Keith Taylor MEP for the South East Weekly Update

12 October 2018

Green MEPs have written to the Environment Secretary Michael Gove calling for a ban on the country’s most-used weedkiller after a scientific study reveals the harm it causes to precarious bee populations.

Greens urge ‘friend of bees’ Michael Gove to ban glyphosate following new study

Keith Taylor, MEP for the South East, the animal rights spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales and a member of the European Parliament’s Environment and Public Health Committee, said: “It is shameful that the evident risk to human health and the already established threats to soil health hasn’t yet moved the government to take action to end the use of glyphosate. Quite the opposite, in fact; the UK has consistently blocked attempts by MEPs to block the deadly pesticide.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/greens-urge-friend-bees-michael-gove-ban-glyphosate-following-new-study

 

Green MEP sends solidarity as drilling campaigners head to High Court to fight latest injunction

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, has issued a statement backing the defendants heading to the High Court on Tuesday [2 October] to fight oil and gas firm Angus Energy’s bid for a ‘draconian’ injunction against its sites in Balcombe, West Sussex, and Brockham, Surrey.

The senior Green politician, a long-time supporter of peaceful protesters fighting against fracking and oil and gas drilling across the South East, said: “Yet again we see an application for a draconian injunction aimed at curbing the fundamental rights of residents and campaigners to oppose the destruction of our environment. That the bid comes after the first ever jail sentences handed down to peaceful fracking protesters in Britain only proves the chilling precedent set by that decision.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/green-mep-sends-solidarity-drilling-campaigners-head-high-court-fight-latest-injunction

 

Green MEP: ‘Leavers didn’t vote for port pandemonium’

Responding to the news that the government’s emergency no deal Brexit contingency plan for Kent’s ports won’t be up and running for at least two weeks after Britain leaves the EU, Green MEP Keith Taylor, a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, said: “Kent heavily supported Leave in the EU referendum more than two years ago, but one rather suspects they didn’t expect that meant the government would ‘leave’ the county high and dry as it careens towards a shambolic no deal disaster, dragging the rest of the country with it.” 

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/green-mep-leavers-didnt-vote-port-pandemonium

 

Why protecting Binsted from the A27 bypass proposals is so important

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/why-protecting-binsted-a27-bypass-proposals-so-important

 

Green MEP responds to European Parliament vote on 40% cut in car emissions by 2030

Responding to MEPs voting to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars by 40% by 2030, Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East and a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, said: “The European Parliament has shown some much-needed ambition when it comes to the need to reduce transport emissions in the face of the ongoing climate breakdown. However, it is patently clear that the voice of conservatives and lobbyists is still too strong in the ears of some member states.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/green-mep-responds-european-parliament-vote-40-cut-car-emissions-2030

 

Badger hanged: Tories have declared open season on our protected wildlife, say Greens

Responding to the horrific incident in which a badger was hanged to death from the goalposts of a football pitch in Brentwood, Keith Taylor MEP, the Green Party spokesperson on animal rights, drew a connection to the ‘horrific’ act of cruelty and the government’s decision to extend the badger cull. The senior Green politician and Vice Chair of the European Parliament’s Animal Welfare Intergroup, said: “This is a disturbing and violent crime against a protected species. It is also a symbol of one of the many problems of the government’s cruel and unnecessary badger cull. The Tories have effectively declared it open season on badgers. How can we tackle cruelty against our protected wildlife when Ministers openly sanction it?”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/badger-hanged-tories-have-declared-open-season-our-protected-wildlife-say-greens

 

Greens lead international cross-party solidarity for the #FrackFreeFour jailed for peaceful protest

MEPs from across Europe, led by Green MEP Keith Taylor, stood together in the European Parliament on Wednesday to send their solidarity to the three campaigners who, last week, became the first ever to be jailed in Britain for peacefully protesting against fracking.

Commenting after the event, Keith Taylor MEP, a long-time campaigner against fracking, said: “I am pleased so many of my colleagues join me in sending a united message of support to the brave heroes whose fight to protect our planet has robbed them of their liberty.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/greens-lead-international-cross-party-solidarity-frackfreefour-jailed-peaceful-protest

 

‘On World Animal Day, spare a thought for Brexit and the cruelty of US agriculture,’ Green MEP

The Green Party’s spokesperson on animal rights Keith Taylor MEP is using World Animal Day [Thursday, 4 October] to highlight the cruelty of transatlantic agriculture, as government Ministers’ continue pushing to open up UK farming to the US as part of an ‘America First’ post-Brexit deal with Donald Trump.

