UK criticised for failure to defend European nature protection laws

Nine countries warn European commission not to weaken birds and habitats directives in favour of cutting red tape for business - but UK is not among them

An alliance of nine European governments, led by Germany and including France, Spain, Italy and Poland, have written to the European commission to warn it not to dismantle nature protection laws.

But conservationists have questioned why Britain is not part of the effort to publicly defend the habitats and birds directives ahead of a review by the commission aimed at cutting red tape for business.