I recall vividly the first meeting of the parliamentary environment group after Labour’s election win in 1997. Michael Meacher arrived, breathless and late, into a packed and hot committee room in parliament. He proceeded to give a sharp and detailed analysis of environmental challenges, without notes, for 40 minutes, leaving the roomful of NGOs and industry lobbyists captivated by his zeal and determination. His speech set the tone for his term as environment minister.
Short of being in the cabinet, which Tony Blair had denied him, he was determined to make the most of the job he had been given. He did just that, and can be credited with a vital role in Kyoto negotiations, as well as the delivery of a waste strategy that created thousands of jobs in the recycling industries as well as a fourfold increase in recycling rates over a decade. Best of all, he delivered into law the right to roam. That was a strong green legacy that deserves to be fully acknowledged.
