Latest news with #natureReserve
Times
3 days ago
- General
- Times
How Keir Starmer's ‘Plan for Change' became the slogan of choice
What links a ban on Manchester City and Chelsea hooligans travelling to the Club World Cup in the US and a nature reserve in Kent? They are all part of the government's 'Plan for Change' — the slogan that is inserted into every government announcement, press release and mentioned as many times as possible in media interviews by ministers. All government departments and agencies have been instructed to include a mention of how every announcement they make is part of the plan, regardless of how tenuous the link is. So when the Home Office announced it was banning troublemaking fans of City and Chelsea from attending the Club World Cup, it was all part of the government's 'Plan for Change to cut down on crime and make our streets safer'. When Mary Creagh, the minister for nature, announced last week a new national nature reserve in Kent, home to 'species including Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee and Hazel dormouse and skylarks', she said it was 'in line with our Plan for Change'. Other announcements claiming to be part of the plan include a scheme to digitise the registration of deaths, an announcement on the use of computer evidence in court, a new programme to help maternity staff better identify signs of distress in babies during labour and AI sensors on fridges and kettles that will help vulnerable people to live independently. The phrase has become so central to Downing Street's communication strategy that at one point this year, it ran a leaderboard scoring ministers on how many times they could manage to fit 'Plan for Change' into interviews. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury, won the challenge with 16 mentions in a single ten-minute interview on Today on Radio 4 in January. The phrase has even been adopted by government officials, who are usually shielded from political phrases to maintain their neutrality. At a Home Office briefing in April, one official — who had worked on the previous government's Rwanda policy — used the phrase ten times within an eight-minute period. So why is Downing Street so obsessed with cramming in 'Plan for Change' in every nook and cranny of government communications? It all stems from focus groups and polling organised by Starmer's political strategist, Morgan McSweeney, that informed the prime minister's key speech in December that set out six 'milestones' that he wants the voting public to measure his government against at the next election. They are: putting more money in the pockets of working people, building 1.5 million homes, treating 92 per cent of NHS patients within 18 weeks, recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood police officers, ensuring three quarters of five-year-olds are school-ready and having 95 per cent clean power by 2030. There was concern that the public was unsure of what Starmer stood for and was not crediting his government with changes of policy or direction. The public was also feared to be not separating Starmer's government from the record of previous Conservative administrations. Once members of the public were told that specific policies or announcements were part of a 'Plan for Change' under Labour, they started to give Starmer's government more credit, according to the results from the focus groups and polls. That led to Downing Street's communications team instructing all of the government's special advisers (spads) — the political aides to ministers — to ensure every announcement was accompanied by the slogan. The message came in one of the weekly hour-long ' spad school ' sessions held on Thursday afternoons in No 10. A government aide said: 'The slogan did very well in focus groups because it gives reassurance to members of the public that the government knows what it's doing and has a plan to change the country. 'We were told to put it in every single press notice, every quote and encourage our ministers to say it in broadcast rounds.' However, other political aides are more sceptical and said the test of whether it is working will be following the spending review on June 11, when Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, will set out the government's spending plans for the next three years — from 2026 until 2029, when the next general election will probably be held.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Kent landscape that inspired Dickens declared nature reserve
A Kent landscape of ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows and chalk grasslands that inspired novelist Charles Dickens has been designated a national nature reserve. Natural England, which advises the Government on the environment, announced the creation of the North Kent Woods and Downs national nature reserve on Friday. This means the 800-acre landscape has been marked out as an area of focus for conservation and nature restoration efforts. The mosaic of different habitats is home to key species including Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee, Hazel dormouse and skylarks, around 1,700 ancient and veteran trees, and the Silverhand Estate – one of the UK's largest organic vineyards. Dickens, who lived in different areas of north Kent during his life in the 19th Century, drew inspiration from the landscape in his writings. The nature reserve designation also aims to boost the local economy, tourism and access to nature for around 400,000 people who live within five miles of the reserve and an estimated eight million who live within an hour's drive away. The ancient woodlands have maintained tree cover since the Tudor era, when Henry VIII was said to have given Kent the nickname 'Garden of England'. Natural England's partners, which include the National Trust, Woodland Trust and Kent County Council, will be working to support conservation efforts beyond the boundary of the reserve to create a joined-up approach to nature recovery for a further 1,100 hectares in the surrounding area. Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England said: 'Creating bigger, better and more joined-up natural areas is one of the most vital and fundamental steps we must take in meeting our national targets for Nature's recovery. 'This new reserve, with its hundreds of ancient trees set amid extensive chalk grasslands, lays the foundations for multiple partners to work together to improve Nature across a significant area of countryside.' The reserve comes as the eighth in the King's Series – a programme to establish 25 large-scale national nature reserves across England by 2027 in celebration of Charles' coronation. Nature minister Mary Creagh said: 'This new National Nature reserve will give people the opportunity to explore Kent's magical landscapes from wildflower meadows to ancient woodlands. 