Sorry seems to be the easiest word for this government to say. Apologies are coming so thick and fast that you cannot see the wood for the trees.
One of these concerned the much mocked policy of selling off public forests in the guise of a consultation. The government came under the most immense pressure from hundreds of campaigners defending Chopwell wood, for example and from some Tory backbenchers who could see the writing on the wall. So the government held up its hands and halted the public consultation of the future of forests in England because it had been overwhelmed by people insisting that they want the forests to remain in public ownership and control
But I am old enough in the tooth to know that some U Turns are tactical with all the sincerity of the snake oil salesman and I remain unconvinced that we are out of the woods yet.
The government is not necessarily reversing its massively unpopular policy but may only be deferring it. This is nothing new. In 1992 after a huge public outcry Michael Heseltine halted plans to close 31 of the best coal mines in this country and set up a Review. 13 weeks later, after the momentum was lost the Review proposed the closure of - you guessed it - 31 pits.
I don't want to rain on the parade of all the great campaigners who have got us to this position, but they need be wary, stay alert and feed in their views to the Independent Panel.
The Secretary of State, Caroline Spelman was vague on the membership of the panel and side-stepped my question in the Commons asking if workers representatives as well as environmental groups would be included, merely saying that 'people from the forestry industry' would be included.
She also stated that 'even the Forestry Commission accepts the need for reform'. I worry that planned job cuts and huge budget cuts that have not been halted by this announcement will lead that so called reform to look remarkably like the plan that so many of us have rejected.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
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