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  • PRESS RELEASE : How the Climate Change Act helped the Friends of the Earth hold the government to account [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : How the Climate Change Act helped the Friends of the Earth hold the government to account [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Friends of the Earth on 17 October 2022.

    What’s the Climate Change Act?

    The UK’s Climate Change Act became the world’s first national law to require cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, and hold the government accountable for these cuts. Under the Act, a scientifically informed, long-term, legally binding target was adopted, to achieve an 80% cut in emissions by 2050. In 2019 this long-term target was revised to the still more ambitious Net Zero target.

    Since the pioneering UK Act was passed, there’ve been many new climate laws enacted around the world. The UK can’t claim credit for all of these, but it’s been influential: those in Northern Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and Finland were all closely modelled on the UK Act.

    How does the Climate Change Act help us hold government to account?

    The Climate Change Act and its implications have never been more important. Despite the chaos in Westminster, we can still make government accountable for its actions. The Act is powerful as it creates a framework in which action can and must be taken by the government.

    Most significantly, the Act can be enforced through our court system if government doesn’t comply with its legal duties. This is something we’ve proved through our pioneering Net Zero Strategy legal case. The Climate Change Act may have been established in 2008, but we’re still seeing its benefits today. It’s enabled us to hold government accountable, years later, and has allowed us to carry out vital and successful legal challenges against government’s inaction.

    Net Zero Strategy court case win

    Alongside ClientEarth and the Good Law Project, we recently took the government to court and won. In a landmark victory, the High Court ruled in July that the UK government’s Net Zero Strategy is unlawful. This strategy is supposed to explain how emissions targets will be achieved, but we argued successfully that it was legally inadequate and didn’t contain sufficient detail. The government sought an appeal, but we’re delighted to confirm that it recently decided not to pursue this after all. That means our win in the High Court stands. Now the government has to revise its strategy and lay out a credible plan for meeting emissions targets.

    The Climate Change Act directly enabled this victory. It was this very Act that allowed us to hold the government to account over its Net Zero Strategy. This is the kind of good news we desperately needed while seeing the impact of the climate crisis, through record-breaking heatwaves and fires sweeping across the country and around the world.

    A lasting legacy

    The journey for climate action can sometimes feel long, but we need to take a step back and celebrate our victories. The Climate Change Act has enabled us to hold government accountable for its climate inaction and win campaigns that have a lasting legacy. The Act has also enabled policy changes across the board, like the government banning the sale of fossil fuel cars beyond 2030. Thanks to a law we campaigned for and succeeded in establishing back in 2008, we’re winning more battles today.

    Change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of collective action over many years of sustained campaigning. Our latest Net Zero Strategy win against the UK government can point the way to a more climate-friendly economy and a greener and healthier world for all. This win is proof that our actions can have a big impact, even if you have to wait a while to see it happen.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Statement on Defence Secretary’s call with Russian Defence Minister [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Statement on Defence Secretary’s call with Russian Defence Minister [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 23 October 2022.

    At the request of the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Secretary of State for Defence spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, this afternoon. Minister Shoigu alleged that Ukraine was planning actions facilitated by Western countries, including the UK, to escalate the conflict in Ukraine.

    The Defence Secretary refuted these claims and cautioned that such allegations should not be used as a pretext for greater escalation.

    The Defence Secretary also reiterated UK and wider international support for Ukraine and desire to de-escalate this conflict. It is for Ukraine and Russia to seek resolution to the war and the UK stands ready to assist.

    The Secretary of State observed that both Ministers were professional and respectful on the call.

  • Guy Verhofstadt – 2022 Comments on Rejoin March in London

    Guy Verhofstadt – 2022 Comments on Rejoin March in London

    The comments made by by Guy Verhofstadt on Twitter on 23 October 2022.

    Felt so good to see thousands and thousands of Brits marching to #RejoinEU with @youngeuromove yesterday. Some day soon we will bring back what belongs together: the whole European family ?? ??

  • James Heappey – 2022 Comments on Rishi Sunak Becoming Prime Minister

    James Heappey – 2022 Comments on Rishi Sunak Becoming Prime Minister

    The comments made by James Heappey, the Conservative MP for Wells, on Twitter on 23 October 2022.

    I’ve been agonising all weekend knowing that our choice as next PM must bring together our divided party & restore stability to our Government. All wings of our party will need to work together after contest to achieve that but I’m supporting Rishi Sunak to lead us in doing so.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Cost-of-living crisis [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Cost-of-living crisis [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the National Association of Local Councils on 18 October 2022.

    With the highest rates of inflation in decades and a collapse in the pound’s value, the UK is facing a cost-of-living crisis that will affect millions of working people across the UK.

    The crisis has a disproportionate impact on low-wage households, who spend a larger proportion of their income on fuel and food. According to the Living Wage Foundation ‘Life on Low Pay’ report, there are currently an estimated 4.8m workers earning a wage below the cost of living. 42% of such workers report missing meals regularly due to financial reasons, and 56% report using food banks regularly. During the winter months, many of these workers are facing bleak choices such as whether to ‘heat or eat’.

    Why is it important to address the cost-of-living crisis?

    We understand that the cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact on the mental health of workers, which is already estimated to have cost the UK private sector between £53-56bn in 2020-21. Workers under financial pressure are unlikely to perform at their best, and businesses are likely to face reduced productivity, higher turnover and increased training costs.

