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		Defra must not cut more cash from London's canals Wednesday, 21st November 2007 Brussels, 21st November 2007 - A Conservative Euro-MP has today vowed to fight further cuts to London's canal network after it was revealed Ministers are considering slashing Defra's budget by up to £270 million. Syed Kamall, Conservative MEP for London said this would be the second year of swingeing cutbacks at British Waterways as a result of Defra's poor financial planning. This summer, animal disease outbreaks, floods and problems in administering the Single Farm Payment have caused Defra - which runs 50 departments and agencies - to face another shortfall, and top officials are proposing savings of between £130 and £270 million to balance the books. Mr Kamall said that many London services could be hit, including recycling, energy saving and Natural England, which protects the wildlife and helps maintain London's parks and urban green spaces. Mr Kamall has written to Environment secretary, Hilary Benn, asking him to clarify how the cuts will affect London. He said: "Londoners' tax bills have soared in the past decade, yet Defra is making swingeing cuts to services which affect Londoners for the second year in a row. This government is costing the earth." "When you consider Foot and Mouth came from a government laboratory and the extra Single Farm Payment costs were caused by the government's own incompetence, it does seem unfair to ask Londoners to suffer." "Our canals are already struggling to cope with the cuts imposed on them last year. They cannot afford to lose more money and vital staff." "Why should London's environment suffer as a result of the government's incompetence?"