Ancestors

Written by Juggling With Eggs on 2025-01-24 at 13:46

Dr Andrew Boswell is a hero in #Norwich. He’s a man of science and principle with a willingness to engage constructively in local politics.

He took the government to the High Court because impact assessments arranged for road widening in #Norfolk were crap. #Starmer labelled him an ‘environmental zealot’ just to put others off speaking truth to power.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jan/24/activist-andrew-boswell-hits-back-at-keir-starmer-for-demonising-him-as-environmental-zealot

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from JugglingWithEggs@mstdn.social

Written by Juggling With Eggs on 2025-01-24 at 13:48

‘This week, #Starmer said he was determined to overhaul the judicial review process to prevent “nimbys and zealots” such as Boswell “gumming up the legal system”.

In a comment piece for the Daily Mail, Starmer accused Boswell and his ilk of trying to “hold the country to ransom” through legal claims that amount to “self-righteous virtue signalling”

Erm…again I ask, what is the difference between Starmer and Trump this week?

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from JugglingWithEggs@mstdn.social

Written by MJ Ray on 2025-01-24 at 14:16

@JugglingWithEggs one bit I don't understand in the reports is the claim that legal challenge increased the cost by millions. Does that mean the #A47 impact assessments were so crap it took millions of pounds of work to make them robust enough to survive court? Which would mean that even if Boswell's arguments were without merit, he was justified in asking.

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from mjr@masto.bike

Written by Juggling With Eggs on 2025-01-24 at 14:26

@mjr

My impression is ‘no’.

This Sky article includes further quotes from the Starmer Daily Mail piece and an interview they carried out with Boswell:

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/starmer-accused-of-pathetic-bullying-by-environmental-campaigner-after-nimby-article-13295104

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from JugglingWithEggs@mstdn.social

Written by MJ Ray on 2025-01-24 at 14:30

@JugglingWithEggs so how did it cost millions? If the plans were done properly already, they shouldn't have needed any work, so Boswell should only have cost them some thousands to hire lawyers to defend it in court, surely?

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from mjr@masto.bike

Written by Juggling With Eggs on 2025-01-24 at 14:33

@mjr

I still think they are referring to the sum it cost them to defend themselves against Boswell in court. They also had made initial preparations along the edge of the road some 12 months ago…did stalling the project lead to costs increasing with inflation during that period?

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from JugglingWithEggs@mstdn.social

Toot

Written by MJ Ray on 2025-01-24 at 14:35

@JugglingWithEggs If their lawyers cost them millions, then their case was weak and/or they negotiated fees badly. I suspect they're blaming Boswell for inflation, which I don't think he can influence, unless they think he's a Time Lord who should have challenged them earlier or something?

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from mjr@masto.bike

Descendants