'Reserves like this one, and others in the King's Coronation Series, will deliver on our promise to improve access to nature and protect nature-rich habitats, as well as boosting the local economy in line with our Plan for Change.' Nick Johannsen, national landscape director at Kent Downs National Landscape, said: 'The North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve is especially exciting because of the sheer scale, nearly 20 square kilometres of land managed for nature, people, its beauty and history and for scientific research and so close to the urban centres of Gravesend and the Medway Towns. 'Many partners from the public, private, community and charity sectors are working together here, on some of the very best sites for wildlife in England.' With support from Natural England and Kent Downs National Landscape, the reserve will be managed by a number of partners including the National Trust, Woodland Trust, Kent County Council, Plantlife, Silverhand Estate (Vineyard Farms Ltd) and the West Kent Downs Countryside Trust. Meanwhile, affiliated partners include Gravesham Borough Council, Birling Estate, Shorne Parish Council, Tarmac and Forestry England.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Group backed by Judi Dench takes over North Yorkshire nature site
The future of a site of natural interest in North Yorkshire has been secured, after being taken over by the local community, campaigners have Upper Ouse Conservation Trust (UOCT) raised £275,000 in just four weeks in order to purchase Townend Field in Great Ouseburn, near 20-acre site features wetland habitats, native woodland, a stream and ancient trees including an iconic Judi Dench, who has family links to the area and lent her support to the campaign, called the achievement a "celebration": "I'm very, very pleased and I shall be raising several glasses of champagne to you all!" "We've saved the field and we've saved the tree," the Oscar-winning actress said, in a video UOCT, which was set up by residents in February, will now focus on establishing a nature reserve on the land, the trust said."It's a fantastic achievement, but I think the main emotion we're feeling is very thankful," said operations trustee Graeme said it was a "special area for a lot of people" in the community, highlighting the area's "extremely diverse" range of habitats. Mr Jackson said those who had contributed to the fund had recognised the importance of "giving the kids half an acre of green space to play in, to give some community access to the place, and to preserve and enhance it for wildlife".The area will include an area dedicated to nearby Great Ouseburn Primary School, with further fundraising under way to maintain a traditional stone boundary, develop wildlife habitats and create footpath is to be named "Judi's Walk" in recognition of Dame Judi's support of the project, Mr Jackson said."She's been a huge help."He added: "If you get together and organise, you can do it - because we did!" Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Countryside loved by Charles Dickens turned into nature reserve
England's newest national nature reserve will include 800 acres of ancient woodlands and meadows in North Kent Woods and Downs - near the town of Gravesend - influenced some of the writings of Charles Dickens, one of Britain's most famous who lived in parts of the county during his life in the 19th Century, drew inspiration from the landscape, which is full of ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows and chalk reserve is the eighth in the King's Series – a programme to establish 25 large-scale national nature reserves across England in celebration of King Charles' coronation. What has been announced? The announcement of the creation of the North Kent Woods and Downs national nature reserve was made by Natural England, which advises the government on the are lots of important plants and animals in area including Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee, Hazel dormouse and skylarks and around 1,700 ancient and veteran ancient woodlands have been there for hundreds of years, since the Tudor era, when Henry VIII nicknamed Kent the "Garden of England".The nature reserve aims to boost the local economy, tourism and access to nature for people who live Juniper from Natural England, said: "Creating bigger, better and more joined-up natural areas is one of the most vital and fundamental steps we must take in meeting our national targets for Nature's recovery."This new reserve, with its hundreds of ancient trees set amid extensive chalk grasslands, lays the foundations for multiple partners to work together to improve Nature across a significant area of countryside," he added. Who was Charles Dickens? Charles Dickens was was born in 1812, in Portsmouth on England's south coast, and was one of eight children. His family moved around though, and he grew up in London and wrote 15 novels, five novellas and hundreds of short writing includes books such as Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol - books that are still very widely read wrote about things that many people before him had avoided writing included topics such as people who lived in poverty, who were ill, or who had to fight for their place in society - a lot like he had to do as of his characters were based on real people and their lives. That made people understand his stories more, and reflect on what Britain was like at that time.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Kent landscape that inspired Dickens made nature reserve
A Kent landscape of ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows and chalk grasslands that inspired novelist Charles Dickens has been made a national nature England, which advises the government on the environment, has announced the creation of the North Kent Woods and Downs national nature a result, the 800-acre site in Gravesend has been marked out as an area of focus for conservation and nature restoration reserve is the eighth in the King's Series – a programme to establish 25 large-scale national nature reserves across England by 2027 in celebration of King Charles' coronation. The North Kent Woods and Downs is home to species including Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee, Hazel dormouse and skylarks, about 1,700 ancient and veteran trees, and the Silverhand Estate – one of the UK's largest organic who lived in different areas of north Kent during his life in the 19th Century, drew inspiration from the landscape in his England's partners, which include the National Trust, Woodland Trust and Kent County Council, will be working to support conservation efforts beyond the boundary of the reserve, to create a joined-up approach to nature recovery for a further 1,100 hectares in the surrounding Juniper, chair of Natural England, said: "Creating bigger, better and more joined-up natural areas is one of the most vital and fundamental steps we must take in meeting our national targets for Nature's recovery."This new reserve, with its hundreds of ancient trees set amid extensive chalk grasslands, lays the foundations for multiple partners to work together to improve Nature across a significant area of countryside."
