Boris 'the Builder' Johnson has found a new scapegoat: the humble newt | Jules Howard

The PM says counting these protected amphibians is a barrier to economic recovery. But there's room in the pond for bothFirst, I should lay down my cards and show my hand. My name is Jules, and I am a card-carrying fan of newts. I have a pond. I once ran an amphibian helpline for people with questions about newts. I have worn a newt costume at family events. I can't stress this enough: I genuinely like newts.Earlier this week, newts featured in Johnson's Build, build, build speech - where plans were announced to revive Britain's flagging economy with a programme of construction - housing, hospitals, prisons, roads, schools. But this wasn't a star turn for newts. Far from it. Continue reading...