Save our environment and kill Jacob Rees-Mogg’s Brexit bill

We worked for decades to safeguard our land, air and water – we cannot let this government rush through a bill that seeks to undo this, writes Stanley Johnson

Not only is this bill undemocratic, it is also totally undeliverable and plays politics with critical laws that affect us every day (Getty)

One of the proudest moments of my life came on 10 October 2015, when I was awarded the RSPB Medal for my role in drafting the EU Habitats Directive in the 1980s.

Thirty years after the Habitats Directive was adopted unanimously by the EU Council, Europe has the single most extensive network of protected areas anywhere in the world, known as Natura 2000.

The UK’s contribution to Natura 2000 still covers almost 600 sites, both terrestrial and marine. These are truly the “crown jewels’’ of this country’s natural heritage, and are based on criteria that include the protection of habitats and species. The sites cover wetlands, woodlands, moorlands, coastal zones, key landscapes, and marine protected areas.