Continue reading “Crime and Policing Bill Commitee Stage Day 9”
Category: Other issues
Independent Water Commission
I intervened in this debate to say: Does the Minister understand the depth of disappointment that a lot of environmental campaigners have felt because the remit did not include taking water out of private hands? There is a general feeling of absolute anger that public ownership was not considered. Does the Minister accept that? I include Feargal Sharkey and myself among those environmental campaigners who are horribly disappointed. Continue reading “Independent Water Commission”
Crime and Policing Bill Committee Stage Day 8
I am furious that we are in this position, that we actually have to do this, and that it is not obvious to any Government that in a democracy we need the right to protest to be protected. To engage in peaceful protest means irritating other people. Over recent years, we have seen a real erosion of protest rights through one Bill after another. I sat here and watched it all and protested at every single move. Each was justified on a narrow, technical or operational point but, taken together, they amounted to a clear political direction—making protests harder, riskier and much easier to shut down. Continue reading “Crime and Policing Bill Committee Stage Day 8”
Flooding Interventions
I intervened in this debate last week to say: Some floodwater is highly toxic and dangerous to humans, particularly if it comes from a sewage treatment works or from farms. What extra interventions are done on such floodwaters? Continue reading “Flooding Interventions”
Sentencing Bill Report Stage
It seems that we are here trying to correct an injustice: that vulnerable women and children are put into a prison where they are clearly not safe is horrendous. It really does not fit with a decent society Continue reading “Sentencing Bill Report Stage”
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill Committee Stage Day 2
There is no such thing as sustainable aviation fuel. Too often, we have these grand promises that are never backed up— I would argue that carbon capture and storage is another one. But if the Government are to press ahead with so-called sustainable aviation fuel, the very least we should expect is full transparency about what is being produced, where it is coming from and what the real impacts are Continue reading “Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill Committee Stage Day 2”
Autumn Budget 2025 – Where is Labour?
A Green Budget would be the beginning of the end for a system of privatised utilities fleecing bill payers and the ultra-rich getting away with not paying their fair share. Where is Labour? Where is its vision? Continue reading “Autumn Budget 2025 – Where is Labour?”
Sentencing Bill Committee Stage Day 3
Although I very much support the intentions of the Sentencing Bill, we cannot avoid at least acknowledging the strain already placed on the Probation Service. If we are going to put new demands on the service, we must first be confident that it can meet them. Continue reading “Sentencing Bill Committee Stage Day 3”
Phase out crates and cages!
Green MP Adrian Ramsay wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about our poor animal welfare standards and the need for funding to transition away from them. The letter was co-signed by Irene Campbell MP and another 34 Parliamentarians
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill
We need to ensure that our Government listen to a range of experts, not just to those people with loads of cash who can use money and personal contacts to gain access to the detailed discussions. My biggest concerns are monitoring and enforcement: I simply do not understand how those two things will happen in any sort of efficient way. I would like us to become a world leader in pushing for the establishment of marine protected areas in places beyond national jurisdiction. While I am sure that most here would like this Bill to pass so that we can sign up to international law, I would say that it does not go far enough to protect our ocean.
Continue reading “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill”
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb 