Huw Irranca-Davies, former Defra Minister and former shadow minister, was today elected as chair of the Environmental Audit Committee (following the stepping down at the last general election of the excellent Joan Walley).
Huw, once voted 48th sexiest man in Wales (nowhere near as sexy as the Hen Harrier of course) follows a class act in Joan Walley.
I have a photograph here in my ‘office’ of me handing the then minister, Mr Irranca-Davies, a petition of 210,567 signatures asking for the cessation of killing of birds of prey.
I hope the EAC continues its sharp poking of issues such as neonicotinoids, raptor persecution, cklimate change adaptation, marine protected areas etc etc. At a time when NGOs are less outspoken, statutory agencies are neutered, muzzled and chained, and environmental quangos have been axed, the pressure exerted on matters by a committee of bright MPs who are prepared to shine a light into murky areas is all the more valuable.
Commiserations to Barry Gardiner who came second in the election and would have made an excellent chair too.
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Now that is good news.
Maybe his job would be easier if he asked for a national system to record loss and damage to our wildlife and environment? Nobody is keeping track of the damage that is being done.