A landmark bill that would make the UK’s climate and environment targets legally binding seems doomed after government whips ordered Labour MPs to oppose it following a breakdown in negotiations.
Supporters of the climate and nature bill, introduced by the Liberal Democrat MP Roz Savage, say Labour insisted on the removal of clauses that would require the UK to meet the targets it agreed to at Cop and other international summits.
Although it is a private member’s bill, more than 80 Labour MPs, including several ministers, had publicly signed up to support it.
Some Labour MPs have been ordered to attend the bill’s second reading on Friday morning and to prepare speeches, to deliberately make it run out of time and avoid a vote. Another possibility would be a three-line whip to vote against the bill, leaving any rebels at risk of disciplinary action, including losing the party whip.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the government’s position “will be set out at second reading”.
Nature and climate charities have urged ministers to adopt Savage’s bill, saying it would introduce vital concrete steps to tackle nature depletion and the climate crisis.
Savage, the South Cotswolds MP who is also an environmental activist and a former ocean rower, came third in September’s ballot for private member’s bills, meaning she would almost certainly get enough parliamentary time for it to pass with Labour support.
However, talks stalled over Labour’s insistence at removing the parts of the bill that would make it legally binding for ministers to meet the targets signed up for in international treaties.
Supporters of the bill believed this was too big a compromise and would make the bill largely pointless. They sought to negotiate again with Labour whips, but were told there would be no concessions, it is understood.
As late as Thursday afternoon there were last-ditch efforts to find a compromise, including talks with Ed Miliband, the energy and climate change secretary. But for now, Labour MPs remain instructed to sink the bill.
Champions of the bill said they expected dozens of Labour backbenchers to rebel nonetheless, although this remained to be seen.
Clive Lewis, the Norwich South MP, told the Guardian he would vote for the bill come what may: “I’m hoping the government and the climate and nature bill sponsors can come to an agreement this will be good for Labour at a time when many people feel like we are backtracking on our climate and nature commitments.
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“This will send a strong signal that we are still focused on them and that we see a sustainable economy as the only future.”
The National Trust urged the government to “lead by example, both domestically and on the international stage”, in supporting Savage’s plan.
Harry Bowell, the head of land and nature at the conservation charity, said: “The climate and nature bill is a major opportunity for MPs to press the government for more meaningful and urgent action to tackle the nature and climate crisis. We remain one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Our built and natural landscapes are experiencing increasingly frequent and ferocious weather events.”
Joan Edwards, the head of policy at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The government must back up its bold election promise to ‘reverse the tide of destruction of the natural environment’ with cast-iron, scientifically credible steps to meet our legally binding 2030 nature targets, especially as their own Office for Environmental Protection warns we are severely off track.”
The Labour whips’ office and Savage were approached for comment.
