We’ve just had a blisteringly hot and dry summer and now the rain has started falling, but we need a lot of it to soak the ground and fill up our reservoirs.
17 years ago, when I was the Environment Secretary, it fell to me to tell Parliament about the then latest climate impact predictions that had been put together by the Met Office Hadley Centre. What they showed was that we would face hotter, drier summers and wetter winters in the years ahead.
At the time, there were still quite a lot of sceptics about climate change, but the predictions have come to pass in the years since, although even now we hear some politicians saying that net zero is a nonsense and we should scrap the whole thing. They are a bit like King Canute who thought that, by sitting on the beach and telling the waves to go back, he could command nature. We can’t. The blunt truth is that climate change is happening and we must both carry on reducing our emissions – and other countries need to do exactly the same – while also adapting to our changing climate.
There are so many things to think about when it comes to adaptation. The temperature in offices, factories and schools at the height of the summer. Conserving water. Building more reservoirs. Planting more trees in our cities because the evidence is very clear that their shade helps to reduce the temperature. Thinking about crops and plants that are much more drought resistant. And making our transport more resilient.
The other lesson in all of this is that, despite the criticisms there have been, the scientists broadly got it right as they tried to explain to us the way in which our climate is changing because of human activity.
A couple of weeks ago I attended the unveiling of a Leeds Civic Trust blue plaque to the poet and playwright Tony Harrison who grew up in Tempest Road, Beeston. He died last year.
Known as the Bard of Beeston, his father was a baker. He won a scholarship to Leeds Grammar School, and later studied Classics at the University of Leeds.
His famous poem ‘V’ was written after discovering that the grave of his parents in Holbeck Cemetery was surrounded by rubbish and obscene graffiti, which he quoted extensively in the poem. It was shown on television and there was a moral panic about it from some quarters because of the ‘bad language’. But it remains a powerful and authentic piece of writing which reflects not only the fate of his parents’ grave but also the politics of the time.
There were a number of readings from his work at the event, which was held in the Hamara Centre, and even that small selection reminded us of all of what a remarkable man he was.
E-bikes arouse strong feelings, particularly on the part of people who’ve just had a narrow escape from one driving at high speed on the pavement in Leeds city centre. It’s a very strange business when there are a lot of bikes on our streets that aren’t actually legal, and when we have roads and cycle lanes, I’ve never understood why so many people choose to ride on the pavement so putting us pedestrians at risk. The issue has been raised with the fast-food delivery companies, but they say we just employ a person to do the deliveries and it’s entirely a matter for them whether they choose to do so whether it’s on foot, using a car or a bike. In other words, it’s not our responsibility.
Anyway, as you can probably guess, I don’t think this is good enough and I am strongly in favour of E-bikes having to be registered, both so we know that the bike is legal and to have someone to seek redress from in the event of an accident.
What do you think?
As reported recently in South Leeds Life, a public consultation has been launched on plans to build 246 new homes at Meadow Lane in Leeds South Bank on the southern side of Leeds Bridge just opposite where the colourful Hibiscus Rising artwork is to be found.
The proposals comprise a 24-storey residential tower alongside a lower six-storey building. I’ve looked at the artist’s impressions, and I like the building at the front of the development which mirrors the famous flat-iron building to the left. But I have to say that I think a 24-storey tower at the back of the site is far too tall for the location, and it’s a point I’ve made to the developers. Balance – in design, architecture, and indeed life – is everything.
And finally, I recently attended the funeral of Keith Wakefield, the former Leader of Leeds City Council. It was a measure of the high regard in which he was held that so many people turned up, including current and former Members of Parliament, councillors of all parties and council officers, as well as friends and family.
Keith had an extraordinary life, with a very difficult start in care, He left school at the age of 14 with no qualifications. At one point he found himself homeless and slept rough at a station. If people had glanced at him as they hurried to catch their train, I suspect none of them would have thought for a second that the sleeping figure would one day become the leader of one of the largest urban authorities in the country.
What Keith had in abundance was determination. He went back to college to get his O and A levels, followed by a degree, an MA and a PGCE which enabled him to become a lecturer. He got involved in politics. He marched against the National Front. He moved to Leeds in the early 1980s and was elected to Leeds City Council, serving twice as Leader of the council. Keith had many achievements, but one he was particularly proud of was bringing the Grand Depart of the Tour de France to the city centre in 2014. Keith was a passionate cyclist, walker and supporter of Leeds United.
What came across from the lovely service and all of the speeches we heard was how remarkable a man he was. Deeply loved, greatly respected, with a wonderful sense of humour and an unyielding determination to make life better for people, especially for those who came from backgrounds like his.
He will be greatly missed, but it was an honour and a privilege to have known him.
Hilary Benn is our Member of Parliament. He represents the Leeds South constituency.
Email: hilary.benn.mp@parliament.uk | Website: www.hilarybennmp.com
Constituency office:
Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds, LS7 1AB
Tel: 0113 244 1097
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E-Bikes ,,people who ride these should have to pass some kind of test to use them and apply for a licence before riding them, there’s too many idiots using them without any concern for pedestrians and legal road users