RYEDALE MP Kevin Hollinrake has pledged to champion the environment by joining the so-called Conservative Environment Network (CEN) group.

Mr Hollinrake has signed up to CEN’s core pledges to “promote environmental policies and protections” in both his constituency and in Westminster.

CEN is described as “an independent network of like-minded conservative thinkers promoting conservative answers to environmental issues”.

Mr Hollinrake said: “I’ve long supported efforts to protect our natural inheritance and deliver clean growth.

“In the last year we’ve brought in a charge on plastic bags, banned microbeads, increased the maximum sentence for animal cruelty and announced an ambitious new 25-year Environmental Plan.

“I’m excited to work with CEN to deliver policies that protect and enhance our environment for future generations.”

Pledges by CEN include to “act on climate change”, to “build properly designed housing” and to “tackle air pollution”.

The Thirsk & Malton Labour Party said it “welcomed” Mr Hollinrake’s “new-found conversion” to environmental care, but suggested it was at odds with the Government’s record.

In 2015, the Conservatives scrapped plans originally laid down by Gordon Brown to make new homes carbon neutral by 2016.

At the start of 2016, the Conservatives slashed support for solar energy, which caused installations to plummet. In 2017, growth in household solar halved.

Conservative policies have also led to a collapse in onshore wind - which statistics show is the cheapest form of renewable energy. Since the Government introduced new planning guidance, England has seen a 94 per cent collapse in new planning applications for wind energy.

In 2018, the party protected motorists by freezing fuel duty for the ninth consecutive year.

He is also a supporter of fracking.

Alan Avery, of Thirsk and Malton Labour, said: “We trust that Mr Hollinrake read the pledges made by the CEN before he signed up.”