House of Lords votes to save wildlife, now make your voice heard too
The House of Lords gave a lifeline to wildlife this week, voting in favour of vital amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Sign our petition demanding that MPs vote to uphold these amendments.
Labour’s disgraceful Planning Bill aims to speed up the building of new housing developments. The government wants to “get spades in the ground“ fast by removing the safeguards that protect wildlife habitats and species. But On Wednesday 29 October, hundreds of peers voted in favour of amendment 130, which, if passed, would force planning authorities to consider the impacts of biodiversity loss and the preservation of nature when making planning decisions.
Essentially, amendment 130 would ensure that wildlife and their habitats are exempt from environmental delivery plans (EDPs). EDPs allow corporations to pay into a planned Nature Restoration Fund, ‘offsetting’ the environmental devastation caused by their projects. Protect the Wild’s Tom Anderson previously explained:
“Crucially, [corporations] won’t have to undertake local restoration work in the habitats they have damaged. Instead they will simply pay into the fund which will undertake projects elsewhere.”
260 peers voted for the amendment, and have agreed that the use of EDPs should be limited to nutrient neutrality, water quality, water resource or, air quality.
‘No trust in this Government’
During the debate, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb backed the amendment. She slated Labour, saying:
“Our concerns and our amendments...are a demonstration of how much we do not trust this Government to care about the countryside, nature, wildlife and human well-being. I trusted some in the previous Government to protect the countryside because they owned so much of it—they probably had its interests at heart and in their wallets—but many in this Government clearly prefer bulldozers to bats and beavers. To me, that immediately signals that we have a problem with this Government. Labour has been disappointing on nature, the environment and climate change. It occasionally talks about those things but does not understand them, and that is a source of real anxiety to me.”
She continued:
“I have no trust in this Government doing the right thing to protect nature.”
The Bill will now return to the House of Commons for MPs to vote on, in what the Wildlife Trusts says is “a crucial test for Labour MPs and the Government”.
Protecting chalk streams
In voting for amendment 130, the House of Lords has given a last-ditch lifeline to wildlife. And peers stepped up for nature once more, passing amendment 94. This amendment backs the protection of chalk streams by defining them as “irreplaceable” habitats. 85% of the world’s chalk streams are in England, and they are home to rare and endangered species.
This amendment comes just days after the government confirmed that it would cancel an initiative known as the Chalk Stream Recovery Pack (CSRP). The initiative aimed at protecting and restoring chalk streams, but Labour stated that it was “no longer being taken forward” and that it “falls short” of its ambitions to stop pollution in rivers.
Add your name
While the Labour government is hellbent on waging a war on wildlife, it is of some comfort that peers in the House of Lords are acting to protect nature. Now you can add your voice by signing our petition, urging MPs to vote in favour of these amendments in the Commons. It’s time that MPs vote for nature and not for corporate greed.
I’m so pleased to say our 2026 British Wildlife Calendars are flying out! Featuring some beautiful photographs taken by our very own supporters, they’re proving vital in funding our vital work fighting for British wildlife.
A huge thanks to every single one of you that has already picked up a copy! You’ve certainly been keeping us busy sending them out :)
Huge thanks to Barry Edwards for kindly letting us include his wonderful fox photo for the month of November!
Just signed the petition/sent the email to my MP! This is very unexpected but very welcome news. I say "very unexpected" because I didn't expect the house of lords of all places to care about wildlife and nature because I remember that previously, the "trophy hunting importation prohibition bill" went sailing through the house of commons (the majority of MP's from all parties supported it) but twice was stopped by the house of lords due to the many pro hunting voices there was there. Mind you, that was before Labour won the election and the shake ups happened.
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb backed the amendment. She slated Labour, saying:
“Our concerns and our amendments...are a demonstration of how much we do not trust this Government to care about the countryside, nature, wildlife and human well-being. I trusted some in the previous Government to protect the countryside because they owned so much of it—they probably had its interests at heart and in their wallets".
Well thats contradiction if ever I have seen one. How many Tories and their wealthy mates run and own vast areas of grouse moor shooting estates? Vast areas decimated and ruined by their burning of heather and illegal trapping and killing of predators, how is that protecting the countryside? How many Tories own vast areas of land and allow hunts to pursue and kill foxes, deer and hare on their land,how is that protecting the countryside? How many Tories are large farm owners and still encourage the badger cull, how is that protecting the countryside?
The only thing I agree with Baroness Jones is her comment regarding their wallets. These land owners thrive on greed and cruelty. Baroness Jones is a member of the Green Party so she will criticise the Government, rightly so, but she should think carefully of what she wishes for.
I do hope Labour take note and agree with the amendment. Labour intend to consult on a trail hunting ban early next year, so we need to give them a chance. There is still the badger cull and a ban on shooting to consider and given time that will come. But what are the alternatives, another Tory government or Reform? The hunters and shooters will rejoice if that ever happens and God help us all.