Labour blocks proposal for ‘swift bricks’ in all new homes

MPs had previously backed Conservative amendment to ask developers to provide hollow bricks for endangered birds

Providing every new home with at least one swift brick" to help endangered cavity-nesting birds has been rejected by Labour at the committee stage of its increasingly controversial planning bill.

The amendment to the bill to ask every developer to provide a 35 hollow brick for swifts, house martins, sparrows and starlings, which was tabled by Labour MP Barry Gardiner, has been rejected by the Labour-dominated committee.