Cornwall’s Labour MPs Welcome Council U-Turn on Glyphosate Weedkiller Plans

Cornwall’s four Labour MPs have welcomed Cornwall Council’s decision to pause its proposal to reintroduce glyphosate-based weedkillers on roads and pavements until a full public consultation has been carried out.

As we reported earlier, the pause was agreed at a full meeting of Cornwall Council on Tuesday, where councillors voted 61 to seven in favour of a motion calling for the chemical weed treatment programme – originally scheduled to begin in May – to be halted pending meaningful public engagement.

MPs’ letter to the Council

Ahead of the vote, Anna Gelderd (South East Cornwall), Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth), Perran Moon (Camborne, Redruth and Hayle) and Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay) wrote jointly to Council Leader Cllr Leigh Frost and Transport Portfolio Holder Cllr Dan Rogerson, urging them to reconsider.

The MPs raised concerns about the environmental impact of glyphosate, the limited evidence underpinning the proposal, and the short opt-out window given to town and parish councils – many of whom had already set their 2026/27 budgets by the time Cornwall Council’s letter arrived on 30 March. Newquay Town Council went as far as accusing Cornwall Council of “contempt” over the rollout in a strongly-worded letter sent on the day the opt-out deadline expired.

The MPs also pointed to the ongoing national review of glyphosate, with further guidance expected later in 2026, arguing that bringing the chemical back into routine use before that review concluded risked adopting an approach that might soon be revised.

Reaction from the MPs

Following the pause, the MPs thanked residents who had contacted them, along with town and parish councils and Cornwall councillors who pushed for the proposal to be reconsidered.

Anna Gelderd MP had said ahead of the decision: “By rushing through this proposal, local people, as well as Town and Parish Councils, have been left without enough of a say in the process to reintroduce glyphosate across Cornwall. As South East Cornwall’s MP, it’s my job to ensure that people’s voices are heard.”

Jayne Kirkham MP said town and parish councils had been given “just weeks to decide, with opting out pushing significant costs onto already set budgets,” adding that the approach “does not feel like genuine partnership working with our local communities.”

Perran Moon MP said he was “deeply concerned about the reintroduction of weed killer containing glyphosate,” citing both the health and environmental implications and the short-notice opt-out system placing strain on parish budgets.

Noah Law MP was more direct, saying: “We know that Cornwall Council struggles to remove the weeds, and we all want to see the issue resolved, but the decision of the Lib Dem-run Council to use carcinogenic forever chemicals is mind bogglingly absurd.”

Wider opposition

The MPs’ intervention was one part of a wave of opposition. More than 13,000 people signed petitions against the plan – including one launched by Redruth Town Council – and over 200 healthcare professionals wrote to the council warning of cancer risks. Protestors – including beekeepers, medical practitioners and parish councillors – gathered outside New County Hall in Truro on the morning of the vote.

The motion, tabled by Newquay mayor and Cornwall councillor Drew Creek and seconded by Cllr Karen La Borde, called on the cabinet to recognise the reintroduction as a significant policy reversal with ecological, public health and democratic implications. It also committed the council to extending the opt-out window to 30 days once the public consultation results are published, and to reviewing the financial terms of the scheme.