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Lewis attacks trade deals that ‘don’t give a damn about climate’

The Norwich South MP made the comments during a debate on climate change.

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Clive Lewis

Former Labour leadership hopeful Clive Lewis said corporations are “raping our planet”, and Brexit is about “trade deals that don’t give a damn about climate”, in an attack on the Government’s green credentials.

The Norwich South MP, who withdrew from the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn this week owing to lack of support, made the remarks during a Queen’s Speech debate on the Government’s climate change agenda.

Mr Lewis told MPs that the UK needed to set an example, as the world’s eyes will be on it as Glasgow hosts the UN Climate Change Conference in November.

He added: “Biodiversity is collapsing, the oceans are warming, the ice caps are melting and the world is watching us here in the UK this year.

“But ultimately, I fear nothing we say in this place will change the mind of this Government.

“The entirety of this Government’s mandate has been founded on one thing, get Brexit done. It pains me to say that, but get Brexit done.

“And when you understand the hard-right political project this is, you understand this Government has no intention of facing up to the climate crisis.

“Brexit has always been about trade deals that don’t give a damn about climate, inequality, or the global south, about deregulation that lets corporations raping our planet do so with ever more impunity.

“That’s what Brexit is actually about and it’s why the Queen’s Speech has failed even the most basic of tests.”

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