7th July 2025
MORE THAN 390 residents in Henley and Thame have joined almost 75,000 people across the UK to call on the Prime Minister to deliver ‘REAL Change’ by tackling the climate and nature crisis.
Local campaigners posted an open letter to Keir Starmer, joining 649 other letters – one from every constituency across the UK – delivered to Downing Street.
Copies of all 650 letters were also hand-delivered today to Number 10 Downing Street by celebrity chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall; Revd Canon Giles Goddard, Chair of Faith for the Climate; Ellen Bradley, Co-Director of UK Youth 4 Nature; Sarah Morse, Chief Finance Officer of Triodos Bank; and Professor Dame E J. Milner-Gulland, Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity at Oxford University.
It is thought this is the first time that any Prime Minister has received a letter from all 650 constituencies across the UK on an environmental issue.
The ‘REAL Change’ campaign, led by the Zero Hour environmental group, calls on the Prime Minister to improve the lives of ordinary people across the UK by taking robust action on the environmental crisis.
The movement also calls on ministers to back the landmark, cross-party, Climate and Nature Bill which is set to be debated in Parliament again on 11 July 2025.
Richard Hess, a local resident who signed the letter, says:
“People in Henley and Thame want REAL Change from the Prime Minister.
“Taking action on the climate and nature crisis will deliver warmer, better insulated homes; cheaper bills to help with the cost of living crisis; cleaner air and water; thriving nature; better public transport; and proper food security. Who would argue against all of that?
“But the Government is dragging its heels on this issue and the benefits are not filtering down to local people like us. That is why we have joined campaigners across the UK who are calling for change.
“The Climate and Nature Bill is the landmark legislation that would unlock all these benefits for Henley and Thame. The Prime Minister needs to give the Bill time in Parliament for a proper debate.”
Across the UK the CAN Bill is backed by more than 380 local councils; 1,200 leading scientists (including 5 Nobel Laureates); and major organisations including The National Trust, The Co-operative Bank, The National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Friends of the Earth, and Triodos Bank.
So far, over 190 MPs from across the main parties have thrown their weight behind the Climate and Nature Bill, making it the largest cross-party environmental movement in Westminster.
The Climate and Nature Bill had its Second Reading in Parliament on 24 January 2025, and the debate is due to be resumed on Friday 11 July.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband previously said he supports “the spirit and substance” of the Bill and Environment Secretary Steve Reed said he was “disappointed that [the Bill] didn’t proceed” because he “wanted to see it succeed”.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, celebrity chef and broadcaster, said:
“The Prime Minister must get a grip on the climate and nature crisis which threatens our economy, our health and our food and energy security.
“We cannot allow the next year of this Labour government to be a continuation of the dither and delay we witnessed under the previous administration.
“While some ministers appear to have gone into hiding since previously pledging their support for the ambitions of the Climate and Nature Bill, we know, and they know, that failing to act will have devastating consequences for our future. It must be brought back to Parliament for a proper debate.”
Dr Amy McDonnell, Co-Director of the Zero Hour environmental campaign, said:
“The Climate and Nature Bill has been written by scientists to ensure the UK does its bit to tackle the climate and nature crises. They know, just like people in Henley and Thame do, that taking bold action will have a real benefit for communities across the UK.
“If the Government wants to see off the threat of Reform at the next election, they need to be making ordinary people’s lives better, healthier, and more prosperous while protecting the natural world we all rely on.
“Recent polling shows 89 per cent of people globally want more to be done on the climate and nature crises. We need Keir Starmer to step up and deliver not just in Henley and Thame, but across the UK.”
