Lawyers say Gove proposals for Brexit environmental watchdog are useless

Bar Council say planned new UK watchdog lacks teeth, as it will not be able to take the government to court

A new watchdog supposed to safeguard the UK's environment after Brexit will lack the legal "teeth" necessary to hold the government to account, the country's top lawyers have said.

According to the Bar Council, the body to be charged with overseeing the UK's environmental protections would not be able to take the government to court, a key power under the current legislation which comes from the EU.