In response, Mr Taylor, a member of the European Parliament’s Public Health committee and Vice Chair of the Animal Welfare Intergroup said: “This latest investigation is shocking, but it isn’t surprising. The extremes of industrial factory farming in America require the industry to do everything it can to blind itself to the fact that farmed animals are living, breathing, feeling creatures. From pigs to cows to chickens, US welfare standards are rock bottom to non-existent. Yet, shockingly, these are the standards Liam Fox wants Britain to emulate after it ‘breaks free’ from EU welfare safeguards.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/world-animal-day-spare-thought-brexit-and-cruelty-us-agriculture-green-mep

 

Green MEP launches briefing to help people say no fracking plans, as IPCC urges radical climate action

Commenting on the report, the senior Green politician, who has also recorded a video urging people to oppose the government’s fracking plans, said: “When climate scientists across the world are telling political leaders that the only way to avoid climate catastrophe is to remake the human world within a generation, it is unconscionable that the Tories are still pushing ahead with plans to fast-track the dangerous exploitation of new climate-destructive shale gas reserves. And planning to bypass local democracy in the process.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/green-mep-launches-briefing-help-people-say-no-fracking-plans-ipcc-urges-radical-climate

 

‘Shocking ignorance’ as Tory plans to relax fracking rules on earthquakes revealed

Keith Taylor, Green Party MEP for the South East, has responded to an Unearthed and Guardian exclusive report which reveals UK government plans to relax the earthquake rules related to fracking, just one day after the publication of the IPCC climate report on the importance of keeping global warming levels below 1.5c.

Commenting on the revelations, the senior Green politician, who yesterday launched a briefing to help people to oppose the government’s fast-track fracking plans, said: “On Monday, climate scientists from across the globe pleaded with world leaders to take unprecedented action to divest from fossil fuels and decarbonise their economies to avert the very worst effects of a climate breakdown that is already in progress.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/shocking-ignorance-tory-plans-relax-fracking-rules-earthquakes-revealed

 

Lower Thames Crossing ‘climate and air pollution disaster doomed to fail on its own terms’, Green MEP

Keith Taylor, Green Party MEP for the South East, has responded to a new consultation on plans for the Lower Thames Crossing launched today [Wednesday, 10].

Commenting on Highways England’s proposals, which come just days after the IPCC’s latest climate report, the senior Green politician, a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, said: “This damaging project is symptomatic of the Conservative government’s antiquated approach to transport planning. The new Lower Thames Crossing is doomed to fail even on its own terms; inducing traffic rather than reducing congestion. The government’s own figures reveal the proposal will put at least an extra 55,000 vehicles a day on the county’s roads [1].”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/lower-thames-crossing-climate-and-air-pollution-disaster-doomed-fail-its-own-terms-green-mep

 

Green MEP responds to ‘disingenuous’ consultation on wood burning air pollution emissions

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, has submitted an official response to the government’s consultation on ‘cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood’, which closes on Friday [12 October].

Mr Taylor said: “The Government’s consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood is missing some important details in the context it sets out in the consultation overview. The statement that talks about the reduction in air pollution emissions from transport and industrial sources downplays both sides of the issue. Transport air pollutants have decreased, but almost 90% of Britain’s urban areas have been experiencing illegal levels of NO2 pollution since 2010. And it has always been important to address all sources of emissions, due to the health impacts they have, so the fact that only now is the Government looking into domestic burning, whilst positive, is much too late.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/green-mep-responds-disingenuous-consultation-wood-burning-air-pollution-emissions

 

Fracking green light ‘reveals insidious and destructive climate denial of Ministers’, says Green MEP

Keith Taylor, Green Party MEP for the South East, has responded to the unsuccessful attempt to halt fracking in Lancashire, as campaigners’ bid for an injunction against Cuadrilla’s plans to begin operations this week, on safety grounds, was dismissed by the High Court.

“I want to thank campaigners for their efforts in the High Court; I share their disappointment with the outcome. But we must remember that, ultimately, it is the government’s full-throated and blind support for fracking, despite all the evidence, that has led us to this point. It is a sad day for democracy, for residents and for our planet. It proves we cannot trust the Tories on climate change.”

Read on: https://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/news/fracking-green-light-reveals-insidious-and-destructive-climate-denial-ministers-says-green-mep

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