Dear [Your MP],
Re: Labour’s Planning Proposals and Threats to Protected Nature Sites
I am writing to express my utter dismay and outrage at Labour’s proposed planning reforms, which I recently read about in The Guardian. These reforms, as currently outlined, threaten over 5,000 English nature sites and hand immense power to property developers—at the direct expense of local communities, our natural heritage, and the few remaining wild places we have in the UK.
As a lifelong Labour voter in your constituency, I feel completely betrayed. This was not in the manifesto. At no point were we told Labour intended to rip up environmental protections and strip communities of their say in local development. Had this been made clear, I would never have voted Labour—and I am certain many others would say the same.
The idea of developers being able to bypass long-standing protections by simply paying into a fund is morally and ecologically bankrupt. Our country is already one of the most nature-depleted in the world. With only 8% of our land currently protected as nature reserves or woodland, the idea that Labour would open this limited and precious land to property developers is shocking, and deeply upsetting.
People rely on local natural spaces—not only for biodiversity, but for their mental health, community identity, and connection to a landscape that has often been there for generations. These are not just plots of land on a map—they are sacred spaces to many people, including me.
Furthermore, the notion that local people will have less power in planning decisions while developers gain more influence is anti-democratic. It strips local voices from the very places they live and care about most. That is not progressive. That is not Labour.
I have written to you before and received no reply, which sadly speaks volumes. Nevertheless, I am writing again because this matters. If this bill passes, I will never vote Labour again. More than that, I will actively campaign against the party. I will inform every family member, friend, colleague, and neighbour I can about what Labour is doing—starting with handing out leaflets in every shopping centre and public space in [Your Constituency]. I will make sure people know how Labour sold out our nature and silenced their communities.
This proposal is an attack on our environment, our democratic rights, and the very values that drew me to support Labour all my life. If you and the party do not stand against it, you will lose the trust—and the votes—of the people who put you in office.
I urge you to oppose this legislation in the strongest possible terms and to make your position clear to your constituents.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]