A someone who loves regularly going for walks in Warwickshire’s beautiful countryside, I completely agree that we need to do all we can restore and cherish our precious natural landscapes and protect our natural environment.
Nature loss is among the greatest challenges of our time, which is why I strongly welcome the government’s commitment to working with farmers to introduce more sustainable practices and help them to restore the countryside. I’m delighted that farmers are being supported with up to £2.7 billion per year for farming and nature schemes, including tree planting and peatland restoration.
There is also £816 million allocated for tree planting through 2030 and £85 million will be invested by 2030 to restore wild peatland. In addition, the Government has introduced a Bill to enable ratification of the international Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, and I am also strongly supportive of Labour’s manifesto commitment to ensure 30% of Britain’s land is preserved and protected for nature.
We do need to build more houses, because it’s really worrying that Warwickshire is facing an acute housing crisis, with thousands of families currently stuck on a social housing waiting list and dream of buying a first home out of reach for so many young people. But I absolutely agree that we must do this in a way that is sensitive to nature. That’s why I am strongly supportive of the government’s ‘brownfield first’ approach, which will ensure that all available urban space for housing in being used effectively, such as building new units in the wasted space between buildings, turning empty shop space into housing, or refurbishing dilapidated buildings back into use as homes. I also strongly support the rules that make it mandatory for any new housebuilding and infrastructure to deliver at least a 10% improvement to biodiversity.
I am supporting the government to deliver on the ambitious climate goals that they set out in Labour’s general election manifesto. I am pleased that the government has already:
- Set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned energy company that will invest in the clean, green power we need. It is funded using an initial investment of £8.3 billion, Great British Energy will help us hit our target of getting to net zero carbon emissions from energy by 2030, secure our energy independence, and slash consumer energy bills.
- Founded a National Wealth Fund, like those of other European countries, to invest in the green transition and our future economic prosperity. The fund will create up to half a million jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands and unlock billions in additional private sector investment to boost our steel, automotive, energy, and manufacturing industries.
- Announced our Warm Homes Plan, which will reduce household energy usage by properly insulating people homes, particularly the most vulnerable households.
- Introduced a proper windfall tax on fossil fuel energy profits to fund the green transition.
So please know that as your MP, I will do all I can to protect nature, tackle climate change, and protect our precious green spaces.