Climate and Nature Bill

Debate between Alice Macdonald and Clive Lewis

2nd reading
Friday 24th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Clive Lewis]

I thank my hon. Friend for that contribution, and indeed for the work she has done on climate and nature throughout her political career. Of course I agree. Everyone understands that in government, there are pressures on Ministers—there are pressures from the Treasury, from business and from vested interests, many of them big and powerful, with big PR and the ability to lobby Ministers in ways that our constituents cannot and in ways that nature cannot. Squirrels, bats and newts cannot lobby like BlackRock and others who want economic growth and profit. This needs to be locked in and legislated for; that is what the Bill is all about.

There are organisations and individuals—billionaires —who have benefited very much from the last 50 or 60 years of rapacious growth and wealth building.

[Alice Macdonald (Norwich North) (Lab/Co-op)]

Will my hon. Friend give way?