I thought this was excptionally good news. Made me think that Zac Goldsmith, former editor of the Ecologist, now senior activist within the Conservative party and who understands peak oil very well, has successfully got the Peak Oil message thro to the top members of the Tory party. Presumably they still think they cannot talk about Peak Oil openly, but they can come up with sensible policies and use climate change / the financial crises as a substitute excuse. Unfortunately, the Tories are now taking a right kicking from all angles for their anti-new runway at Heathrow policy. Corporate unease over shift in Tory rhetoric:

Corporate Britain on Monday night hit out at David Cameron’s “daft” decision to try to ­distance his party from big business, while voicing concern about the direction of Conservative policy on energy and transport.

... As well as announcing a Conservative government would oppose a third runway at Heathrow – a scheme dear to business hearts – the Tories appeared to give lukewarm support only to plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations.

... But Labour was quick to seize on the apparent nuclear “flip flop” and opposition to Heathrow expansion.

John Hutton, the business secretary, said this demonstrated the Tories were “too weak to take the major decisions so businesses and the economy can succeed”.

... The CBI chief said the Tories had “some policy issues they haven’t resolved yet” – notably Heathrow, nuclear and coal.

Seems to me like now would be a pretty good time for the Tories spell out the Peak Oil problem clearly so no-one is any doubt.