FROM FIREBRAND TO CUDDLY KITTEN - BUT TONY JUNIPER INSISTS: I WILL NOT BE A 'YES' MAN

I'm the person for the job - Tony Juniper giving evidence earlier today

HARD-hitting environmental campaigner Tony Juniper turned cuddly kitten when he was grilled today by a panel of MPs seeking assurances on his suitability to fill the vacant position of chairman of Natural England.

Throughout the session,  he was engaging, polite, suave and unflustered in his response to 95 minutes’ worth of pre-appointment questioning - some of it rigorous - at the House of Commons.

Kitten maybe, but one with teeth and claws.

As proceedings reached their conclusion, he insisted: “If offered the position, don’t expect me to be a ‘yes’ man!”

Mr Juniper has a tendency to waffle - a commonplace flaw in individuals with knowledge that is both wide-ranging and in-depth.

Intermittently, he was interrupted by committee chairman Neil Parish who demanded yes-or-no answers.

But for the most part the panel seemed impressed by his understanding of the challenges.  faced by Natural England - an organisation severely strapped for cash following relentless cutting of its budget and  and where staff morale seems for ever to have  been on a downward spiral.

Given the funding pressures, he acknowledged it would be difficult to meet rising expectations on nature conservation, but he stressed: “Reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency are things  we must strive for at every turn.”

Mr Juniper made no secret of his intention for Natural England’s voice to be independent of that of its  government sister, Defra -  and  preferably one with its own press office.

If offered the chair, nominally a two-day-a week position, he said he would quit his role both as chief executive (a three- month notice period is required) of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and as honorary president of the Wildlife Trusts - in both cases  because of potential conflict of interest.

He said he would also reflect on whether he should lapse his membership of the Green Party of which he is a former parliamentary candidate and to whom he donated £50 to the 2017 election campaign of Caroline Lucas. the only green MP.

Mr Juniper said. however, that he would hope to retain a role with the Robertsbridge Group - an organisation which advises companies on environmental issues, both here and overseas, and in which he has a two per cent shareholding.  

He would also hoped to retain the capacity to give occasional speeches (his most recent was to students in Falmouth, Cornwall, on the importance of rain forests).

In the past, Mr Juniper has vigorously opposed the culling of badgers, transmitters of bovine TB, in favour of vaccination of cattle herds deemed to be at risk.

But, as chairman of Natural England, he would take a fresh look at the science. He would not oppose culling if it remained government policy.

Asked how he would balance the sometimes conflicting interests of conserving nature with that of accepting the requirement on farmers to provide food as plentifully as possible, he said he would be urging an “integrated” approach.

“Integration is better than balance,” he argued. “Attitudes and scientific knowledge are evolving.The two approaches need not be mutually exclusive.

“Wherever possible, we need to find a sweet spot where all parties are winners.”

If appointed chairman, Mr Juniper hopes to full a serve six years - a three-year period with the option to extend for a similar span.

The job description specifies two days’ work a week, but he said he thought, in reality, it might involve at least four.

He said his first priority in the post would be to hasten the recruitment of a new chief executive to fill the current vacancy at Natural England.

* See also:
https://thewryneck.blogspot.com/2019/02/campaigner-in-pole-position-to-land.html