Marinet Campaign Newsletter - May 2009

(Bill Rigby, Beverley, announces on Marinet at the Green Party conference 2008. Marinet is the Friends of the Earth Marine Reserves Campaign)

08 APR 2009

In brief: 

Marinet

We want over 250 MPs to sign EDM 337 for serious UK Marine Reserves.

Ask your MP here.

The MARINET Marine Reserves campaign has reached a very interesting stage.

The topics covered in this newsletter are:

1. Early Day Motion
2. The Marine and Coastal Access Bill in Parliament
3. Key Meetings
4. Key points for action at this stage
5. Campaign Web Site
6. Contact

1. The Early Day Motion 337

The early day motion (EDM) is to test the enthusiasm within the House of Commons on the issue. The total of signatories has now reached 182.

This is a significant milestone, and puts the issue at 16 out of over 1500 EDMs tabled in this session. We said in the last newsletter that we want over 250 MPs to sign EDM 337, and, although the rate of increase has slowed, the persistence of those writing to their local MP is bearing fruit.

Continuing to ask for signatures from MPs remains a key plank in our strategy.

Click on the EDM link on the front page of the www.marinereserves.org.uk site and see if you local MP has signed. Then please write – using the template provided if necessary.

We have leaflets explaining all of this. To get copies of leaflets, email  bill.rigby@marinereserves.org.uk

- with your address, and I will send you some. We can send you 2-300 without any problem. The full text of the leaflet is also on the Marine Reserves web site.

The time is approaching for follow-up as the Bill will soon be in the Commons (see below).

2. The Marine and Coastal Access Bill in Parliament

• committee stage of Bill completed
• Report stage (with three days for debate) has just begun

A MARINET meeting with opposition peers on 7th May was very encouraging. They have been pressing hard to bring a sense of urgency into the conservation aspects using ideas for amendments from MARINET and others.

There is a general feeling that the government is about to make some substantial concessions in the 'right' direction.

As the politicians keep in the world of "the possible", we are sure that the changes which will come about will still be far from "the ideal". We are preparing briefing notes on this gap as we see it, which will be on our website soon.

We will also publish on the web a full list of the amendments achieved as soon as the Report stage is completed.

3. Key Meetings

The government minister responsible for the Bill’s progress through Parliament, Huw Irranca Davies, met a group from the Campaign Team on 5th May.

The government’s stance has been so resistant to making concessions of any kind so far in the Lords, and we needed to gauge whether this resistance will continue in the Commons.

We were granted a generous amount of time, and we detected a little of the 'warming' which has become apparent in the Lords' debates. However, he clearly wants as few inescapable commitments as possible 'on the face of the Bill' as he put it. The minister would rather make speeches showing good intentions than have compelling targets to chase.

He implied that the full extent of our expectations could be met from the legislation, as he wants it published.

As an example, we are asking for the Minister to be required to take account of scientific evidence in setting up a Marine Conservation Zone. He took the view that the science 'goes without saying', and therefore need not be part of the letter of the law.

When we add together all such cases, and there are quite a few of them, we see too much of an opportunity for abuses by a future minister, not bound by what this Government has said.

In the meantime, we are briefing opposition representatives on the shortcomings, as we see them. This is where the EDM count is significant, as it provides an indication of support should there be a division in the Commons. 

4. Key points for action at this stage

Please,  

• Continue to press your local MP to sign EDM 337, 
• Please talk to other groups with an interest in the sea in your locality
• Encourage others visit the website and sign up to the campaign. 

If you feel you need someone to speak on your
behalf, please get in touch, and we will try to find someone who can come to your locality, whether it is to a local group or an open meeting.

The Bill, possibly with some amendments, will come to the House of Commons after the Whitsun break.

We want the opposition to feel that, if there is a fight on this issue of the 'strength' of the Bill, they have a chance to outvote government - so every Labour MP signing improves the chances of an upset.



5. Campaign Web Site

The web site address is:

http://www.marinereserves.org.uk

Interest in the site continued to improve in February and March - but we levelled out in April. We have tried to provide a balance of information, but it does not pretend to be a tabloid! We hope you are sending the link to your friends to draw them in to the campaign.

6. Contact

Don’t hesitate to contact the Campaign through an email to  bill.rigby@marinereserves.org.uk

or by adding a comment to an entry on the web (the site is built in a blog format to encourage this sort of interaction).

We keep these brief, as we know how pressed local campaigning organisations are. Please forgive us, if there has been some cross-posting, or you are already involved.

With all good wishes,

Bill Rigby
Marine Reserves Campaign Team Leader
http://www.marinereserves.org.uk

Yorkshire and Humber Lead candidate: Martin Hemingway

Caroline Lucas MEP is on Any Questions in Sheffield on 22 May.

Shan Oakes

01482 862085

07769 607710

Green Party for Haltemprice and Howden

Beverley Greens at Climate Wave Demo

Shan Oakes speech to the National Assembly of Women

Greens call for more women in politics

Don't turn our backs on Europe!

Shan Oakes from Threadneedle Street protests

Women in Green Politics meeting, Huddersfield