Gove’s housing plans are latest divergence from promised ‘green Brexit’

Post-Brexit environment watchdog put to the test as local authorities in England told to ignore extra sewage from new developments

Michael Gove vowed in 2017, when trying to reassure remainers that leaving the EU did not mean leaving its standards behind, that Brexit would strengthen environmental protections" in the UK.

But this week, the first proper ripping-up of an EU environmental rule was proposed by Gove himself, who has transitioned from proclaiming the virtues of a green Brexit" to referring to the very rules he promised to protect as defective".