Yesterday afternoon we held a Parliamentary reception with the Minerals Products Association. This celebrated the good work that a growing number of mineral extraction companies are doing to create wildlife-rich sites after they have dug big holes in the ground.
The Minister, Richard Benyon, was present and was given a bit of a poke by industry about the loss of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (see earlier blog).
But I can't have a go at the Minister as he described this blog as 'very readable'. And he'd noticed that I said some nice things about him recently - but also noted that I don't always. This is the second time I've heard Mr Benyon mention reading this blog so I do believe he really does.
So, Sooty, redkite, BobPhilpott, nightjar, jockyshield and others you are in good company! Although wouldn't it be funny if one of you were Mr Benyon? Sooty - it isn't you is it?
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
Mr Benyon is my MP so I have been emailing him in recent months and just now about the loss of the Aggregate Levey Sustainability Fund (an appalling decision, which even Scrooge wouldn't have contemplated, and which does little to reduce my cynicism). He might be reading but I hope he's listening.
I of course don't hide my real identity at all.