What have the Conservatives ever done for the environment?

The Conservatives have a long and proud environmental tradition, stretching back to Edmund Burke and Margaret Thatcher. Indeed, what is more conservative than conserving our natural world for future generations?

It was the Conservatives who introduced the 2030 target to halt species decline and 2050 net zero target, who rolled out world-leading environmental land management schemes to reward farmers for their stewardship of our countryside, and who secured billions in private investment to build the five biggest offshore wind farms in the world.

Of course the party didn’t get every decision right and there is more to do, but these are significant achievements and worthy of celebration. So why do we not hear more about them? Are they an electoral asset or did they cost the party votes? How can the party lay claim to these successes in opposition and build on them by advocating for the practical, yet ambitious environmental action the majority of voters want to see? Join us to discuss.

We are delighted to be joined by Philip Dunne, who stood down at the last general election. Philip was a CEN MP and Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee. Our other panellist is Meg Trethewey, who was a Special Advisor to Rishi Sunak when he was Prime Minister, and before that to two Secretaries of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.