SUPPORTING THE APPG FUTURE GENERATIONS “WELLBEING WEEK”

Simon Fell MP discussed hot topics with young people, including the environment and climate change, poverty and inequalities, as well as racial injustice and pandemics

• The Today for Tomorrow Campaign, run by The Big Issue and supported by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Future Generations, calls for new legislation that tackles short-term thinking, and focuses on Britain’s well-being

On Monday 25th January, Simon Fell MP for Barrow and Furness listened to young people aged 15 to 25, about their concerns for the future and for future generations.

These young people are ambassadors of Big Issue founder Lord Bird’s and Green MP Caroline Lucas’ Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill, which is currently making its way through the House of Commons.

Simon Fell MP, who has already co-signed the Bill, spoke to the young people about the pertinent issues affecting future generations. 

The young ambassadors of the Bill formed groups of three and met with Simon Fell MP for just five minutes. They each told their own individual story of why long-term thinking needs to be put into action now. 

They also asked MPs to co-sign a joint letter to Government, asking them to bring forward their own Government Bill on future generations, so that this most important of topics is implemented quickly. 

Simon Fell MP said: 

“It was fantastic to meet with young ambassadors of the Bill and I was inspired by some of their ideas on how we can improve lives for future generations. In just a short time we discussed women’s employment rights and climate change.

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on all of our lives, however it has also given us an opportunity to learn the lessons of Covid and to put in place mechanisms to ensure that in the future we are much better prepared for these sorts of occurrences, which are likely to become more frequent.

“I have a renewed sense of hope that we will be able to turn the clock back on some of the inequalities that sadly persist across generations in Britain today.”

Lord Bird, said: “Wellbeing Week provides an opportunity for us to rethink how we plan for the long-term, and that involves rewiring how our democracy works. My Future Generations Bill offers a way to level up prospects between current and future generations. It’s a chance to create a society we all want to live in.

“The pandemic has taught us how important it is to think about the future. We must place the wellbeing of future generations at the heart of policymaking, now.

“If, like me, you believe that future generations deserve a brighter tomorrow, then please join the campaign at www.todayfortomorrow.org.uk – thank you.”

The Bill will ensure that all non-devolved public bodies, including the UK Government, work to prevent problems - including global warming and poverty - from happening.  

As well as creating a ‘future generations test’ for all new policy changes, Lord Bird’s Bill calls for national well-being goals for the whole country to work towards, creates a UK Future Generations Commissioner to act as a guardian for the unborn, sets up a Joint-Committee on Future Generations in Parliament, and requires budgets to measure and increase their preventative spending.

You can sign up to the campaign on the website: www.todayfortomorrow.org.uk