Tag Archives: Defra

Lodge Hill Saved

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Miles King

There was some very unusual good news late last week as Homes England announced that it was no longer pushing for housing development on the protected areas of Lodge Hill – the former military training ground (and munitions works) on … Continue reading →

Posted in Lodge Hill, Michael Gove, Natural England, Nightingales, SSSis | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Michael Gove: his battle with the Truth

Posted on November 20, 2017 by Miles King

  We need to talk about Michael, especially those within the broad environmental sector, to which I belong, though mostly sitting on the sidelines observing these days. Michael is our new Best Friend. Michael promises us all manner of goodies. … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Defra, Michael Gove, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Michael Gove and the American Neoconservatives

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Miles King

Last week I wrote about Michael Gove’s surprise arrival as Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs. There is so much more to write about this, but time is limited and I will not be able to … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Sells, Defra, deregulation, farm subsidies, Michael Gove, neoconservatism, neoliberalism, Policy Exchange, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

General Election Reshuffle sends Gove to Defra.

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Miles King

  I was away in Germany last week looking at how they are restoring Floodplain Meadows in the Region of Hessen. More on that anon. First though, a few thoughts on the election and in particular the rehabilitation of Michael … Continue reading →

Posted in Defra, Stuart Agnew, Tory Party | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Recycle and Re-use: Andrea Leadsom has nothing new to say about the Environment, Food or Farming.

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Miles King

Secretary of State for the Environment Andrea Leadsom, like so many of her Cabinet colleagues, has been missing from this General Election campaign. It’s all been about the PM as President, President May. Leadsom did surface briefly on Monday to … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017 general election, Andrea Leadsom, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A further peep behind the curtain of Defra’s thinking about Environment and Agriculture after Brexit

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Miles King

Thanks to the impending General Election, Defra has allowed us another peep behind the curtain to show their thinking about the Environment and Agriculture after Brexit. A hastily thrown together response to the House of Lords EU Environment and Energy … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, Brexit, Common Agricultural Policy, Defra, environmental policy | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Time to rename Defra the Ministry of Agriculture and Fieldsports

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Miles King

While all talk of the Greenest Government Ever (anyone remember that?) has been quietly abandoned, another question arises. Is the fieldsports lobby getting unprecedented access to ministers in the Environment department and are the Environment NGOs being squeezed out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrea Leadsom, blood sports, countryside alliance, Defra, farming | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Jam Tomorrow

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Miles King

Feeling rather sorry for myself for having succumbed to, what for me is a nasty cold (verging on man flu), I was restricted yesterday to watching the Tory Party Conference. What gems and treasures lay strewn across its shiny (though … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrea Leadsom, Common Agricultural Policy, Conservative Party Conference | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Stewart continues his journey, and it’s Coffey Time at Defra

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Miles King

We now know which ministers will work with Andrea Leadsom at Defra. Rory Stewart, who was apparently punished by David Cameron for disagreeing with him over Afghanistan, has now been rehabilitated. Having served his time at Defra, he is now … Continue reading →

Posted in Defra, dogs, Dredging, flooding, Therese Coffey, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

New head of Defra Andrea Leadsom has already laid out her plans for farm subsidy reform.

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Miles King

The dust is settling following the brutal excision of the Cameron/Osborne cliques from power. One Department has been knocked down, or split asunder – the Department for Energy and Climate Change. Energy has gone to Business and Industry, Climate Change … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrea Leadsom, Defra, farm subsidies, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 25 Comments