Keir Starmer: planet harmer?

A majority of British voters believe Sir Keir Starmer shows no greater commitment to protecting the environment as the Labour prime minister than the previous Conservative government.

Some two-thirds believe Starmer’s approach to the environment is no different to the one taken under Rishi Sunak’s previous administration.

Ahead of next week’s budget, significantly more than half also say chancellor Rachel Reeves must not weaken the British Government’s stance on protections for the environment.  

Waste

Mary Creagh, the nature minister, confirmed plans for a landmark national recycling scheme would be watered down, increasing scrutiny of Whitehall policies.

Creagh said glass bottles were “not in scope” of the deposit return scheme, attracting criticism from green campaigners. The comment came after a parliamentary written answer to Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke last week.

Deposit return schemes operate in more than 40 countries globally and see a small charge applied to everyday drinks containers which is refunded when the item is recycled in a bottle bank.

The most successful schemes across Europe see recycling rates of up to 97 per cent and are key to reducing harmful greenhouse gases and achieving net zero.

Nature 2030’s research also found overwhelming support (75 percent) for introducing an all-inclusive deposit return scheme, with more than two-thirds of Brits (68 per cent) expressing concern about high levels of waste and pollution being generated from single-use drinks containers.

Invest

The research comes ahead of DEFRA’s ‘rapid review’ of the previous government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, with campaigners hoping new ministers would strengthen protection for the planet.

Campaigners argue the new Labour government should be ambitious in delivering a joined-up approach to environmental projects in contrast to what has been described as a “piecemeal approach” employed by the previous Conservative government.

They are urging the Treasury to deliver “Britain’s greenest ever Budget” in the Commons next week.

Sian Sutherland, co-founder, A Plastic Planet & PlasticFree: “Yet again we see that the citizens of the UK are wiser than the economists that advise our politicians on environmental policy. Show me the balance sheet that proves it’s possible to have a healthy thriving economy on a dying planet?

“We are running towards a world where the stalwarts of investment and business are completely uninsurable. Have a look at Florida real-estate – that is a glimpse into our future if we don’t urgently invest in regenerating the very systems of Nature. 

Corner

“Oceans, air, soil and every living thing is connected to one huge system of life and if we disconnect ourselves from that system, we disconnect ourselves from not just fiscal security but life itself.”

Dominic Dyer, environmental activist and Chair of Nature 2030, said: “The chancellor must ensure she delivers Britain’s greenest ever Budget next week.

“The only way we can protect the planet for future generations is by achieving green growth, harnessing renewable energy, and ensuring we have a circular economy to tackle the harmful levels of waste and pollution we see.

“After 14 years of a piecemeal approach under the former Conservative government, Rachel Reeves has can show the nation next week that the new administration has turned a corner.”

This Author

Brendan Montague is editor of The Ecologist.