Creasy and Tice Call for UK Scrutiny Over Post-Brexit Environmental Laws

Published: 21 August ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Labour MP Stella Creasy and Reform UK leader Richard Tice have renewed calls for a parliamentary Brexit scrutiny committee, following revelations that environmental protections in the UK have weakened since leaving the European Union. Recent research by the Guardian and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) highlighted that the UK has not adopted 28 new or revised EU environmental laws and has actively rolled back four existing protections concerning habitats, pesticides, and fisheries.

Creasy, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, emphasized the need for a “salvage operation” to address the regulatory gaps and environmental setbacks caused by Brexit. She criticized the lack of parliamentary oversight over divergence from EU standards, advocating for a committee that can assess when and how the UK should align or diverge from EU legislation.

A central concern is the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which overrides the EU Habitats Directive, allowing the destruction of rare habitats like chalk streams if developers pay a restoration levy. Creasy expressed support for MP Chris Hinchliff, who proposed amendments to protect such habitats but faced political consequences for challenging the bill.

Creasy argued that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive and urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to prioritize sustainable policies. She praised steps taken by Labour to realign with EU standards, contrasting them with Conservative policies that previously resisted European cooperation, even in matters of biosecurity and public safety.

Highlighting the passive divergence of UK law from EU standards, Creasy stressed the importance of “dynamic alignment,” whereby the UK would automatically adopt EU environmental regulations unless a clear reason existed to diverge. She called for immediate action to repair environmental protections and strengthen regulatory oversight, asserting that Parliament must reclaim active control rather than leaving progress to external bodies.

A government spokesperson defended current measures, citing initiatives such as banning bee-killing pesticides, restricting bottom trawling, and the Nature Restoration Fund as examples of the UK’s world-leading environmental approach. They also emphasized balancing environmental protections with housing development and economic growth.