MORE than half of MPs in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have signed the Greener UK pledge for the environment, marking a major milestone in the cross-party campaign for the same or better protections post Brexit.

The Environment Pledge is coordinated by the Greener UK coalition of thirteen major environmental organisations including The Wildlife Trusts, National Trust, and the RSPB.

It commits MPs to do everything in their power to: *establish the UK as a world leader on the environment by matching or exceeding current environmental, wildlife and habitat protections; *ensure that the UK leads on climate action *create a countryside richer in nature by supporting farmers and landowners to deliver environmental benefits alongside a thriving farming sector.

The pledge signatories now include over half of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s MPs.

They include Steve Brine (Winchester) Caroline Dinenage (Gosport), Flick Drummond (Portsmouth South), Sir Gerald Howarth (Aldershot), Kit Malthouse (Hampshire North West), Maria Miller (Basingstoke), Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North), Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North), Royston Smith (Southampton Itchen) and Alan Whitehead (Southampton Test).

Chief Executive of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Debbie Tann said: “The vast majority of people want to see the same or stronger levels of environmental protection after we leave the EU – so it’s great to see that MPs from across the political spectrum support agree.

“Our local wildlife habitats, from the Solent coastline in the south to our heathlands in the north, have rightly enjoyed the highest levels of protection under EU law. The Wildlife Trusts look forward to working with MPs to ensure the environment stays high on the agenda.”

To find out more about the Environment Pledge, visit www.wildlifetrusts.org/Brexit