Angela named as one of the 10 people who made a mark on environmental policy in 2018
The ENDS report, the UK’s number 1 source of intelligence for environmental professionals, has just named Penistone and Stocksbridge MP, Angela Smith, as one of the top ten people in the country to make a mark on environmental policy due to her work on the House of Commons Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
In nominating her, the website said:
“Nobody scrutinises quite like Smith. She is the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s toughest inquisitor, managing to cut through the bluster to expose the shortcomings in witnesses’ evidence. Smith’s questioning of environment secretary in November was a sight to behold, her incredulity palpable as Gove denied that his actions were having any “discernible impact” on Natural England. She almost fell off her chair. Fearless and razor-sharp, Smith does not suffer fools and we should be grateful for that.
Commenting on the honour of being named by the ENDS report, Angela said;
‘To be honest it came as a bit of surprise to be named by the ENDS report. I honestly believe scrutiny of policy and people of influence is vitally important and should be carried as effectively as possible.’.
Angela was placed alongside such esteemed names as Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, Amy Mount, head of Greener UK, Emma Howard Boyd, Environment Agency chair, and Andrew Sells, Natural England chair.
For further details on the awards please see the ENDS report website at www.endsreport.com
Angela's December Farmers Guardian Article
As I write this article the Prime Minister has just decided to delay the meaningful vote on the ‘Withdrawal Agreement’, to allow her to get some sort of assurance from the other 27 members of the EU on the Irish backstop.
As we know, the Prime Ministers Agreement includes an Irish backstop which would leave Northern Ireland in a different place to the rest of the UK. This is a mechanism the DUP, hard-line Brexiteers and many others could never tolerate. Whether the Prime Minister can get further assurances from the EU is debatable and whether these might satisfy her opponents is highly unlikely.
So where now? Well, to be honest your guess is as good as mine. The truth is we are as a country in uncharted waters, with a full blown political crisis on our hands, if not a constitutional one, with maybe an economic one thrown in for good measure.
What is certainly true is this is not a great place to be. I know, though, that ‘No Deal’ would be utterly disastrous and hopefully Parliament will work to take this option off the table.
Some are saying we need a General Election, to be honest I think that’s the last thing the country needs right now. And who could guarantee it would deliver a radically different outcome to the 2017 result?
I’ve therefore come to the firm conclusion the only way out of this gridlock is to put the issue back to the people in a ‘People’s vote’. This would offer on the ballot paper May’s Agreement alongside staying in the EU as the alternative option.
It has been suggested this would be undemocratic and a betrayal of the 2016 result. I disagree. First of all, how can more democracy be the wrong thing to do? A further vote would offer a final say, an opportunity for voters to give informed consent to May’s proposed Brexit. And the betrayal belongs to those who campaigned for leave on the basis of a fantasy vision of what leave would look like.
As we move on to an uncertain Christmas and New Year, one thing is clear – the Government has not got on with Brexit. Moreover, if May’s Agreement is adopted, we will be focused for many years on agreeing with the EU the future trading relationship.
Brexit is not over and done with and won’t be for many years to come. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail in the New Year and the country can start to chart its way out of the stormy seas it finds itself in, towards calmer waters. If we don’t all of us will all suffer the consequences, not least the farmers who work so hard to feed the nation.
Angela writes to both the Post Office and Cohens Chemist about Dodworth Post Office
After hearing rumours that Cohens the Chemist are to close the Post Office concession in their Dodworth store, local MP Angela Smith has urgently written to both organisations to get clarity on what is happening.
Local Dodworth Councillors, Richard Riggs, and Neil Wright have also been met with Angela raising their concerns over the rumours.
Already a petition has been raised by local people, both online and at local shops. It can be found at https://secure.avaaz.org/en/community_petitions/Residents_and_small_business_users_Stop_the_local_Post_Office_from_being_closed_down/ and already has 1000 signatures. Angela encourages those with concerns over the possible closure to sign the petition.
If this Post Office closes the nearest Post Office for most transactions will either be in the town centre of Barnsley or Penistone some 7 miles away. This cannot, and is not acceptable.
Commenting Angela, says;
“There’s been a Post Office in Dodworth for many years and the current location has proved very successful and is well used by locals.
The area itself has many elderly people, who if they lose postal services, will find it difficult to travel to either Penistone or Barnsley. This is especially so, given the limited nature of bus services in the area.
It can’t be right that people should lose vital postal services just because the store where it is housed no longer wants to keep it.
I have written to Post Office Services asking they work with Cohens to maintain a service at the store.
What is clear, however, is that Dodworth can ill afford to lose this vital service.”
Local Councillor Richard Richards, says on the closure;
Dodworth needs a Post Office and the news that Cohens the Chemist might be closing the only one in the village is very concerning.
I urge everyone in the village to sign the petition against the proposed plan to close it.
Let me also assure people in Dodworth, both myself and fellow local Councillor Neil Wright will do everything possible to keep a Post Office in Dodworth.