    The government has a primary role in ensuring that people are protected, and they have introduced measures in response to rising energy costs. While these measures (to cap energy prices to £2,500 for a typical household) will make a difference, it should be noted that this is double what the average household bill was in 2020.

    Businesses and specifically the largest publicly listed employers, can play an essential role in shielding their lower-paid workforce from the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

    What are we doing?

    For this reason, CCLA and the Church Investors Group have written to the largest publicly listed employers about their response and specifically asking them:

    • Whether they have taken any steps to support their lowest-paid employees through this winter, or if they have any plans to be implemented over the next few weeks?
    • What proportion of their workforce will be impacted by these activities, and how were they selected for assistance?
    • Whether the third-party contracted staff whose principal place of work is one of your premises (such as cleaners, caterers and security guards) eligible for assistance through any ‘cost-of-living’ programme that they offer?
    • If they have no plans, why are they not acting on this issue?

    We will be summarising their responses on the website. Our intention for this engagement is to encourage large employers to respond and to showcase how businesses are already addressing the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse releases its final report [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse releases its final report [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the NSPCC on 20 October 2022.

    94 victims and survivors gave evidence in public hearings. For them, and for all who have experienced sexual abuse, this must be a defining moment for lasting change.

    The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has published its final report and recommendations on how multiple organisations have failed and are continuing to fail to protect children in their care from sexual abuse.

    Since 2015, IICSA has held 15 investigations with over 6,000 experiences being shared with the Truth Project and 87 recommendations for change made.

    1 in 20 children in the UK has been sexually abused.1 One in three children sexually abused by an adult did not tell anyone at the time.2

    IICSA was set up after investigations in 2012 and 2013 into the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal revealed widespread abuse and inadequate safeguarding by institutions and organisations responsible for child welfare.

    The role of IICSA was to investigate what went wrong and why, and use its findings to make clear recommendations and prevent failures from happening in future.

    In that time information was sought from the NSPCC for nine investigations. These included investigations into residential schools, the internet, religious organisations and child sexual exploitation.

    We provided witness statements, helplines data, records searches, briefing papers and results from an FOI request. Our staff gave evidence at public hearings, culminating in Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC CEO, giving evidence in December 2020.

    IICSA’s findings demonstrate that we need to see a wholesale change in how child sexual abuse is tackled. Reporting matters and responding effectively is crucial. We’re calling for changes that would focus on strengthening:

    – prevention (through strong safeguarding policies and procedures in all organisations)
    – the recognition of the signs of child sexual abuse
    – the knowledge of how to report
    – the availability of recovery support services
    – the response from child protection agencies.

    Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said:

    “It would be an utter tragedy if events in Westminster completely overshadowed the report and recommendations from IICSA. This was a chance to show the survivors and victims who broke the silence that we have heard them and that their legacy will be a national mission to prevent child sexual abuse. They deserve nothing less.

    “We will soon have a new Prime Minister. They must make this report a defining moment by making sure there is political leadership to translate IICSA’s recommendations into a robust system that truly keeps children safe. They must start by appointing a Cabinet Minister for Children.

    “NSPCC analysis shows there were more than 85,000 child sexual abuse reports to police last year. The Government must also bring forward a strengthened a Victim’s Bill that ensures specialist support for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and deliver a robust Online Safety Bill to ensure tech firms design platforms that have child protection designed in as a legal requirement.

    “Everyone has a role to play and if you ever have a concern about the wellbeing of a child, please do not hesitate to contact the NSPCC Helpline.”

  • Luke Evans – 2022 Comments on Penny Mordaunt Becoming Prime Minister

    Luke Evans – 2022 Comments on Penny Mordaunt Becoming Prime Minister

    The comments made by Luke Evans, the Conservative MP for Bosworth, on Twitter on 23 October 2022.

    Nominations close tomorrow for the next Leader of the Conservative Party. To be a candidate you need to have the nominations of over 100 fellow Conservative MPs. I have nominated Penny Mordaunt to be the next Party leader.

    We’ll find out at 2pm tomorrow if Penny has made it onto the ballot paper by having enough support, and who else made it.

    As always, I will keep you posted on what happens next.

  • Jacob Rees-Mogg – 2022 Statement that Boris Johnson Will Run for Conservative Leadership

    Jacob Rees-Mogg – 2022 Statement that Boris Johnson Will Run for Conservative Leadership

    The comments made by Jacob Rees-Mogg, a supporter of the Boris Johnson campaign, made in an interview to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on 23 October 2022.

    I have been speaking to Boris Johnson and clearly he is going to stand as there is a great deal of support for him.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2022 Comments on Rishi Sunak Becoming Prime Minister

    Michelle Donelan – 2022 Comments on Rishi Sunak Becoming Prime Minister

    The comments made by Michelle Donelan, the Conservative MP for Chippenham, on Twitter on 23 October 2022.

    Earlier today I publicly backed Rishi Sunak to be our next Prime Minister. The country is facing many challenges – now is the time for unity, stability, delivery and relentless focus.

    It is crucial we come together and unite behind this common mission.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Comments on Austerity

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Comments on Austerity

    The comments made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent MP for North Islington, on Twitter on 23 October 2022.

    A “tough choice” is deciding whether to feed your children or heat your home.

    Austerity is not a tough choice. It is a political choice to wage class warfare on the most vulnerable.

    The right choice is taxing the rich, public ownership, and a redistribution of wealth and power.