Did double-standards halt the Climate and Nature Bill before it could impose more stringent standards on the government?
Liberal Democrat Roz Savage’s Bill would have required the environment secretary to create and implement a strategy – with annual targets – to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and reverse the degradation of nature.
The strategy would be formulated in collaboration with a citizens’ assembly – a group made up of members of the public.
The bill also called for a more joined-up approach between tackling climate change and nature loss.
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But at a time when Chancellor Rachel Reeves has apparently given up her own environmental credentials to support new – polluting – runways at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the government won a motion to end debate of the Bill by 120 votes to seven.
Ms Savage herself had agreed not to push for a vote, saying rather than waving a placard she wanted to work with the government on a policy approach, and acknowledged that the UK had already signed up to “various international commitments”.
Green Party leader Carla Denyer was scathing in response to the decision, saying that Ms Savage had agreed not to push for a vote “it seems, for just a meeting with the secretary of state for energy and net zero… with an agreement to work together but with no specific commitments”.
And Labour Party MP Clive Lewis, who expressed support for the Bill, seemed to criticise his Chancellor, saying airport expansions would be “the wrong direction” and argued that economic growth could not be prioritised over protecting the environment.
“You cannot have growth on a dead planet… you can’t have a viable economy unless the climate and nature of your country, of your economy is working together in unity.”
So did Roz Savage abandon her principles for nothing? Possibly.
The government has apparently abandoned its commitments to the environment in a panicked bid to build economic growth by all means necessary.
And she appears to have abandoned her commitment to keep the government on-track, for the sake of a meeting at which she will have no bargaining power at all and may be brushed off unceremoniously.
That’s not good policy, and it certainly isn’t good politics.
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Did double-standards halt the Climate and Nature Bill?
Did double-standards halt the Climate and Nature Bill before it could impose more stringent standards on the government?
Liberal Democrat Roz Savage’s Bill would have required the environment secretary to create and implement a strategy – with annual targets – to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and reverse the degradation of nature.
The strategy would be formulated in collaboration with a citizens’ assembly – a group made up of members of the public.
The bill also called for a more joined-up approach between tackling climate change and nature loss.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
But at a time when Chancellor Rachel Reeves has apparently given up her own environmental credentials to support new – polluting – runways at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the government won a motion to end debate of the Bill by 120 votes to seven.
Ms Savage herself had agreed not to push for a vote, saying rather than waving a placard she wanted to work with the government on a policy approach, and acknowledged that the UK had already signed up to “various international commitments”.
Green Party leader Carla Denyer was scathing in response to the decision, saying that Ms Savage had agreed not to push for a vote “it seems, for just a meeting with the secretary of state for energy and net zero… with an agreement to work together but with no specific commitments”.
And Labour Party MP Clive Lewis, who expressed support for the Bill, seemed to criticise his Chancellor, saying airport expansions would be “the wrong direction” and argued that economic growth could not be prioritised over protecting the environment.
“You cannot have growth on a dead planet… you can’t have a viable economy unless the climate and nature of your country, of your economy is working together in unity.”
So did Roz Savage abandon her principles for nothing? Possibly.
The government has apparently abandoned its commitments to the environment in a panicked bid to build economic growth by all means necessary.
And she appears to have abandoned her commitment to keep the government on-track, for the sake of a meeting at which she will have no bargaining power at all and may be brushed off unceremoniously.
That’s not good policy, and it certainly isn’t good politics.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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