Environmental campaigner Chris Packham has called out Rachel Reeves for blaming bats in her push to cut red tape.
The Chancellor has repeatedly suggested that wildlife protections are slowing down economic growth. In fact, in a recent press release about regulatory reforms, she mentioned bats six times.
Her argument? Businesses need to “focus on getting things built and stop worrying about the bats and the newts.”
Packham fires back
Packham isn’t having it.
“It’s absolutely absurd,” he said. “I’d love to see the actual numbers. How many planning applications are fully rejected because of bats? I’d guess it’s a fraction of 1%.”
Bats have been legally protected since 1992 under EU law, alongside other threatened species like dormice, otters, and newts.
For Packham, this is a PR disaster for Labour. “Do they not realise millions of people in the UK love wildlife?” he asked. “People care more about bats than they do about politicians moaning about them.”
The bigger picture: Labour’s housing push
Reeves’ wildlife comments come as the government unveils a £2bn plan to build 18,000 new homes.
Keir Starmer insists that outdated legal challenges have slowed down housebuilding for too long. “We’re taking on NIMBYs and a broken system that’s held Britain back,” he said.
Under new plans, certain court appeals will be scrapped to fast-track developments. However, critics warn that weakening environmental protections in the name of “growth” could backfire.
So, are bats really the enemy here? Or is this just a distraction from Labour’s bigger planning shake-up?
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Related: Caroline Lucas slams Rachel Reeves over welfare cuts in spring statement
