David Levy – Environment Bill: The Outcome – Dec 21

How are those who engaged in the issue of storm overflows and the passage of the Environment Bill through Parliament feeling this morning after the Third Reading’s final vote?

I expect anger will be a presiding feeling of many, and we may well see the public venting their anger when they receive water rate bills.

For myself, I have to say that I believe the Government missed a sound opportunity to really solve the issue in the long term, without any loss of face, by adopting the Duke of Wellington’s Amendment.   This Amendment in its entirety would have placed a duty on all parties to improve and to be fully accountable from this moment onwards.   What we got instead was a half-way house where all sides were unhappy with the fudge.

Marinet will seek to evaluate the legalities of the promises which have been made, and to examine where there are weaknesses and points of accountability.   We have to man the watchtower so that we get the best from the Act as it is implemented.

This sadness of mine is akin to the feelings that abound at COP 26.

Not enough by a long way, and one has to say that we really do not have the time anymore.   The Queen made this abundantly clear.   Her recently expressed thoughts that when she thinks of the past one thought will be about her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his lifelong commitment to the environment and what he would have said.

Meanwhile, political will is weak.   As is often the case the old boy network is too entrenched in negativity to ever make the leaps of faith which our society requires if we are to ever stand a chance.   This country has shackled itself to bureaucracy and, like the Titanic, it is unable to turn before meeting up with the iceberg of Armageddon.

My concluding thought is the need to publicly praise the Duke of Wellington for his efforts.   He fought tirelessly until other politicians abandoned his Amendment in favour of an inferior Government Amendment.

I wish to thank the Duke, and all those who campaigned so tirelessly alongside him.

David Levy — Marinet Chair