Sir Keir Starmer<\/a>\u2019s war on bats and newts<\/a> risks breaching Britain\u2019s post-Brexit trade deal with the EU<\/a>, a secret report has warned. <\/p>\n The prime minister<\/a> has vowed to rip up protections for the animals <\/a>as part of a drive to slash planning red tape and get Britain building again. <\/p>\n But a leaked EU report has warned that plans, aimed at boosting economic growth,<\/a> could violate the terms of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). <\/p>\n The confidential document, revealed by Politico, said the measures could breach \u201cnon-regression\u201d clauses agreed by former prime minister Boris Johnson<\/a> when he led Britain out of the EU. <\/p>\n It said: \u201cThe revision of environmental planning rules to facilitate building new developments is potentially in breach of the EU-UK TCA.\u201d <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n The government has vowed to stop newts and bats blocking building (PA Wire)<\/p>\n It also noted Chancellor Rachel Reeves<\/a>\u2019 repeated criticism of bats and newts as obstacles to economic growth, which it said was \u201ca reference found in virtually every government interview and speech on the subject\u201d. <\/p>\n The report highlighted \u201cmonths of government rhetoric against \u2018red tape\u2019\u201d and said the PM and chancellor<\/a> have \u201cspecifically targeted environmental regulations, downplaying their effectiveness, if not ridiculing them\u201d.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Newts have threatened to block the development of a swimming pool at Boris Johnson\u2019s country manor<\/p>\n The leaked report was shared between the European Commission<\/a> and EU member states last week and did not contain any reference to Brussels seeking redress for any potential breaches. The TCA underpins Britain\u2019s trade with the bloc and is up for review next year. <\/p>\n Environmental groups have also hit out at the government\u2019s anti-bat and newt rhetoric, which was spurred in part by the revelation that the HS2 rail project had spent more than \u00a3100 million building a \u201cshed\u201d for bats. <\/p>\n Setting out her plans to boost the economy in January, Ms Reeves vowed the government would let developers \u201cfocus on getting things built and stop worrying over the bats and the newts\u201d. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n An artist\u2019s impression of the so-called bat tunnel at Sheephouse Wood which is set to cost \u00a3100 million (HS2\/PA) (PA Media)<\/p>\n The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) has said the chancellor\u2019s language about bats is \u201cdeeply concerning\u201d and that she \u201cwrongly blames bats for slowing housebuilding and infrastructure projects\u201d. <\/p>\n BCT president and environmental campaigner Chris Packham<\/a> has accused Ms Reeves of \u201cscapegoating\u201d bats. <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/f8fc80af82aa91525d82088de7daef59Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzQ2ODc4MDM0-2.80036372.jpg\")
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