Searle slams PM for disproportionate focus on plastic bags

In his speech, Brown said disposable plastic bags were "one of the most visible symbols of environmental waste".

He said supermarkets could "go further" than their commitment to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bags by 25% over the next year.

Brown said: "Indeed, I am convinced that we can eliminate single-use disposable bags altogether in favour of long-lasting and more sustainable alternatives.

"So the government will convene a forum of the supermarkets, the British Retail Consortium and other interested groups to urgently assess together how, and how quickly, this reduction can be achieved."

Searle also accused Brown of "undermining" the Waste and Resources Action Programme's (Wrap) new campaign to tackle food waste by placing such an emphasis on plastic bags without mentioning the environmental impact of food waste sent to landfill.

And he said Brown needed to focus more on the massive changes needed in areas such as car use and home heating, which were far bigger contributors to climate change.

Brown also used his speech to spell out the need to move from an economy based on fossil fuels to one using renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and "potentially" nuclear power.

Searle said it was a "no-brainer" that nuclear power would be required.

"Anyone you talk to in the energy industry will tell you that renewables are possible in the long-term, but they are going to contribute rather than be a replacement," he said.

Click here to read the Prime Minister's speech.

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