Early Day Motion on Habitats Regulations gains cross-party – including Labour – support
There is some welcome news to end the year for everyone working to defend nature. An Early Day Motion (EDM 2435), tabled earlier this month by Labour MP Chris Hinchliff, is gaining momentum in Parliament and has already attracted the support of a growing number of MPs, including many from the Labour benches.
An EDM in the UK Parliament is a formal proposal by an MP to draw attention to an issue, event or campaign, allowing other MPs to show support by signing it.
This EDM calls on the Government to reconsider its support for recommendations in the Fingleton Review that would weaken the Habitats Regulations. It recognises the strength of public support for nature, warns against using a “sledgehammer to crack a nut”, and highlights that recent issues with Habitats Regulations Assessment are largely the result of long-standing cuts to regulators and planning authorities, rather than the legislation itself.
Crucially, the EDM argues that these challenges could be addressed more quickly and effectively through improved guidance and increased ecological skills and capacity in the planning system, rather than through legislative change that would undermine protections for our most important sites for wildlife at a time of accelerating nature decline.
At the time of writing, the motion has been signed by 39 MPs and demonstrates clear cross-party backing, with strong representation from Labour. This sends an important signal that concerns about weakening the Habitats Regulations are shared well beyond a single political party.
CIEEM members can play a simple but meaningful role in helping to build further support. If your MP has already signed the motion, please consider sending them a short email to thank them for standing up for nature. If they have not yet signed, you may wish to politely ask them to do so, noting the growing cross-party support – including from Labour MPs – and the importance of robust environmental protections alongside infrastructure delivery.
With Christmas just around the corner, this is one small final ask of your time that could help make a real difference. Let’s see if we can get this over the line.