Dear Editor,

The Test Valley Green Party is calling on local Tories to disown this government's ‘attack on nature’.

The Greens have described plans to downgrade environmental protections as a ‘three-pronged assault on nature’.

Last Friday’s ‘mini-budget’ included plans for ‘investment zones’ which would make it easier to get planning permission.

The government has also published plans for a ‘sunset clause’ on environmental protections introduced when the UK was in the EU.

In addition, reports have suggested that the planned Environmental Land Management Scheme is to be scrapped. This would have paid farmers to improve nature on their land. Instead, it is rumoured that payment by acre will no longer be linked to any environmental measures.

The party says: “Our local conservative councillors represent many rural voters who will be up in arms about the government proposals.

"They should not feel duty-bound to back the government because these plans are almost the direct opposite of manifesto promises and have never been put to the British people.

"We need all our local politicians, whichever party they come from, to stand up for nature, and to make plain that we can have robust local economies whilst also helping nature to recover.

"Local Tories have a special responsibility to say no to their new leaders, on behalf of our community."

Jon Cotterell

Test Valley Green Party