Why bats and newts are being blamed for Britain’s sluggish economy

Labour urgently needs economic growth and is cutting red tape – even if it means fewer protections for wildlife, as Sean O’Grady explains

Bad news for bats: the government is considering further changes to planning regulations in order to boost economic growth. Specifically, Rachel Reeves – desperate for the UK economy to grow and provide more jobs, homes and tax revenues – wants to relax the rules on wildlife and the environment, hence some headlines about bats, newts and snails.

What does the chancellor want?

To keep her job. That means getting Britain’s wayward public finances under control, which means making the economic pie bigger so that tax receipts start rising without having to hammer workers and businesses every year with tax rises. She’s not prepared to allow any flying mammals, rare amphibious creatures, fish or a few wildflowers to get in the way.

Retained EU rules designed on the precautionary principle that a developer must prove there will be no net harm will go, and there’ll be a cull in the list of “protected species”. She wouldn’t admit as much, but this is very much what Leavers would call a “Brexit freedom”. Not much of a bonus for bats, though.

Aren’t they doing this already?

No. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill before parliament proposes to restrict grounds for objection to a scheme, strengthen the powers of mayors and development corporations to impose decisions, and give developers more flexibility regarding nature migration schemes. Another law would be required to wage war on wildlife.

Does Keir Starmer have a thing about bats?

Perhaps. He singled them out in an infamous speech last year that derided the “£100m bat tunnel holding up the country’s single biggest infrastructure project”, ie HS2. He is the Ozzy Osbourne of politics.

What do we get in return?

Growth. Specifically, 1.5 million new homes, 150 major infrastructure projects and, in the words of the prime minister: “a very clear message …To the nimbys, the regulators, the blockers and bureaucrats … The alliance of naysayers … The people who say, no, ‘Britain can’t do this. We can’t get things done in our country’. We say to them – you no longer have the upper hand … Britain says yes.”

The country will almost certainly be better off, materially, from the additional investment, but it is equally apparent that all the new runways, power lines, roads and greenfield housebuilding will have an unfortunate impact on the environment and visual amenity. There’s always a trade-off.

Why didn’t the Tories do this?

They are, or were, the party of the countryside, hence their determined opposition to onshore windfarms, rural solar panel installations, housing developments in “nice” areas and pylons marching across green and pleasant lands.

What will happen?

Labour will bulldoze both bits of legislation through, albeit with some grumbles from the new generation of Labour MPs who represent historically rural Conservative constituencies. Most opposition parties, including Reform, who don’t think we need any green energy or housing projects at all, will make their objections clear. At the next general election, Labour will probably find its country seats much the hardest battleground.

What can I do?

Install a bat box.