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London (PA Media\/dpa) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was under increased pressure to rethink his planning reforms as\nthey were partly blamed for the Conservatives’ shock defeat in the Chesham and Amersham by-election.<\/p>\n
London (PA Media\/dpa) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was under increased pressure to rethink his planning reforms as
\nthey were partly blamed for the Conservatives’ shock defeat in the Chesham and Amersham by-election.<\/p>\n
Cabinet ministers were said to be among those warning the Prime Minister after the Liberal Democrats won the Buckinghamshire seat that has been a Tory stronghold since its creation in 1974.<\/p>\n
The HS2 rail line being built through the constituency was a major issue in the campaign, as was the proposed planning reforms that have sparked fears about building in the countryside around the seat in the Chilterns.<\/p>\n
Tory rebels were, in the wake of Thursday’s defeat, eyeing a chance to water down the planning proposals, with the legislation due to be introduced to the Commons.<\/p>\n
Conservative Party co-chair Amanda Milling said the \u00abconcerns about planning and HS2 were loud and clear\u00bb.<\/p>\n
\u00abI am in no doubt that this result is a warning shot,\u00bb she wrote in the Telegraph, adding \u00abthe people have spoken and we have heard them\u00bb.<\/p>\n
With a target of building 300,000 new homes a year in England, ministers want to overhaul the planning system, arguing reforms would boost the building of high-quality, sustainable homes, by streamlining the process and cutting red tape.<\/p>\n
Critics warn the plans will undermine local democracy by removing the public’s right to be heard in person and would strip elected planning committees of development decisions.<\/p>\n
Tory former Cabinet minister Damian Green warned the Tories could become \u00abdisconnected\u00bb from voters if the party fails to listen following the by-election defeat by improving the \u00abthin\u00bb level of oversight in the plans.<\/p>\n
\u00abPeople want some form of local control … people don’t want to feel that they’re going to have developments dumped on green fields near them when they and their local representatives have had no say over it,\u00bb the MP for Ashford, in Kent, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.<\/p>\n
\u00abIt’s a fairly thin form (of oversight) frankly and people don’t think it gives them enough protection.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Former environment secretary Theresa Villiers urged ministers \u00abto use this as an opportunity to rethink their approach to planning reform\u00bb.<\/p>\n
\u00abThis by-election result should pave the way for a reduction in housing targets for the London suburbs and the South East,\u00bb the Tory MP for Chipping Barnet wrote in the Telegraph.<\/p>\n
\u00abWe need a fairer distribution of new homes across the country, rather than seeking to cram so many thousands more into the crowded South. There needs to be a stronger focus on brownfield sites in urban inner city areas.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson conceded \u00abit was certainly a disappointing result\u00bb when asked if he was neglecting voters in the South in favour of those in the North, but insisted: \u00abWe believe in uniting and levelling up within regions and across the
\ncountry.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Sir Ed Davey said his party’s victory would \u00absend a shockwave through British politics\u00bb while claiming the result demonstrated the \u00abBlue Wall\u00bb of Tory southern seats could be vulnerable.<\/p>\n
Planning proposals include creating zones for growth, renewal or protection, with development in growth areas preapproved for developments as long as they meet local design standards.<\/p>\n
This forms a central part of critics’ concerns. They argue the zoning system could radically reduce protections for nature and green spaces while failing to tackle the climate crisis.<\/p>\n
The by-election was triggered by the death of former Cabinet minister Dame Cheryl Gillan, who took the seat with a majority of 16,233 in the 2019 general election – some 55% of the vote.<\/p>\n
However, Lib Dem Sarah Green took 56.7% of the vote to secure a majority of 8,028 over the second-placed Tories.<\/p>\n
Labour trailed the Greens in fourth place, winning just 622 votes and losing the party’s deposit in the process.<\/p>\n
Polling expert Sir John Curtice told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he made it the \u00abworst Labour performance in any by-election\u00bb after the party took just 1.6% of the vote.<\/p>\n
One of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s closest aides told staff he was
\nstanding down in the wake of the dire result.<\/p>\n
Ben Nunn said he remained convinced that Sir Keir \u00abwill be a great prime minister\u00bb as he announced he was quitting as director of communications.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
London (PA Media\/dpa) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was under increased pressure to rethink his planning reforms as they were partly blamed for the Conservatives’ shock defeat in the Chesham and Amersham by-election. Cabinet ministers were said to be among those warning the Prime Minister after the Liberal Democrats won the Buckinghamshire seat that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":893943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1094175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actualidad"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t