Countryside campaigners are worried that there was little in the Coalition’s emergency budget to justify pre-election promises by the Tories to create the “greenest Government ever.”

In response to the Budget delivered by George Osborne, Ben Stafford, Head of Campaigns at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, commented:

"In a Budget that focused on significant cuts to spending and changes to taxation, the Chancellor had relatively little to say on the environment. We hope this does not indicate a retreat by Ministers from their desire to be 'the greenest Government ever' or the advocacy of environmental issues by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats when they were in Opposition.

"What we do know from Mr. Osborne's statement is that there will be 25 per cent cuts over the Parliament to non-ring-fenced Government Departments, and this will include the Environment, Climate Change and Communities Departments.

“ We will therefore be looking to Ministers to demonstrate quickly through their proposed planning reforms and Natural Environment White Paper how they will deliver real improvements for our countryside, wildlife and landscapes in a time of serious financial pressure. Better protection for the environment should be a high-profile, long-term investment."