Chris Packham just interviewed Corbyn and his solution to oil row is ‘shorter working week’
Chris Packham speaks to Jeremy Corbyn about new oil and gas licences
TWITTER/CHRIS PACKHAM
Naturalist Chris Packham has interviewed former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as part of the presenter's "No New Oil" campaign.
Packham, 62, has accused the government of putting its focus "on votes over the biggest crisis to ever face humanity" after it approved the licensing of 100 new oil and gas fields.
The presenter has taken to the streets of Westminster to demand the government - and other political parties - stop sanctioning future licences for oil and gas and vow to do so if they get into power.
In a clip from the streets of Westminster in which Packham spoke to Corbyn about the situation, the former Labour leader has a rather bizarre solution.
"Should we be taxing the fossil fuel giants that are making these grotesque profits at the moment?" Packham probed.
Corbyn replied: "That would be a very good place to begin because the profits they've made are absolutely astronomical and out of the vagaries of gas and oil prices.
Chris Packham protested in Westminster this week
PA
"That would be a good start, to invest in those industries, protect those jobs, and convert into things that are sustainable."
However, he then reeled off: "But on the longer scale, I think we need to be looking at things like shorter working week (and) Universal Basic Income."
Trying to explain his thinking, he continued: "So that people aren't threatened by environmental sustainability, they see an advantage and a benefit to themselves."
Packham followed up his question by suggesting transitioning away from new oil and gas licenses "makes not only environmental but economic sense" according to the government's own reports.
After asking Corbyn why the government isn't therefore adopting this approach, the MP replied: "(It's) a very narrow approach they often take.
"Too often (they) listen to the headlines of the day rather than the reality of people's lives.
"Actually, climate change, environmental disasters, cost us all - you said 1.1 percent, I suspect it may well be much more than that.
"Look at the increase in the number of fires taking place, look at the increase in flooding, look at the issues of coastal communities and how (they're) affected...
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Chris Packham marched on the House of Parliament
PA
"And look at the health implications of foul air in too many of our cities where children are losing up to 15 percent of their lung capacity before they even start school."
Packham's latest eco tirade comes just days after he suggested to GB News that the House of Commons could be "covered in solar panels" in a bid to help the environment.
"When it comes to solar, what about the roof of the House of Commons? We could cover it with solar panels," he said.
He also commented: "We soon begin to accept changes in our landscape, and this is a time we have to change.
“We have to change our minds and practices, if we don’t, we don’t have a future."
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