Category: My work

Looking at the history of the recent legal judgement on ‘wild camping’, thankfully it does not, strictly speaking, create a ‘ban’ on wild camping as such.

What it does, from a strictly legal point of view, is say that there is not an ‘automatic’ right to wild camp.  This all revolves around, in strict legal terms, a requirement to seek permission first.

As I understand it, there have been many areas already identified by the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DPNA) as places where they give explicit permission to wild camp.

Looking at the legal judgment, the judge did say something that I, and probably many others would not agree with.  That is, that the public have a right of access to Dartmoor for open-air recreation, but that camping was seen as ‘a facility to enable the person in question to enjoy the open-air recreation of hiking.’ In other words, just an enabler, not a right.

According to the letter of the law, this may be true, but it means in practice that hikes would then have to be restricted.

Thus, there needs to be a new law which makes it absolutely clear that wild camping is unrestricted in our natural countryside. 

And a new right to roam act would be the perfect vehicle, and I would fully support that.

I am very concerned about the total lack of democratic oversight of the repeal or otherwise of the body of retained EU law that bridged the Brexit process, ie UK and EU-derived legislation that is still in effect.

There have and are a number of amendments to this bill including Amendment 36, which would give parliamentary oversight over the EU regulations being revoked under the Bill’s Sunset Clause. 

I will always support any wise amendments to any bill which is as undesirable and as broad as this bill, for there can only be improvement to it.

I am concerned by the continued high levels of Stalking and Harassment. These crimes are part of the systemic gendered violence which unfortunately is still all too pervasive in our society today. 

The current legislation we have to protect the victims of stalking and harassment, the Stalking and Harassment Act of 1997, was too hard won, and still doesn’t go far enough to deliver protection for victims of these crimes. 

I have always supported expanding legislation to protect against gendered violence, and therefore stalking as well.  I was in full support of the ‘Ending Violence Against Women and Girls’ Green Paper: http://jc-staging-site.local/putting-an-end-to-misogyny-1-june-2021/ published by Labour in 2021.

I will continue to promote legislation that protects people against stalking and harassment wherever possible.

I have championed the fight against animal cruelty over the years, and signed countless Early Day Motions opposing practices and actions involving cruelty to animals in the UK and world-wide.

I have always felt that we desperately needed a proper and serious scientific hearing into animal experimentation including all the practices that support it, such as breeding dogs for use in those experiments.

It is a surprise that the US is now leading on making vital changes towards new, non-animal testing practices using alternative New Approach Methodologies.  I’d hope that this in itself would put pressure on the UK to follow suit.

There is ample data to show that some, if not a lot of the evidence provided by animal experimentation may not be providing the evidence that a compound (whether it’s a drug or cosmetic) is safe for humans.

I fully support all the objectives of the petition, but because of pressures on my diary I was not be free to attend the debate on Monday 16 January but I look forward to reading the transcript of that debate.

I was very happy to have signed EDM 223, ‘Animal-free science and animal tests’ tabled by Grahame Morris MP, and fully support its objectives:

“That this House is concerned that the UK remains one of the countries in Europe consistently with one of the highest numbers of animal experiments, with over 2.88 million animals tests taking place in 2020 alone; is disappointed that UK legislation no longer contains a commitment to the final goal of full replacement of procedures on live animals found in recital 10 of Directive 2010/63/EU; acknowledges the ever-increasing capacity of animal-free, human relevant science to deliver economic and public health benefits as well as prevent animal suffering; notes that a recent YouGov survey found that 65 per cent of people want to see a Government-led, cross-departmental plan to incentivise an end to animal tests; further notes the Cruelty Free International campaign to Target Zero animal tests; and calls for a Minister with specific responsibility for providing strategic leadership to put in place a UK strategy to accelerate a transition to animal-free science.”

You might know that I have campaigned for more than 30 years on housing issues including “no fault” evictions and against short tenancies which have created an unacceptably precarious private renting environment.

I fully support the protection of private renters through rent controls, open-ended tenancies, and new minimum standards.
I want to see the halting of runaway rents by capping them with inflation and giving renters the security to make their rented housing a home.

I my view, the welfare of renters should come first.  It is vital that Section 21 is repealed without delay.  I fully support a Renters’ Reform Bill and will aim to do so on my social media at some point soon.

I have made appeals to the Government about reforming the precarious renting environment over the years and will continue to do so.

Constituents have contacted me about Animal Snares and the Westminster Hall debate on this subject.

I am completely opposed to the use of animal snares and have spoken out on this before now. Animal welfare remains a high priority for me, and I have consistently opposed live animal exports and long to see both practices banned.

Due to pressures on my diary, I was not free to attend yesterday’s debate in Westminster Hall, but I fully support making sure that banning snares via the Kept Animals Bill moves forward.  I would be surprised if the debate was not well attended, and the transcript of the debate can be read via this link here: Snares – Hansard – UK Parliament

I have always voted in favour of all legislation and amendments to stop the cruel treatment of animals and will continue to do so.