I have campaigned for many years on environmental issues, the threat to nature, global warming and environmental destruction. I have consistently raised these issues in Parliament.
I am totally opposed to the Government’s decision to lift the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides. In 2018, the Government’s then Environment Secretary, Michael Gove MP, said that the Government would keep the ban on these pesticides in light of the evidence of the harmful impact they can have on wildlife. I am concerned that this decision has been reversed without persuasive new scientific evidence to support such a move.
In 2019 I stood on a manifesto that pledged to create a Plan for Nature that would set legally binding targets to kick start the restoration of species and habitats. Killing bees will only do the reverse.
On 26 January this year I voted for an amendment to the Environment Bill that would have increased scrutiny of any attempts by the Government to allow substances that were banned under EU law due to environmental concerns to be used. This amendment would have made it harder for the Government to reverse the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides.
Unfortunately, this amendment was defeated with Conservative MPs voting against this measure.
I will continue to speak out in Parliament and beyond in support of environmental protections and oppose this Government’s attack on our nature and the environment.
