Bit of a rhetorical question I know, it is the first option of any government to dip its hands into peoples pockets.
Mail.
Shoppers are to be charged 5p for plastic bags in supermarkets and other large stores.A far more simple solution would have been to insist that supermarkets used biodegradable bags, but no, Cleggy boy thinks the 5p should be given to enviroloony charities to clear up the mess, rather than actually deal with the cause. Oh it might reduce the use of such bags, it has in Wales and Northern Ireland, but if usage does come down, it doesn't eliminate the problem, merely stuffs the buyer with an additional cost on top of their shopping.
The move by ministers is a victory for the Daily Mail’s Banish the Bags campaign which has highlighted the menace of carrier bags.
The Government gave the stores an ultimatum that if they couldn’t curb the use of bags by voluntary efforts, they would be forced to act.
But after a brief reduction, the past two years have seen a sharp rise in the use of throwaway bags – to a shocking seven billion a year.
Whilst I'm all for cleaning up the environment, this won't do it, it might slow it down, but it's putting other peoples money into the hands of unaccountable charities to promote their own agendas which in the past haven't exactly been taxpayer friendly. Plus if I want to donate to charity, that ought to be my choice, not the governments which is why the so called fake charity money flow from the taxpayer by the government needs to be stopped as well. If it's a worthy cause, people will pay, the RNLI manage quite well without government support, the various environmental and health charities sucking at the taxpayers teat should either sink or swim by the same rules as the RNLI.
But no, Cleggy boy wants to promote his image by dipping once again into our pockets and give peoples money to charities they may not wish to support...
3 annotations:
The RNLI is a real charity which works well thanks to a lack of government input. Also, their public can see what a difficult dangerous and worthwhile job they do. Maybe some of the many fake charities should do something worthwhile; it might make a nice change for them and us taxpayers.
The 5p tax has been operating in Northern Ireland for a while, it's supposed to be an environment thing but as you say it's a tax on carrying stuff.
-richard
But, but, but, the SDLP Environment Minister in NI will be allocating the millions (lol!) raised to environmental greenie projects of his own choosing, and we'll all feel oh so good about that.
Meanwhile, if I go to the butcher, I have to buy a bag to carry my lamb chops, chicken fillets and sausages home in....maybe I'll save a few pennies by putting it all in the bag I had to buy in M&S to carry home the shirt and socks I purchased.
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