Author | Lightnews

The Guardian view on Labour targeting nature: the problem isn’t snails, but a broken housing model | Editorial

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · 17d

This. Every last word of it.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Editorial: Rachel Reeves’s drive to speed up development is beginning to treat wildlife and the environment as expendable. Voters want homes built, but not at any cost

Conservative Party would abolish stamp duty, Kemi Badenoch tells conference - follow live

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · 22d

Watching the Tories this week, it seems they have learnt nothing in defeat. Their slogan "stronger economy" they trashed the economy, "stronger boarders" they opened them post Brexit. Abolish stamp duty, they destroyed many people's chance to buy a house. Shamless!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...

She says

www.bbc.co.uk

Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · 23d

Sad to see this government, just like the last, has been bought. Clearly the developers said jump and Reeves said how high.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Exclusive: Chancellor says 20,000 homes were being held up due to ‘some snails that are a protected species or something’

Thames Water creditors ask for up to 15 years’ leniency from river pollution rules

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · 28d

NO, NO, and thrice NO.

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Lenders say a ‘full return to legal, regulatory and environmental compliance’ under new rescue plan would not be completed until at least 2035-2040

Mackerel Meltdown: Industrial Greed Pushes Stock to 20-Year Low

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · 29d

Total political failure to protect one of the most important fish in the marine food web.

anglingtrust.net/2025/09/30/m...

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has delivered today shocking advice: commercial catches of Northeast Atlantic mackerel must be cut by 77% in 2026 if the stock is to sta...

anglingtrust.net

‘You could drink from that pond’: the city digging for a solution to toxic runoff

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Sep 19

Brilliant. Let's have many more of these. Would be a good addition to Labour's planning reform. For once showing they improve rather than trash the environment.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A project in Brighton to stop harmful chemicals from seeping into a chalk aquifer could set an example for managing such pollution

Hedgehogs, salmon and birds at risk after dry summer, says Natural England

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Sep 15

For too long, we have known this is coming, and yet we do nothing to prepare and ensure our environment is resilient. Instead, we penny-pinch and fail to invest in nature.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Loss of spawning pools, insects and marshy habitats has had ‘catastrophic effect on our flora and fauna’

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Sep 11

I utterly condemn the killing of Charlie Kirk. But the way the hard right in the US & around the world have been quick to weaponise it, use it to double down on authoritarianism, culture wars & intolerance is scary. This marks another moment when democracy & enlightenment values slip from our grasp.

Ban Bottom Trawling in 41 English Marine Protected Areas: Pledge Your Support

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Jun 19

Support the governments plans to ban bottom trawling in many of our "so-called" marine protected areas.

chng.it/MSCXx26yv7

We Can Make an Impact.

chng.it

Thames Water renationalisation plans being stepped up, says minister

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Jun 19

Bring it on!

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Environment secretary indicates that calls from creditors for leniency from fines and penalties will be rejected

No 10 blocked nature concessions in planning bill amid Labour rebellion, sources say

Reposted by StuartSW

Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · Jun 10

New - No 10 blocked nature concessions in planning bill amid Labour rebellion

Row erupts between pro-housing MPs and those who wanted more mitigation on potential environmental harm

Campaigners thought an amendment was coming but No10 said no way

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Row erupts between pro-housing MPs and those who with charities say bill risks causing environmental harm

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth says military will stay in Los Angeles for 60 days – live

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Reposted by StuartSW

Oceana UK @oceanauk.bsky.social · Jun 10

🎉 MAJOR OCEAN WIN! 📢 UK Government commits to ratifying the High Seas Treaty (aka the BBNJ) by the end of the year, as confirmed by Ocean Minister @emmahardymp.bsky.social at the UN Ocean Conference just now 🎉

#OceanProtection #UNOC3 #UNOC2025 #OceanWin

@oceana.bsky.social @hugotagholm.bsky.social

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StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Jun 10

Turning the military against your own citizens is the act of a dictator.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/live...

Troop deployment, which has been heavily criticized, will cost $134m, Pentagon says; Trump doubles down on decision to deploy thousands more troops

Revealed: 5,000 English nature sites at risk under Labour’s planning proposals

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Jun 3

FFS! What is @teamlabouruk.bsky.social thinking.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Exclusive: Planning bill includes mechanism for developers to ‘pay to pollute’ valuable ecosystems, experts warn

Angling Trust Presses Water Commission to Go Faster and Further

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · Jun 3

Feel today's interim report from the Independant Water Commission is too timid. Sir Jon Cunliffe needs to go a lot further in his final recommendations. And the government need to act on his recommendations. @anglingtrust.bsky.social

anglingtrust.net/2025/06/03/a...

In April, the Angling Trust submitted a detailed response to the Independent Water Commission, outlining the reforms needed to make the failing water industry fit for purpose. Now, as the Commission p...

anglingtrust.net

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · May 31

Listening to Ed Milliband on @restispolitics.bsky.social Leading restores my faith in politics and that there are politicians with passion, knowledge and vision.

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · May 28

Big fine for Thames Water. OFWAT fine them over £136m, for them polluting our rivers & for continuing to give bonuses & dividends while they were in financial trouble. Still a company that prioritises great over care for the environment & customers. Time to call an end to Thames Water

Battle begins over new homes approved in historic village without sewage capacity

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · May 27

This campaign has potentially national importance. We must end the "automatic right to connect," regardless of whether the sewage system can cope. Developers pay for increased school and transport capacity. They should be made to do the same for our sewers.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Charity launches legal challenge as it says problem of over-capacity sewage works near new homes is

www.bbc.co.uk

3 3

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · May 21

All we ask is for the government and the EA to do what they are legally meant to do to clean up our rivers. Yet once more, the anglers in Pickering and @fishlegal.bsky.social have to go to court and win again!! Great work! But it shouldn't be needed.

fishlegal.net/2025/05/19/d...

fishlegal.net

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · May 20

Once more, Thames Water's leadership put their own greed ahead of helping customers and the environment. This is on the day DEFRA and the EA confirm they have launched 31 criminal investigations into the company in the past year. @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Thames Water chair says he ‘may have misspoken’ to MPs over bonuses

Sir Adrian Montague told select committee paying bonuses out of emergency £3bn loan was insisted upon by creditors

Citizen testing reveals phosphate ‘crisis’ in English and Welsh rivers

StuartSW @stuartsw.bsky.social · May 19

Not enough is being done to clean up our rivers. Anglers across England continue to show just how bad things have got. Angry? Yes! Will @teamlabouruk.bsky.social act or continue to push regressive policies that will trash the environment? @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Anglers say more than a third of freshwater sites breach phosphate levels for good ecological status