Sir Keir Starmer is bracing for a backbench rebellion with at least 42 Labour MPs planning to defy the Government by voting for a landmark climate bill, the Express understands.
Cabinet Secretaries are among dozens of Labour MPs forced to cancel appearances in their constituencies on Friday as Labour fights to crush the Climate and Nature Bill in the Commons on Friday.
The Government is gearing up for a showdown aftermore than 80 Labour MPs, including several ministers, publicly signed up to support the legislation which would make the UK’s climate and environment targets legally binding.
Labour MPs have been ordered to attend the bill’s second reading and to “talk it out”, meaning the Commons runs out of time and avoids a vote.
It is understood to be a three-line whip to vote against the bill if it gets to that point, with the risk of rebels losing the party whip.
Labour MP Clive Lewis said he would vote for the bill no matter what.
Speaking to the Guardian, he said: “I’m hoping the government and the climate and nature bill sponsors can come to an agreement this will be good for Labour at a time when many people feel like we are backtracking on our climate and nature commitments.
“This will send a strong signal that we are still focused on them and that we see a sustainable economy as the only future.”
It comes as the Government refused to allow the emergency use of a banned pesticide on sugar beet to protect bees and other pollinators.
The application to use the pesticide had been made by British Sugar and the National Farmers’ Union, as a seed treatment for sugar beet to protect against aphids that carry yellows virus – which can damage the crop.
But Environment Minister Emma Hardy decided not to grant the authorisation for emergency use of Cruiser SB, which contains the bee-killing neonicotinoid thiamethoxam prohibited since 2018 – the first time in five years the application has been turned down.
The Government said the decision was made on robust assessments of environmental, health and economic risks and benefits, with advice from Defra’s chief scientific adviser and its economists, the Health and Safety Executive and the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides.
In its decision, the Government said lethal and harmful risks the chemical could pose to honeybees and other pollinators could not be ruled out.
Ms Hardy said: “Britain is currently one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.
“This Government is committed to protecting bees from toxic neonicotinoid pesticides, while working with our farmers to find new ways to protect crops and support a profitable farming sector.
“We recognise the threat that virus yellows can pose to sugar beet growers, and we will continue to support industry to develop alternatives to neonicotinoids on sugar beet that are effective at high levels of yellows virus infection.”
