Reed delivered a rousing speech on Wednesday night (4 September) as part of think-tank Green Alliance’s 45th anniversary gathering in Westminster.

He said: “We live in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and that is not just a disgrace, it is an absolute tragedy. We have to stop it and we have to reverse it.

“I want to use this opportunity to make this the most nature-positive government this nation has ever had. This is an ambition we can make real. Two months after the election, it is dawning that we can do stuff rather than just talking about it.