And, the announcement comes as Labour makes several significant appointments within its shadow Defra team, including naming Labour MP for Southampton Test Alan Whitehead as recycling minister.
Previously chaired by Labour MP Mary Creagh from 2016 until the loss of her Wakefield seat in the December election, the EAC considers the extent to which the policies and programmes of government departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Nominations to chair committees close on Monday, January 27 and a vote will take place two days later. Due to the party’s election victory, it will be chaired by a Conservative.
In a statement on his website Mr Dunne said: “Having served on the EAC since January 2018, as soon as I ceased to be a minister, I am now asking MPs from across all parties to support my campaign to chair the committee.”
Former farmer
A former farmer, Mr Dunne was first elected to the House of Commons in 2005. He was appointed minister for state for health in 2016 but was dismissed in Theresa May’s January 2018 reshuffle and joined the EAC immediately after.
“I am now asking MPs from across all parties to support my campaign to chair the committee”
He said: “Aside from our former chair Mary Creagh, who steered the committee impressively in the last parliament, I had the highest attendance record of any member of the committee and initiated the committee’s enquiry into one of the largest – yet largely hidden – sectors where modern slavery is prevalent today in Britain.
“I have pushed for more transparency to encourage Green Finance and greening of UK export finance, in improving biodiversity, air, water and soil quality.”
Shadow minister
Meanwhile, Labour MP for Southampton Test Alan Whitehead was named shadow minister for waste and recycling last week (14 January) as the full shadow Defra team was announced.
However, with the Labour leadership contest currently underway, it is unclear how permanent any appointments will be after the election of a new premier in March.
Mr Whitehead replaces Sandy Martin, another Labour MP who lost his seat on what was a torrid election night for the party (see letsrecycle.com story).
Speaking on the appointment, the Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard said: “It is my job as shadow environment secretary, assisted by the brilliant shadow Defra team, to hold this government to account, strengthen what I expect to be weak legislation and ensure that the climate doesn’t play second fiddle to the Tories’ Brexit ambitions.
“Labour won’t accept any lowering of environmental protections”
“Labour won’t accept any lowering of environmental protections or animal welfare standards and we will keep pressure on ministers to enact the urgent action we need to address the pressing climate crisis.”
MP for Southampton Test since 1997, Mr Whitehead has served two spells on the EAC.
He is to continue his current role as shadow business, energy and industrial strategy minister alongside this new appointment.
Defra
Mr Pollard was only appointed shadow environment secretary himself on 7 January, replacing Sue Hayman, yet another victim of the election.
Elected as the Labour and Co-operative MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport in 2017 and re-elected in 2019, he becomes the first Plymouth MP in the Shadow Cabinet for decades.
He said: “Of course, it will be up to a new leader of the Labour Party to decide what will happen after March, but it is important that the Environment Bill, the Agriculture Bill and the Fisheries Bill are properly scrutinised and amended, to reflect the urgency of action required to address the climate emergency and get us ready for the rocky road ahead as we leave the European Union.”
One of his first tasks will be to tackle the proposed Environment Bill, which is expected to return later this month (see letsrecycle.com story).
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