Zac Goldmsith on David Cameron's miserable betrayal on bin bags

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Campaigner tables Early Day Motion backing campaign

By Sean Poulter for the Daily Mail
Updated: 05:17 EST, 4 August 2011

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The failure by the Government to tackle the blight of plastic bags has been condemned as ‘miserable’ by the Tories’ own environment champion.

Zac Goldsmith has called on David Cameron to show leadership and take action to encourage a shift to green reusable alternatives.

He has tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons backing the Mail’s Banish the Bags campaign, and it is expected to get all-party backing.

Zac Goldsmith has tabled an Early Day Motion backing the Banish the Bags campaign

David Cameron is being pressured to do more about carrier bags by Zac Goldsmith

Attack: Zac Goldsmith has condemned David Cameron and his own Tory party for their action over plastic bags and has also tabled an Early Day Motion backing the Mail's Banish the Bags campaign

The breadth of support was confirmed after the powerful group of London Councils, which represents all parties, last night joined calls for action.

The Welsh Assembly is imposing a 5p charge on all throwaway bags in an attack on waste in just eight weeks.

The move, backed by all parties, is predicted to slash the number of bags given away at tills by up to 90per cent, while raising as much as £3million a year for good causes.

Support: Nick Clegg backed plans to banish the bags before becoming Deputy Prime Minister but has done nothing since coming to power

A similar scheme across the UK could cut the total by nine billion while at the same time raising £50million a year for charities and other good causes, linked to tackling litter, cleaning up beaches and protecting wildlife.

Mr Goldsmith has a long record of campaigning on environmental issues.

He is a critic of the party leadership’s failure to live up to pre-election promises on plastic bags, waste, farming and animal welfare.

Before the election, David Cameron and Nick Clegg both backed the Daily Mail’s Banish the Bags campaign to reduce the billions given away on the high street.

However, they have done nothing in government. Rather, they accepted promises by retailers that voluntary measures would lead to a reduction.

In fact, figures published last week revealed that the number of bags issued by one group of large retailers rose by 333million last year to reach 6.4billion.

The true figure, when all the large chains and smaller stores are taken into account, is likely to be more than ten billion a year – an average of 384 per household.

Plastic blight: Figures published last week have revealed one retail group issued 6.4bn bags last year - a rise of 333million

Mr Goldsmith, the MP for Richmond, said: ‘Plastic bags cause immense damage throughout the world, and absolutely symbolise the mindlessness of our throwaway society. The Government needs to accept that the voluntary approach simply hasn’t worked, and that it’s time for a bit of leadership.

‘The Mail’s campaign has shown that introducing a charge or even a ban would be effective, straightforward and popular with much of the public. The Government’s approach to waste has been pretty miserable, and action on this issue would bolster its green credentials.’

His Early Day Motion calls on the Government to implement the Welsh policy across the country.

In 2008, the London Councils organisation was behind a Parliamentary Bill designed to provide the power to impose bag charges in the capital.

The move was dropped following assurances by the then Labour government and civil servants that the issue would be tackled.

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Italy isn't know for its green credentials but it has introduced a total ban on throwaway carriers

A clause was included in the Climate Change Act providing the legal power to implement charges, while retailers promised to take voluntary measures to cut bag numbers.

However, the London Councils, through its chairman Jules Pipe, said the voluntary measures have failed and it is now time for action.

The comments from all sides of the political spectrum turn the spotlight on the Environment Secretary, Caroline Spelman. To date, Miss Spelman, who has been lobbied heavily by the supermarkets not to support bag charges, has no policy to reduce the numbers.

MPs can table Early Day Motions to raise topical issues that are important to constituents and put pressure on the government to take action. Other MPs have the opportunity to sign them to demonstrate their support and so turn up the heat on ministers.