Picket lines

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 memorial

“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

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Clean Air Bill letter to PM

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

Open Letter from the Wildlife Trusts on HS2

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”

Environmental Targets: Air Pollution

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”

Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill Second Reading

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.

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