'Don't sell off our forests' plea
Posted at 8:45 AM (PST) on Sunday, January 23, 2011

UK Press Association
January 22, 2011

Famous names ranging from Annie Lennox and Dame Judi Dench to the Archbishop of Canterbury have implored the Government not to sell off the country's publicly-owned forests.

Almost 90 prominent figures signed a letter claiming that such a sale would be "misjudged and short-sighted".

The long list of concerned celebrities, politicians, media figures and others includes artist Tracey Emin, model Lily Cole, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, novelist Julian Barnes, actress Gillian Anderson, broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, actor Richard E Grant and designer Dame Vivienne Westwood.

The letter by the Save England's Forests campaign said a bill being debated in Parliament would allow the Government to sell the entire public forest estate to commercial interests on the open market.

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