A new initiative has been launched to inform consitituents about Witney MP Robert Courts' record on environmental matters and any discrepancies between what he says and how he votes in the House of Commons.

Robert Courts Watch, an online and social media resource, was launched in front of 27 people at an event in Burwell Hall by Revd Dr Hugh White, vicar at St Mary's, Caroline Berg and Hugo Kerr.

Ms Berg is a retired health visitor and Mr Kerr a retired vet.

Mr Kerr said: "The Parliamentary Committee on Climate Change has just issued its annual progress report. It’s withering. There is 'a long history of failed policy and withdrawn policies'.

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"We are not on target to reach even the basic Paris goals. Mr Courts is a part of this Government and communicates their spin. RCW will dig it out and call it out."

He added: "Robert Courts Watch exists to make our MP more visible to us, his constituents. To make it easy for us to discover what he says and does and especially how he votes in respect of climate and the environment – which includes our filthy rivers, of course."

Speakers at the event included Jessica Townsend and Tom Hardy from a new organisation called Vote Out Denial, which is working to combat climate change denial and supporting green policies. 

With Gemma Rogers, they launched Steve Baker Watch to scrutinise the Wycombe MP's climate views last December. 

Mr Kerr said: "I read an article in The Guardian about Steve Baker Watch and I thought we need something like that in Witney to tell people in Witney about how their MP thinks and votes on the environment."

Last October Mr Courts was among Conservative MPs who voted down an amendment to the Environment Bill that sought to stop companies pumping raw sewage into waterways.

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The amendment, which was first put forward by the Duke of Wellington in the House of Lords, proposed forcing large companies, such as Thames Water, to ‘take all reasonable steps’ to avoid sewage overflowing into rivers.

Most Conservative MPs including Mr Courts voted against the amendment and it was voted down.

Mr Courts said the main reason it was not accepted was because it came with no plan and no impact assessment of how it could be implemented.

Mr Kerr said: "He often votes against things that he would do to have voted for but then he says a lot of cuddly things when he is in the constituency. We just want him to do the right things when it comes to the environment.

"He will try to portray this as a very partisan, hostile thing. It's not party-affiliated, we are funding ourselves. It's just presenting the facts. We are not trying to embarass him any more than his voting record already does."

Mr Courts said he had been "proud to support the UK's world-leading action on the environment, including voting in favour of putting our ambitious climate targets into law".

He added: "As a Transport Minister, I attended COP26 to secure the landmark Clydebank Declaration, an ambitious global initiative to establish decarbonised green shipping corridors, and recently launched the Jet Zero Strategy which puts us on a path to net-zero aviation by 2050.

"I welcome any initiatives that help draw attention to this important and truly transformative work to improve our environment.

"It is encouraging to hear that this is a non-partisan initiative and I am therefore sure that they will not rely on the pronouncements of other political parties or deeply flawed sites such as theyworkforyou.

"I am sure they will endeavour to explain the facts on what the Government's real policies are on issues such as river pollution, and they can help to correct the misinformation and falsehoods which have been spread on the matter.

"This will be an early test of the group's motives and impartial principles."

 

 

 

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