LABOUR called on the government yesterday to take urgent action over the “public health emergency” caused by air pollution after the High Court ruled that ministers’ plan to reduce smog was unlawful.

Shadow environment minister Holly Lynch said the government’s actions failed to reflect the severity of the situation. 

Emissions of poisonous nitrogen dioxide have been responsible for around 40,000 premature deaths a year, she told MPs during an urgent question in the Commons on the matter.

The government also released a press statement that appeared to spin the third court ruling against it as “some sort of win,” she added.

Environmental lawyers from ClientEarth brought the three cases against the government.

Eight years after Britain was found to be in breach of legal limits on nitrogen dioxide, levels were still too high in 37 out of 43 zones across the country, the High Court had heard.

Mr Justice Garnham, in his ruling on Wednesday, said the government’s approach to tackle pollution was not good enough.

In the Commons, Ms Lynch said: “Here we find ourselves once again having to take the government to court and summon them to the dispatch box in order for them to take any action on this serious issue of public health.”

She questioned whether ministers could be trusted with the environment given their “ducking and diving” in dealing with illegal pollution levels.

Environment Minister Therese Coffey told MPs that the government would work with local authorities to address the problem.

But Ms Lynch asked ministers to confirm what level of support would be given to “cash-strapped local authorities.”

A number of Labour and Tory MPs urged Ms Coffey to consider a diesel vehicle scrappage scheme. 

She replied that the government had included such a scheme in a consultation on anti-pollution measures.