People, Politics and the Planet – Any Questions?

On 9th March, environment spokespeople from the UK’s major political parties will take to the stage in central London for the ‘People, Politics and Planet’ debate chaired by accomplished broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, organised by the Sibthorp Trust, with the British Ecological Society and Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management. This is the first time, in the run up to this year’s General Election on 7th May, that the parties’ environmental policies will have been subjected to scrutiny and debate in a public forum. It is a unique opportunity for members of the public, along with members of the BES and CIEEM to question politicians on their parties’ environmental credentials.

Tickets are still available for the debate – with over 300 delegates now confirmed – and there is a 50% discount on the ticket price for members of the BES, CIEEM and students.

In advance of the debate, here are further details about our panellists:

Natalie Bennett, Leader, Green Party

Natalie has been the elected leader of the Green Party since September 2012. She was previously the Co-ordinator of Camden Greens and founding chair of the Green Party Women’s Group. She is standing in Holborn and St. Pancras in the 2015 General Election.

Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Minister for the Natural Environment, Labour Party

Barry was elected as MP for Brent North in 1997. In 2013 he was appointed as Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Natural Environment, and was previously Ed Miliband’s Special Envoy for Climate Change and the Environment.

Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP, Scottish National Party

Eilidh was elected as MP for Banff and Buchan in 2010. She is the Shadow SNP Spokesperson for Agriculture and Fisheries, Women, International Development, and Work and Pensions. She has been a policy adviser and campaigns manager for Oxfam and helped establish the Scottish Fair Trade Forum.

Lord de Mauley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Natural Environment and Science, Conservative Party

Lord de Mauley is a Conservative member of the House of Lords. He was previously a Government Whip and has also served as a Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families and for Energy and Climate Change. He has been a Defra Minister since September 2012.

Baroness Parminter, Environment Spokesperson, Liberal Democrats

Kate Parminter, Baroness Parminter of Godalming, was created a Liberal Democrat life peer in July 2010. She has worked as Head of Public Affairs for the RSPCA, chaired the campaign to ban hunting with dogs, and was Chief Executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England for six years.

William Cash, Heritage and Tourism Spokesperson, UK Independence Party

William is founder and Editor-in-Chief of Spear’s Magazine, a wealth management and luxury lifestyle media brand. He has twice won Editor of the Year at the Independent Publishers Awards. William is standing for election as an UKIP MP in the seat of North Warwickshire.