A CAMPAIGN to protect the environment from burning fossil fuels has been supported by Winsford's MP.

Antoinette Sandbach has joined a group of 200 cross-party MPs and former MPs who have signed the Divest Parliament pledge, which calls on the Parliamentary Pension Fund to review and phase out investments in fossil fuel companies.

Parliament’s pension fund trustees are to reconsider the rules of their investments to take account of the risk of climate change, in a first for MPs’ finances.

The call follows growing concern among Parliamentarians about the environmental, social and financial risks posed by climate change.

Started in 2014, the campaign’s supporters include 15 current and former conservative MPs, including Justine Greening, Zac Goldsmith, Sir Oliver Letwin and Lord Deben, chairman of the UK’s independent committee on climate change.

Eddisbury MP Antoinette Sandbach said:“Urgent action must be taken to reduce carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels and MPs should lead by example.

"This is why I have pledged my support for the Divest Parliament campaign to move investment of the MPs’ pension fund away from fossil fuels and towards renewables.

"It doesn’t make sense for long-term pension funds to be investing in companies that aren’t committed to bringing about a clean energy future.”

Lord Deben, chairman of the UK’s independent committee on climate change, said: “Preventing disastrous climate change will be the defining challenge of the next decade for world leaders. The UK must show leadership by demonstrating that we are prepared to make the necessary choices.

"This includes moving investment out of fossil fuels and towards renewables that are already proving that they can be built at the scale needed to power our homes and businesses."

If successful, the campaign would see Parliament joining the Irish National Infrastructure Fund, the New York State Pension fund, local authorities such as Waltham Forest and Southwark and two thirds of UK universities in committing to fossil fuel divestment.