It was reported on 16 July that County Durham council, presently dominated by Reform UK, is now thought to have become the first council in the country, to revoke its climate declaration. In its place the council has declared a care emergency.

Darren Grimes, Deputy Leader of Durham County Council and a former presenter on GB News was reported as saying: “We are done with expensive virtue signalling tripe and care about our residents,” and was also noted as saying that the ongoing social care crisis is the “most urgent threat to the well-being of our children and the financial stability of our county”

It was also said that the previous council had approved an environment pledge aimed at achieving net zero emissions by 2045 running alongside the current Climate Emergency Response Plan.

Another Reform councillor, Andrew Husband seemed to hint that global warming would be a good thing as: “During the Roman-occupied era not far away from County Durham, around 45AD, there is evidence of Roman vineyards along Hadrian’s Wall. This is because the Roman period in Britain is known for having a relatively warm climate which would have been conducive to growing grapes. Mind, how the climate has changed”

Reform led County Durham Council scraps climate declaration, northeastbylines.co.uk