Louise Haigh, please support the CAN Bill.

On Dec 27th I wrote again to my MP Louise Haigh about the Climate and Nature Bill. (See previous article including her previous reply here). Please write to your MP to and urge them to attend and vote for the Bill on Jan 24th.

Dear Louise

I appreciate your reply to my email. I hope you had a great Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year.

I am sorry you have lost your place in the cabinet as I thought you were making good progress on public transport. I am wondering if your new status  as a back-bencher gives you more flexibility in your stance on the Climate and Nature Bill, and appeal to you once more to support it in the House at its Second Reading on Jan 24th. I note that your Sheffield colleagues Olivia and Abtisam, who I spoke with at the recent South Yorkshire Climate Alliance lobbying meeting, have both committed to being there, but there are only 107 MPs committed at present and we need at least 150. 

In your reply, you say that you “believe the above measures will help deliver on many of the aims of the CAN Bill and can assure you that I will support action to deliver effective leadership on the climate and nature crisis.” However, the measures you mention do not go as far as the CAN Bill and in particular do not

● Create a joined-up plan—the crises in climate and nature are deeply intertwined, requiring a plan that considers both together. 

● Cut emissions in line with 1.5°C—ensuring UK emissions are reduced rapidly, for the last chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C. 

● Reverse the decline in nature—setting nature measurably on the path to recovery by 2030. 

● Take responsibility for our overseas footprint—both emissions and ecological. 

● Prioritise nature in decision-making, and ends fossil fuel production and imports as rapidly as possible. 

● Ensure that no one is left behind—through fairness provisions. 

● Involves the public—giving people a say in finding a fair way forward through a Climate & Nature Assembly, an essential tool for bringing the public along with the unprecedented pace of change required.

These seven features are what make the CAN Bill so special. Please read more in the briefing here. 

Did you manage to watch the video I sent you the link to of Prof Bill McGuire talking in Sheffield? The case for urgent action on both the Climate and Nature Emergencies is overwhelming. We need to be on a war footing to tackle them and half-measures will not do. 

I was disappointed that you did not respond to my point about Community Energy in your reply. It was a great shame that this amendment to the GB Energy Bill was not passed. Labour were very supportive of Community Energy in their manifesto, so I can’t understand why this amendment was not supported by Labour in the House. Please can you explain? 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Yours sincerely

Graham Wroe

Please write to your MP too and ask them to be in the House on the 24th to vote for the CAN Bill.

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