Ella’s Law, otherwise known as the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill, has already passed the Lords and now it is in the queue of private members’ bills waiting to come before the Commons.
It would establish the human right to breathe clean air explicitly in UK law for the first time. It’s named after Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a little girl from Lewisham who died in 2013 as a result of an asthma attack. She was the first person in Britain to have had air pollution listed as the cause of her death. The progress of Ella’s Law owes much to the efforts of her mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-
Debrah, who has campaigned tirelessly to ensure others don’t suffer her daughter’s fate. She is asking today that MPs put aside party differences to support the Bill, to address a “public health emergency”. Children are more susceptible to environmental pollution since their lungs are still developing.
The Bill would require the Government to achieve clean air throughout England and Wales within five years of the passing of the act and maintain it thereafter. That would mean adopting a target to cut tiny PM2.5 particulate pollution to the same level as the EU is attempting. It would require public bodies to review and monitor pollution limits and would set up a commission to scrutinise Government action.
The Environment Secretary, Thérèse Coffey, wants the target postponed until 2040. The trouble is, as Ella’s mother says, this compromise and delay could cost lives. It’s time for the Government to support this Bill, not to water it down.
Not more strikes
First the Underground, then rail, now it’s the Elizabeth line. The pride of the transport network, the £20 billion Elizabeth line, has been joyfully embraced by London passengers since it opened last May — only for it to go the way of every other part of the network by falling victim to strikes today. It’s to do with pay and pensions, and the striking managers (TSSA, Prospect and RMT union members) say they are not being paid as much as employees on the Elizabeth line working for other sub-contractors, and that the pay offer is lower than those given to Tube workers and those on the London Overground.
The malign effect of today’s strike on London is in its way a testimony to the success of the Elizabeth line: it’s now a crucial element of the network. But it will have a dispiriting effect on the morale of passengers. Just how much more can Londoners take?
The newest chimp
Good news from Chester Zoo. A new male Western chimpanzee, the latest member of this critically-endangered species, has been born there.
His mother ZeeZee and sister, like others in the group, are named after rock and pop stars as a way to win publicity for these threatened chimps.
Now keepers are wondering how to christen the new baby. Mick (Jagger) or Rod (Stewart) might do nicely, but how about Jeff, as a tribute to legendary guitarist Jeff Beck who has died aged 78? The little chimp might end up a rule-breaker, but with terrific style.
