A PROPSED law to make clean air a legal human right in the UK has gained renewed cross-party backing, with MPs including Wera Hobhouse supporting its reintroduction in Parliament.

On July 1, Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, joined a cross-party group of MPs supporting the reintroduction of Ella’s Law – a Bill that would make clean air a legal human right in the UK.

Ella’s Law, ‘The Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill’, was brought forward today by the MP for Brighton Pavilion, Siân Berry. Mrs Hobhouse is a sponsor of the Bill and has been a key supporter throughout its development. The Bill seeks to enshrine the right to breathe clean air in UK law, requiring the Government to achieve clean air across England by 1 January 2030, in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.

Ella’s Law is named in memory of nine-year old Ella Adoo Kissi-Debrah, whose death in 2013 was the first in England to be officially attributed to air pollution. Ella died following a severe asthma attack. The campaign is led by Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah CBE, Ella’s mother, who has tirelessly advocated for national legal limits on air pollution to prevent further tragedies.

Across Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) alone, around 12,000 people have asthma, with recent research indicating that 74 per cent of new UK cases occur in urban areas.

The Bath Clean Air Zone (CAZ), introduced in March 2021 as the first CAZ outside of London, was designed to help the city meet the UK’s air quality standards by reducing nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations. Since its introduction, NO₂ levels across Bath have dropped significantly.

The Bath MP praised the work of B&NES council in reducing local air pollution, but stressed the importance of improving air quality for people everywhere. .