John,

After a brief absence (due to some technical gremlins) I'm glad to say that my newsletters are back! I'm looking forward to keeping you updated on my work in Parliament and locally in Brighton on a more regular basis from now on – but in this newsletter, I'm going to share some of my highlights from the past few months.

This is the best news so far this year – I'm thrilled the Government has finally agreed to introduce a GCSE qualification in Natural History, helping young people to understand the natural world that surrounds them. This qualification will be crucial in helping students to develop skills for future careers in conservation – from protecting local wildlife, to conducting fieldwork, to identifying new species. I’ve been working with nature writer Mary Colwell for several years now, holding so many meetings and doing much lobbying of Ministers – now young people will be able to learn so much more about the out natural environment and be better equipped to restore it. You can read more of my thoughts on the new GCSE in my Metro column.

Last month, Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally buckled to public pressure and announced a windfall tax – a measure which is hugely welcome. However, this package doesn’t do anything like enough to keep people afloat in the long-term by bringing down their energy bills. With the energy price cap expected to rise by a further £800 a year in October, the number of people in fuel poverty could reach a staggering 12 million. This is only a one-off measure that barely scratches the surface of the crisis that millions of families are facing. That’s why it needs to be levied at a higher rate, and made permanent through a carbon tax dividend scheme – I'll continue pushing Ministers for further action on this.

We have a right to roam on just 8% of English land, while the remaining 92% is off limits. On the 90th anniversary of the mass trespass onto Kinder Scout, which contributed to the establishment of the UK’s first national parks in the 1940s, I have been seeking to amend the Countryside and Rights of Way Act. Access to nature is vital for people’s health and wellbeing, which has been highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic when use of parks and public spaces increased. I tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament which over 40 MPs signed, calling on people to support the campaign to expand public access to nature. I hope my CROW Act Amendment Bill, which I presented to Parliament this week, might have a chance of being debated in October. 

During Easter Recess, the Government quietly slipped out its new Energy Security Strategy without the opportunity for proper scrutiny. And no wonder, as this Strategy felt like one small step forwards and several giant leaps back. Bad enough were the proposed new North Sea oil & gas licences, a review on lifting the ban on climate-wrecking fracking, and a swathe of painfully slow to construct and vastly expensive nuclear reactors. But what was most revealing about it is what was missing – a gaping wide hole on energy efficiency and demand reduction. I spoke on the BBC Sunday Morning with Sophie Raworth, and wrote an article in The Independent, about the need to keep fossil fuels in the ground, and pivot towards a future that’s energy-efficient and powered by our abundance of homegrown renewables.

The Prime Minister may have survived a confidence vote of his own Tory MPs by the skin of his teeth – but his credibility is beyond repair after he received a fine for breaking the very rules he set. Under the Ministerial Code, Ministers have a duty to uphold the law of the land. He has no moral authority to govern this country, and must go now. Knowingly to lie to Parliament and the public – and to do so with impunity – undermines our democracy, and there must be consequences.

“No-one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark… No-one puts their child in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.” British-Somali poet Warsan Shire’s words have never been more important, following Priti Patel’s vicious plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda – which is inhumane, immoral and utterly unworkable. After the announcement, I spoke at Brighton’s #StandUpToRacism rally alongside Sanctuary On Sea, Care 4 Calais and others saying No to the Rwanda Refugee Deal. And last week, I also co-ordinated a letter to the Prime Minister, signed by over 30 MPs, urging him to stop the flight. Thankfully the flight was grounded with minutes to spare, but our work continues to ensure this ugly policy is dropped completely.

My office has been dealing with a slew of examples demonstrating Home Office inconsistency and delay with regard to the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The Department’s Desk in Parliament has helped to fast-track some cases, but otherwise I’ve had to rely on the “MP hotline”, sometimes resulting in a two-hour wait for calls to be answered. It has given me incorrect information, ‘lost’ applications due to data glitches, and offered nothing but silence when I try to unpick the causes of case delays. In spite of Home Office incompetence, our city’s generosity has been unwavering – my team will continue supporting constituents and push the Home Office to process cases as quickly and efficiently as possible. I’ve written about some of my constituents’ cases in the New Statesman.

It is shameful that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is playing political games by refusing to get round the table to negotiate in earnest with rail workers. This Government is deliberately doing nothing to address the serious issues being raised by rail workers, and is instead taking every possible chance to stoke division. And even more disturbing are reports this week that the Government is planning to rip up trade union laws to allow striking workers to be replaced by agency staff – barely months after calling on us all to boycott P&O ferries over this exact move.

In the Queen’s Speech last month, the Government brought forward its oppressive plans for a Public Order Bill. It appears that the only protestors Tories would allow are those sat silently at home. But protest is by its nature disruptive. Real democratic leadership doesn’t seek to ban opposition voices – only a cowardly Government that does not trust or respect its people would take such a step. Our right to peaceful protest must be protected, not attacked. I’ve spoken up in Parliament about this on several occasions over recent months.

More and more residents are contacting me in regard to the cost of living crisis, but food poverty isn’t new – it follows on from over ten years of Tory austerity. Not only is the Government not doing anywhere near enough, it’s actively making things worse. The Government was warned about the impact of cutting Universal Credit, but went ahead with it anyway, and the Brighton Food Bank made clear to me on my most recent visit that this has caused a direct increase in referrals. Brighton & Hove City Council has done an award-winning job working with the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership to help tackle food poverty but we also need national solutions, and what we’ve seen from this Government is an abject failure to provide them. 

Happy Pride Month! I am incredibly proud to be an MP for Brighton and Hove – a city that is known for being one of the most progressive LGBTQ+ cities not just in the country, but in the world. It was great to catch up with Paul, Managing Director at Brighton Pride a couple of months ago at their stunning new studio and venue The Ironworks. The official Pride festival and parade have been cancelled for the last two years due to the pandemic, so we discussed the return of Brighton's headline summer event and the challenges of returning after a break, as well as transport in and out of the city and community involvement and collaboration. 

If you are a local resident and need help with case work or to find out more about my activities locally please do contact me at the office of: Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Media Centre 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL. Tel: 01273 201 130. Email: [email protected]

I hold regular surgeries across the constituency. If you would like to book an appointment at a forthcoming surgery please call Liz Collis on 01273 201130. She coordinates my constituency office and is able to help with most local enquiries.

If you would like to know about my parliamentary work please get in touch at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Tel: 020 7219 7025. Email: [email protected]

You can also keep up to date with my news on:

Twitter: @carolinelucas

Facebook: /carolinelucas.page

My Website: www.carolinelucas.com

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