Today (21 January 2021), Luke spoke in the House of Commons in his role as Shadow Secretary of State for DEFRA, as the Government was answering questions about the environment.

The Conservatives are refusing to vote for Labour’s amendment to the Environment Bill that would put the World Health Organisation’s air quality standards into UK law. This is despite the fact the 40,000 people die every year because of poor air quality.

The Government’s lack of support for this amendment is just one example of their worrying policies on environmental protections. They have rolled back on many of their promises on the environment. They are lifting a ban on bee-killing pesticides, loosening the chemical regime, and introducing a weaker environmental watchdog.

As the host of COP26 – a major meeting of world leaders to discuss climate change – Britain should be leading the way in environmental standards. The world’s eyes will be on us, and the Conservatives’ rollback of environmental standards will alert them that they can’t trust Boris when he claims to “build back better.”