THE national battle to contain climate change entered a new era this month when the Environment Secretary, a Conservative, blamed the Cumbrian floods on global warming. Her statement is immediately relevant to the anti-building campaign to Save the Meadows in Britford Lane, Salisbury.

Mrs Liz Truss even said in the House of Commons that the Government’s predications for future flooding would now have to be updated.

Campaigners have raised a raft of objections, including that houses by the river could be inundated by floods when climate change is at its predicted worse with the river valley acting as a conduit and that the official flood maps are out of date.

Already, Salisbury is experiencing strange weather patterns such as the present mild winter and intense rainfalls.

In contrast to the rest of Salisbury people, who have condemned the building plans, two of our civic leaders have been prominent by their silence, namely, the Bishop and the MP.

Now, in the light of the Government’s position, surely both must take up their rightful place at the head of the conservation campaign.

The Bishop, the Rt Rev Nicholas Holtham, is no less than the bishops’ spokesman on climate change in the House of Lords. As far as I know, he has said nothing publicly about saving the meadows. But a word from him, speaking with episcopal authority, could end the problem.

The Bishop has to appoint a new master to St Nicholas Hospital in the spring, the present master’s tenure ending then. He could appoint a man or woman opposed to building and his spiritual advice, to the trustees, who include a clergyman and leading laypersons, should ensure that the planning application falls.

And the MP, Mr John Glenn, should note what his party leaders are saying and join the city council Conservatives, in publicly opposing this potentially disastrous plan.

Unless, of course, his silence indicates a split in the local Conservatives.

PETER BLACKLOCK Salisbury