Want to import toxic chemicals into Britain with scant scrutiny? Labour says: go right ahead | George Monbiot

Jacob Rees-Mogg's Tory fantasy of a post-Brexit bonfire of regulations is coming true. Our bodies and ecosystems will pay the price

It's what the extreme right of the Tory party wanted from Brexit: to tear down crucial public protections, including those that defend us from the most brutal and dangerous forms of capital. The Conservatives lost office before they were able to do their worst. But never mind, because Labour has now picked up the baton.

A month ago, so quietly that most of us missed it, the government published a consultation on deregulating chemicals. While most consultations last for 12 weeks, this one runs for eight, half of which cover the holiday period - it closes on 18 August. The intention is set out at the beginning: to reduce costs to business". This, as repeated statements by Keir Starmer make clear, means tearing up the rules.

George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist

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