After the shock General Election results - a hung parliament which confounded even our own internal sweepstake - everyone is trying to work out what happens next and what it means for all of us.
What is clear, is that the UK political system has given us another entertaining night of shocks, soundbites and comebacks. All the chatter this morning was about Mr. Bucket Head, awkward high fives and the likely views of Brenda from Bristol on the fact that there will continue to be “too much politics” for a while yet.
As I write this, the Prime Minister Theresa May appears to have formed a minority government with support from the DUP. One can assume (although any assumptions seem dangerous or foolish given what’s happened over the last few weeks) that she will begin to make ministerial appointments over the next few days.
Despite the occasional reference to trees that sprout money and some now-infamous wheat fields, nature was largely absent from this election. This is concerning for a number of reasons...
...Nature is amazing and the public love it: most recently demonstrated by the remarkable BBC Springwatch and its viewing figures.
...Nature remains in trouble: the 2016 State of Nature report highlighted the huge challenges facing nature across the UK and on our Overseas Territories.
...To recover nature, we need to work together: all our experience of protecting or recovering our most important wildlife sites and threatened species shows that we can improve the natural environment when there is a strong partnership between government, business and civil society.
...We need governments that are active for nature: there are some things that only governments can do from providing clear direction, to have the energy to drive change in policy, legislation, attitudes and behaviour and to have the capability and curiosity to bring all parts of society together to transform places to benefit people and wildlife.
Over the coming hours and days, we need our politicians to be at their best and work together to create the future that we want and nature needs. Top of their intray for the PM and her new ministerial team (it will have to be new given some ministers lost their seat overnight!) will be the forthcoming Brexit negotiations. We urgently need them to come up with a plan for how they will...
...bolster existing levels of environmental protection currently afforded by the European Union laws
...develop new farming, land use and fisheries policies that not only deliver thriving farming and fishing communities but also improve the environmental condition of land and sea
...play a leadership role to meet out international commitments to tackling climate change and halting biodiversity loss.
And to be at their best, politicians need to think straight. I struggled this morning after a few hours sleep and I haven’t been travelling the country for the past month being grilled by the public or media during an election campaign. After a gruelling few weeks, I hope the major players in each of the parties can find a way to recharge their batteries before embarking on the tough negotiations to come.
My recommendation would be for all politicians to take a little time out and visit their local nature reserve. Watch some wildlife, listen to the birds and remember that we share this beautiful planet with millions of remarkable species.
Photo: Female wasp spider in web, at RSPB Lodge reserve (credit: Ben Andrew, rspb-images.com)
Unfortunately the change from Leadsom to Gove as DEFRA minister does not, I think, indicate any more beneficial change in policy towards nature and wildlife. We can expect, I am afraid, more of the same sterile and inflexible attitudes representing vested interests that we have been having for some considerable time.. However their ability to harm existing legislation that protects our wildlife I think is much reduced.
redkite
At the very least the minority Government should have its hands too full to worry about the free vote on fox hunting.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
One could have hoped for a better result but if the present party still in power had gained an overall large majority I think we could have waved bye bye to retaining the intent of the EU Birds and Habitats directives as well as seeing hunting with dogs legalised again.. As it is, I think it will be necessary to fight hard on these issues but hopefully their very narrow majority (with the DUP) will make it very hard for them to weaken the legislation on these issues. Just maybe their might also be more response from the new Government on licensing of driven grouse moors, (hope, hope).