Johnson and Truss join levelling up rebellion
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have joined a growing rebellion over the delayed Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
The former prime ministers have found common cause calling for an end to the ban on new on-shore windfarms. They have added their signatures to an amendment tabled by Truss’s levelling up secretary Simon Clarke (pictured).
Clarke launched his amendment barely 24 hours after the government was forced to delay a critical vote on the Bill in the face of a growing rebellion over greenfield development and housing targets by more than 50 of his own MPs.
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have joined a growing rebellion over the delayed Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
The former prime ministers have found common cause calling for an end to the ban on new on-shore windfarms. They have added their signatures to an amendment tabled by Truss’s levelling up secretary Simon Clarke (pictured).
Clarke launched his amendment barely 24 hours after the government was forced to delay a critical vote on the Bill in the face of a growing rebellion over greenfield development and housing targets by more than 50 of his own MPs.
The vote was due to be held on Monday but the government has pulled it, claiming a lack of parliamentary time. However, it is understood levelling up secretary Michael Gove wants more time to negotiate with a group of backbench rebels, led by former environment secretary Theresa Villiers, who are seeking to unpick several key aspects of the government’s planning reforms.
Now it seems Gove’s strategy may have backfired, as more MPs are taking the opportunity to add their support to both Villiers’ and Clarke’s amendments, which have gained considerable momentum in the past 24 hours.
Labour has said it will not back Villiers’ amendments, but is expected to support the Clarke amendment. It also plans to table its own, more strongly worded version.
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