiring after the models.

 

Eco-friendly cars are not without critics. A recent series of road tests by Auto Express magazine found that some failed to match their environmental claims leading the editor to say it was hard for the public to say what was: “truly green or just pure gimmick”. The Lexus model chosen by David Cameron only managed a fuel consumption of 26.7 miles per gallon instead of its advertised 35.8mpg.

 

MPs were also asked about what car brands they currently drove and the answers also make for surprising reading. The Tory Party, belying its patriotic roots is comprehensively beaten by Labour in backing British or, at least, previously British marques. The top three car brands for Labour MPs are Vauxhall (17%), Ford (12%) and Rover (10%), giants from Britain motoring past, although all are now either foreign owned or in Rover’s case, no longer in existence. The resurgent Conservatives, fresh from their Crewe by-election triumph, home of Volkswagen-owned Bentley, favour German brands. Audi (11%) just beat BMW (10%) to top spot. Tory MPs like their Vorsprung durch Technik. Audi is a hugely successful branch of the Volkswagen empire - it sold nearly 55,000 cars in Europe alone in January - and new models such as the R8 have maintained its desirability. Volvo and Land Rover/Range Rover are the joint third most popular (8%) which perhaps reflects the Tories’ high number of seats in rural areas. Interestingly, the joint third of Labour’s current cars is also Volvo alongside not owning a car at all. Are Labour MPs more likely to use public transport?

 

Liberal Democrats often describe themselves as European and this is reflected in their choice of Peugeot as most popular car brand (21%). However, behind them, the third party also kept things British with Rover (17%), Vauxhall (11%), and Ford (9%) forming the following three places.

While hybrids made the highest total percentage across Parliament for the “if money were no object” question, the breakdown between the parties showed differences in aspirations. Labour MPs showed they don’t follow the bedroom poster stereotype for fantasising after an exotic sports car. Only 4% wanted a Jaguar or Ferrari while a measly 1% fancied an Aston Martin or a Porsche parked outside their house.

 

Conservative MPs were more likely to aspire to British cars with James Bond’s favourite marque being their most popular dream car (Aston Martin on 11%) with Jaguar closely following on 10%. Bentley were down at 6% although might Edward Timpson’s triumphant victory in the Crewe by-election temporarily lift their popularity for a future survey?

 

The survey revealed Liberal Democrats have a secret penchant for Aston Martins with 15% claiming they wanted an upgrade. This was beaten into second place, however, by those claiming they’d be satisfied with their current car (or a newer version).

Admitting a love of cars might not be politically fashionable at the moment but Lord Drayson famously left his post as a Defence Minister last year to concentrate on qualifying for Le Mans in his bio-fuel powered Aston Martin DB9. Are our MPs really so green that they will choosing hybrids as their next car? Watch this space.

 

 

Case Study – Car mad politicians
Cllr John Ault is a  CountyCouncillor in Cornwall

 

I’m into historic rallying, cars built before 1979. My most recent car is a 1275 GT Mini which I have to be crowbarred out of.


My uncle was in the RAC rally in the 1970s. His name is McLaren and I’m related to Bruce McLaren, the racing driver. I remember being taken to the shops in a rally car as a child.


I’ve got several rally co-drivers because I make them all chuck up. They’re all Lib Dems. I’ve had Nick Clegg’s agent from Sheffield on some of the rallies. I managed to drive through a rockery at a hotel at the end of a rally in Milnthorpe, Cumbria. Tim Farron, MP, was sat beside me then and was pretending he wasn’t my co-driver.


In the past the cars I’ve driven have included a 1961 Triumph Herald, a Targa Rusticana and an MG Midget. I drive a mini because it’s cheap and you always drive a car you don’t mind breaking. Minis are fantastic cars of that era, they flatter the driver. They’re a handful but simple to drive. You can mess around in the engine for half an hour and make it work.


A friend of mine at the Lib Dem press office said Top Gear had rung up. Richard Burden, Labour MP and Bernard Jenkin, Tory MP, did it. We turned up and raced a Rover ex-touring car. There were 6 of us in total. Labour came third behind the Legalise Cannabis guy and the Green person drove across the grass. I managed to win it. Getting taught by the Stig, who’s about 5ft4 was very good. All the presenters were charming, Jeremy Clarkson took the piss out of us and had a joke.