On Spring Budget Day, amid the cost of living crisis and climate emergency, I did a tour of nearby picket lines staffed by teachers, civil servants and journalists and was interviewed by ITV about local BBC radio station cuts. I didn’t get to the picket lines staffed by junior doctors, university or tube staff but I support them too and condemn the Government’s Strikes Bill as a Slavery Bill Continue reading “Picket lines”
“Brian Haw (1949-2011) was one of the most visible, influential, determined and adhesive peace campaigners of our times. In June 2001, he began a peace protest at Parliament Square in Westminster, where he remained for nearly ten years.” Actor and campaigner Mark Rylance writes about him for the Big Issue.
A Crowdfunder has been set up to fund the installation of a small statue of Brian, facing the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, creating a permanent symbol of protest for peace – you can support the Crowdfunder here
On Friday Jenny went with Caroline Lucas MP and Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah to 10 Downing Street to deliver a letter to the PM – urging him to take up #EllasLaw and to make clean air a human right for all. The longer it takes him & his Govt to clean up our dirty, toxic air, the more lives will be put at risk – they *must* support this Bill.
The 2nd reading of Ella’s Law (Clean Air Bill) in the Commons is scheduled for 24th March.
Caroline has an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of the right to breathe clean air, has your MP signed in support of the EDM yet? Please email your MP and ask them to sign Caroline’s Clean Air EDM
The Lords has defeated the government a total of six times during the Public Order Report Stage.
I signed this open letter today:
Rt Hon Mark Harper MP and Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP
Dear Secretaries of State,
An urgent call to address new evidence of ecological assessment errors by HS2 Ltd
We write collectively to bring a new report to your attention which shows that the environmental cost of HS2 is far higher, and more serious, than HS2 Ltd has claimed. Continue reading “Open Letter from the Wildlife Trusts on HS2”
On 2nd February Shell reported its highest profits in 115 years. On 7th February I asked the Government if they would increase the windfall tax on companies like Shell Continue reading “Shell’s Record Profits”
The “spy cops” undercover policing inquiry that is going on at the moment has taken years. It is a classic case of police forces covering up former crimes. What makes the Minister think the Angiolini inquiry will be any different? Continue reading “Metropolitan Police: Criminality”
These targets are, again, too little, too late. The Government say they want to improve human health and reduce environmental pollution and that there is some urgency to their actions, but that is absolute nonsense because they have had the opportunity to show the public that they care about the quality of our water and air and they have shown no ambition. A target was published in 2005 to meet WHO’s old air quality guideline which we now won’t meet until 2040 Continue reading “Environmental Targets: Air Pollution”
It is impossible that there was not a lot of gossip about Carrick before now—and, before him, about Couzens and many others way into the past. Senior officers must have known and must, at some point, have turned a blind eye. Continue reading “Police Conduct and David Carrick”
This Bill does not mention climate change which is the biggest existential threat to all of humankind; it is not just about the north or the south but the whole world and the Government have been deficient in mentioning it and putting it into a context that can make a difference.
It is now three years since the Conservatives won an election promising to level up the country and you would have thought that, finally, the levelling up Bill might give us an idea of what levelling up actually means. Moving from the intangible levelling up to very real regeneration, I note that the Bill is another missed opportunity to make the planning system fit for the 21st century.
Continue reading “Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill Second Reading”
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb 