“The Chancellor talked about the ‘costs of irresponsibility’ but expanding Heathrow in the face of a climate emergency is the definition of irresponsible.”

“Worst still, we’re also expecting formal planning decisions from ministers on Gatwick and Luton airport expansion, which the Chancellor pre-empted today. Giving these permissions in the month before vital new advice is expected from the Climate Change Committee, today’s speech is nothing short of reckless.

“The carbon cost of expanding Heathrow, Luton, and Gatwick together will cancel out the benefits of Labour’s keystone clean energy plan, making Net Zero minister Ed Miliband’s task almost impossible.

“The Chancellor’s stated goal is ‘raising living standards in every part of the UK’ but more and bigger airports will serve only the very richest aviation bosses and the most frequent flyers whose wealth doesn’t help people’s daily lives get better.

“Tackling inequality and building a greener future should go hand in hand. That must mean investment in warmer homes, green energy and the local transport people use every day, not these bleak proposals.”

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“We must ask who these decisions would be made for and why. Whose advice is the Government listening to, when record-high wealth inequality is causing harm to the economy and society in many different ways, and while frequent flying is the preserve of the super-rich? 

“The aviation lobby is loud and well-funded, but the Government should instead be listening to scientists and its own Climate Change Committee, which has already urged a halt to overall airport expansion. The previous Labour government’s poor record on airport expansion doesn’t have to continue.  

“If Ed Miliband is serious in his role as Net-Zero Minister, he will work to prevent the Chancellor and Transport Secretaries making a huge mistake, and advise the Chancellor to not make any dangerous new decisions until they have heard and listened to the new advice from the Climate Change Committee which is due in February.” 

ENDS 

Notes: 

1. Between 2011 and 2019, the UK’s wealth gap grew by 50% (https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/inequalities/2024/10/29/the-uks-wealth-gap-has-grown-by-50-in-eight-years/) 

2. The Climate Change Committee’s 2023 Progress Report to Parliament calls for a halt to all UK airport expansion 

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An Early Day Motion (EDM) tabled today (9 January), calls on the Government to pass the Plant Protection Products (Prohibition on Public Sector Use) Bill, which she introduced as a Private Members Bill to Parliament in October.  

Supported by Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru and Independent MPs, the EDM asks the Government to act and recognise that the most-used pesticide by local authorities to manage unwanted vegetation, glyphosate, carries health risks.  

In Siân’s constituency, Brighton and Hove City Council has reinstated the use of toxic glyphosate in some areas, five years after councillors pledged to end its use, and many councils continue to spray the chemical onto paths and pavements in public spaces such as parks and housing estates. 

Over 100 local authorities across the UK have already chosen to end or significantly reduce their use of pesticides, the overuse of which destroys areas used by birds, insects, bees, and hedgehogs for food and shelter. The run-off of pesticides from pavements can contaminate water courses and damage aquatic life.  

Siân Berry, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “More must be done to stop councils using toxic chemicals in public places, which are a danger to people, pets and children using these spaces, and to the wider environment. There are alternatives and many councils are succeeding, but too many are failing to take action. 

“Across my constituency, resident groups are working hard to remove any plants causing problems in order to stop the council from using this chemical in their neighbourhoods, but the earlier ban needs to be reinstated and replicated across the country. I’m pleased to have won the support of parliamentary colleagues who agree with us that we should be defending, not poisoning our wildlife.   

“My Bill would stop the use of pesticides in public spaces, and I hope to see it passed so that every village, town and city across England will be protected from the harmful effects of these chemicals.”  

Nick Mole, UK Policy Manager at PAN UK, said: “There’s absolutely no justification for using pesticides in our towns and cities. By ending the use of pesticides in public spaces, we will reduce the exposure of millions of UK citizens to potentially harmful chemicals and protect our precious urban biodiversity. We are delighted that Siân is championing this issue in parliament, building on the incredible work of thousands of dedicated local campaigners across the UK who have successfully lobbied their councils to go pesticide-free. It’s about time this policy was enacted at a national level.” 

MPs who have so far supported the Early Day Motion are Nadia Whittome MP for Nottingham East (Labour), Liz Saville Roberts MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Plaid Cymru), Wera Hobhouse MP for Bath (Liberal Democrat), Ian Byrne MP for Liverpool West Derby (Independent) and Siân is urging people across the country to write to their MPs to add their names.   

ENDS

For further information or to arrange media interviews, please contact [email protected]  

• Read the full Early Day Motion  

• Read the Plant Protection Products (Prohibition on Public Sector Use) Bill 

• ‘The run-off of pesticides from pavements can contaminate water courses and damage aquatic life.’ – Pesticide Action Network.  

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These toxic chemicals -one teaspoon can kill one billion bees – were banned across Europe in 2018, but continue to be used on farms here after Conservatives gave ‘emergency’ permission four years ago.

The post Save the bees! appeared first on Siân Berry MP.

“This is a very harsh decision, admitting wrongdoing but offering a bitter dose of nothing to a generation of women, caught out by this, who faced so many hurdles and prejudices in respect of their careers and earnings.

“I have so much respect for the brave WASPI women campaigners who, for nearly a decade, have campaigned hard on behalf of millions who were let down by this maladministration, just to be let down again today.

“The Government should reconsider this decision and look at how it can also do more to help women born in the 1950s win the same security in retirement as enjoyed by their male counterparts.”

*Response to PHSO report on communication of changes to women’s State Pension age [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-phso-report-on-communication-of-changes-to-womens-state-pension-age]

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I’m asking for capital investment in homes and active travel and revenue spending to support fire safety, local authority support for young people, and teachers in further education.

See my full letter below.

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Read the letter in full here:

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I have made calls for new action to reduce the harm caused by gambling in the city.

My proposals were sent in response to the consultation on Brighton and Hove City Council’s draft Gambling Policy for 2025-27.

In my submission, I requested a meeting with local councillors to discuss possible areas of joint work and proposed a range of actions the council should take to reduce the harm done by gambling in Brighton and Hove, including: [1] 

>> A ‘one in one out’ policy for gambling premises in the city, with further reductions if problem gambling increases.

>> A local ban on the advertising of gambling on every billboard, bus stop, and any other ‘outdoor’ advertising sites within the city, including on buses. 

>> More data collection locally to measure the harm being done to vulnerable people and children.

>> Work with MPs and other councils to push for a country-wide ban on gambling company advertising, plus restrictions on sports sponsorship.

>> An end to the exception made for sports broadcasts in enforcing the watershed on TV advertising for gambling companies.

In the response, I say:  

“We have clear evidence that gambling harms are increasing. We have a large number of the gambling establishments in the city and, along with the large amount of advertising that takes place for the major bookmakers and – increasingly – high street slot machine outlets, these premises create a real risk of harm to those who already have problems with gambling, and to children and wider society.

“In addition, advertising for online gambling is also prevalent in the city, and it is common for adults and children to see these adverts online as well. As a licensing authority with a duty to work towards the protection of: “children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling,” the council should be seeking to reduce all kinds of harm in every way it can.”

Recent data has shown that problem gambling may be much more prevalent than previously estimated.  Using new methodology, surveys from Public Health England show that 2.5 per cent of adults responding scored 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), compared with less than half a per cent previously. [2] 

Based on the Office for National Statistics’ latest population estimates, this would imply that over one million adults in Great Britain are now problem gamblers and, if the same proportion holds here, more than 5,000 adults in Brighton and Hove. 

The National Gambling Helpline also hit record-breaking service levels in 2023, receiving more calls and online chats than any previous year. A total of 52,370 calls and online chats were made to the Helpline, a 24 per cent increase compared with the year before, and August 2023 was the busiest month on record. December 2023 also saw a 39 per cent increase compared with the same month the year before, and this was the busiest Christmas period ever recorded by the helpline.

References:

1. Full submission to the consultation: https://sianberry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/248/2024/09/2024_09_15_BHCC_Gambling_Policy_2025_27_response.pdf
2. Gambling participation and the prevalence of problem gambling survey: Final experimental statistics stage (Step 3) (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)

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I’ve raised this with the Chief Executive of the council and Cabinet Member, Housing and New Homes.

Read my letter below:

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Dear Gill,

I hope that you are well.

I’m writing regarding Acorn’s Boot the Bailiff campaign to ask that Brighton and Hove City Council commits to reviewing its bailiff contract and sets a goal of dramatically reducing its use of bailiffs to collect council tax arrears, and reviews its council tax policy to prevent more residents from running up debts they simply cannot afford.

Acorn can provide significant testimony from local residents about their experience of bailiff use and how this has caused additional distress and exacerbated vulnerabilities for people already experiencing hardship, rather than supporting them to find workable ways forward with arrears.

I’m aware that Citizens Advice previously collected evidence about the ineffectiveness of bailiff use in relation to Council Tax arrears, which further serves to highlight bailiff use is poor value for money. More humane and cooperative methods for negotiating with residents who have arrears is better for everyone and I strongly believe the council should consider it.

I’m very open to hearing from BHCC if you think that there are remaining barriers within national legislation which it would be helpful for me to raise with Ministers. However, I am aware of several local authorities which have already committed to amending their approach in response to the campaign, including Bristol and Hammersmith and Fulham.

In addition, in the council I previously sat on in Camden, I was successful in working with Child Poverty Action Group to persuade the council to reinstate a zero rate of council tax for those most in need in 2017, which led to a dramatic reduction in arrears for those who simply could not pay, and a large reduction in bailiff use. I am therefore also asking that the council looks at its overall council tax reduction scheme policy, and it would be positive news if Brighton and Hove City Council would commit to similar action in response to the work Acorn is doing.

If you are also able to confirm the date BHCC’s current bailiff contract ends in reply, it would also be helpful, as I am keen to have further information about the current position regarding dates and opportunities for this to be reviewed and amended.

Best wishes,

Siân

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