Dear Prime Minister

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In these uncertain and critical times, Sublime magazine columnist Mandy Lieu writes an open letter to the newly appointed UK’s Prime Minister

Autumn is a time of change. Leaves take on new shades of gold and brown, animals begin preparing for the long winter, and those of us lucky enough to work outdoors don warm jackets and scarves as protection from the elements. But this autumn, we are seeing changes further afield. We have a new UK Government with a new policy agenda; the cost of living crisis is a severe burden for families up and down the country; and with the devastating war in Ukraine, global relations are as tense and changeable as ever.

In the midst of all this disruption, measures to tackle climate change and protect our environment are at risk of being forgotten about, priorities downgraded. In the face of adversity, it is more important than ever to stand by our commitments, and go further where we can.

In light of this, I have written the following open letter to the UK government.

Dear Prime Minister,

I want to take the opportunity, as you begin to set out your agenda, to urge you in the strongest possible terms to ensure protecting and enhancing our natural environment is a top priority for the new government. I was pleased to see in his first Conference speech as Secretary of State for the Environment, Ranil Jayawardena MP affirmed that growth will not come at the expense of the environment. This is an encouraging start, but I am deeply concerned that the protection of our environment risks falling down the agenda, particularly given the very real challenges Britain faces.

I took over Ewhurst Park around Ramsdell two years ago, with a view to radically regenerate the landscape, restoring natural processes, demonstrating sustainable food production and creating a haven for wildlife.

Decades of intensive farming had damaged Ewhurst’s biodiversity and seen the loss of many habitats. I have witnessed first hand how, in just a few years, the landscape has begun to change, native species are flourishing and new jobs have been created. Where once there was silence over Ewhurst’s fields, I now hear birdsong and insects wherever I go. We have made a start but there is so much more to do.

In the context of COP-27 and COP-15, I am calling on you and the government to make new, bold commitments on biodiversity. We need more incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable practices, ambitious targets to regenerate natural habitats, and drastic intervention to halt species loss.

A 2022 report from the British Ecological Society shows the UK is on track to miss our pledge to protect 30% of our land and sea by 2030. We urgently need a strategy to deliver this target, with a clear plan for how local communities, charities and landowners can play their part.

Britain is rightly celebrated for its beautiful landscapes but our natural ecosystems and the biodiversity of our flora and fauna are threatened more than ever. Failing to address this will have dire implications for our food production, climate and the future of native species. We must act before it is too late.

I thank you for your time and for your commitment to this challenge.

Yours sincerely,

Mandy Lieu
Ewhurst Park

Read more of Mandy’s articles in Sublime Magazine


About the Author

MLieu Selects LowRes 8Mandy Lieu is an exclusive columnist for Sublime Magazine, food systems entrepreneur and philanthropist. Having enjoyed success across Asia as a model, film and TV actress, she moved to the UK in 2015 to start a family and join the revolution in local, sustainable food. Now Mandy is transforming her lifelong passion for nutrition and food systems into a business – she owns The Good Plot, a new farm-to-table restaurant and Ewhurst Park a regenerative farm.

 

 

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environmentEwhurst ParkfarmingMandy Lieu DiororganicfoodRegenerative Farming Sustainabilitysustainableliving

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