'Claim mantle of party of nature and farming

A TORY environmental group has said Kemi Badenoch should prioritise nature recovery as part of the party's renewal mission.

- REBECCA SPEARE-COLE

The Conservative Environment Network (CEN) delivered a paper to the Tory leader yesterday, which outlined a vision for restoring England's natural environment.

Written by Kitty Thompson, CEN’s head of campaigns, the publication includes a roadmap for Mrs Badenoch to tackle the crisis through the key areas of water, agriculture, the built environment and wilderness.

The paper notes that England's most valuable habitats are “hanging by a thread” and highlights how the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

But it adds some Conservatives have recently been sceptical about the need to restore nature and do not regard its protection as a “proper” priority.