GREEN PARTY LEADER CALLS FOR FOSSIL FUEL TAX TO FUND FIREFIGHTING HELICOPTERS

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, has called for fossil fuel producers to finance firefighting helicopters, following recent wildfires across the UK. Speaking at a press conference in central London on Wednesday, Polanski described the situation as "the biggest threat to this country since the Second World War" and urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to halt new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, specifically naming the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields off the Scottish coast. Polanski stated that the government had produced "no emergency briefings, no new plan and precious little detail about how this government will protect people from the crisis".

Several wildfires have erupted in recent weeks, including incidents at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys in South Wales, and within the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Polanski called for a robust wildfire prevention strategy and a fire service with adequate resources, stating that firefighting helicopters should be funded through taxation of fossil fuel companies rather than relying on charities to contract private firms. He also advocated for water companies to be brought into public ownership, arguing that shareholder profits were being prioritised over infrastructure maintenance during drought conditions.

BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham joined Polanski at the press conference and called for policymakers to implement a wildfire warning system. Polanski addressed the Prime Minister directly, saying: "I hope you will have the courage to be truthful, be brave and hold firm to your party's commitment to no new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, including both Rosebank and Jackdaw."