Dear Rt. Hon. Rishi Sunak MP & Rt. Hon. Liz Truss MP,
The United Kingdom has always been at the forefront of having strong protections and common-sense regulations. These protections are the invisible safety net that holds together our society and provides stability for the UK. They offer security and safety for the more vulnerable members of society, including our children and the elderly, and they create a level playing field that allows businesses to grow and thrive.
The undersigned organisations call on you, as contenders to be the next Prime Minister, to make a personal commitment to maintain these high UK standards and common-sense protections, and ensure that local and national regulators have the capacity to enforce the rules.
Polling and focus groups conducted by a range of organisations show strong support from swing voters in both ‘Red Wall’ and ‘Blue Wall’ constituencies for building on existing British standards. Voters want to be confident that the food they serve their families is of a high quality, that their rights at work are protected, that the rivers their children play in are clean, that the products being sold to their loved ones are safe. Both ‘Leave’ and ‘Remain’ voters are united in this desire.
Strong, well-enforced regulations can ensure that the UK remains a world leader in public health, environmental and food standards, animal welfare, worker and consumer safety. Robust regulations will underpin moves to ‘level up’ the country – helping to drive up standards in local communities. And, at a time when people’s incomes are being squeezed, strong rules can provide a guarantee that basic quality and safety standards are being met – regardless of income.
This is the vision of the United Kingdom that we know is supported by the public. We urge that any changes to our regulations will be undertaken with a view to turning that vision into a reality.
Yours Sincerely,
Emma Rose and Phoebe Clay, co-Directors, Unchecked UK
Co-signed by:
Coilin Nunan, Director, Alliance to Save our Antibiotics
Jamie Cook, CEO, The Angling Trust and Fish Legal
Mike Benner, CEO, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
Thalie Martini, CEO, Breast Cancer UK
Mike Robinson, CEO, British Safety Council
John Herriman, CEO, Chartered Trading Standards Institute
Dr Michael Warhurst, Executive Director, CHEM Trust
Dr Nick Palmer, UK Director, Compassion in World Farming
Mark Dearn, Director, Corporate Justice Coalition
Ed Matthew, Campaigns Director, E3G
Ali Harris and Clare Moody, Co-CEOs, Equally Ours
Hugh Knowles & Miriam Turner, Co-Executive Directors, Friends of the Earth, EWNI
Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now
Liz O’Neill, Director, GM Freeze
Shaun Spiers, Executive Director, Green Alliance
Hilda Palmer, Director, Hazards
Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO, Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment
Theo Thomas, CEO, London Waterkeeper
Jemima Hartshorn, Founder, Mums for Lungs
Arnold Pindar, Chairman, National Consumer Federation
Melissa Green, General Secretary, National Federation of Women’s Institutes
Martin Lines, UK Chair, Nature Friendly Farming Network
Miles King, CEO, People Need Nature
Keith Tyrell, Executive Director, Pesticide Action Network UK
Elizabeth Gardiner, Chief Executive, Protect
Mark Lloyd, CEO, The Rivers Trust
Beccy Speight, CEO, RSPB
Shane Holland, Executive Chair, Slow Food in UK
Jo Lewis, Director of Policy and Strategy, Soil Association
Dr Susan Hawley, Executive Director, Spotlight on Corruption
Kath Dalmeny, CEO, Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming
Jamie Page, CEO, The Cancer Prevention and Education Society
Joan Edwards OBE, Director Policy and Public Affairs, The Wildlife Trusts
Shavanah Taj, General Secretary, Wales TUC
Paul Bell, National Officer, Unison
Dominic MacAskill, Regional Secretary, Unison Wales
Kate Metcalf, Co-Director, Women’s Environment Network
Nick Measham, CEO, Wildfish
Dr Richard Benwell, CEO, Wildlife and Countryside Link
Ashley Smith, Chair, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution
Abi Bunker, Director of Conservation & External Affairs, The Woodland Trust