Advertisement

Straw wars! Michael Gove hits back after top EU official mocks him over plans for post-Brexit straws ban

Michael Gove, the Environment secreatary - Getty Images Europe
Michael Gove, the Environment secreatary - Getty Images Europe

One of the European Union’s top officials has mocked Michael Gove’s plans to try to ban plastic straws after Brexit.

Frans Timmermans, the deputy to EU Commission president Jean Claude Juncker, pointed out that the EU was already planning to ban the straws later this year.

The Environment secretary raised the prospect of a ban on the straws in an interview withChopper’s Brexit Podcast today.

Mr Gove told the Podcast: “Watch this space. If it is bad, then banning it is a good thing. But we have to take a balanced approach towards the EU.

“There are some good things about the EU but one of the things about being inside the EU is that there are some steps that we might to take environmentally but can’t yet.”

But Mr Timmermans said in response that the EU was “one step ahead of you” adding that “the EU doesn’t suck” with the taglines “Stronger Together “ and “Plastics Strategy”.

He wrote on Twitter: "EU legislation on single-use plastics coming before the summer. Maybe you can align with us?"

Mr Gove hit back on Twitter saying that the "EU doesn't suck" adding: "One step ahead of you. EU legislation on single-use plastics coming before the summer. Maybe you can align with us?"

A spokesman for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs added:  “The EU has promised ‘analytical work’ on the ‘scope of a legislative initiative’ to ‘reduce’ single use plastics.

"No proposal to ban plastic straws has been brought forward yet. Through our 25 year plan for the environment we are showing global leadership to reduce the plastic waste that damages our seas and wider natural environment."

“We have already introduced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in personal care products in England, the first European country to do so, and are already taking action towards our goal of zero avoidable waste.

The Marine Conservation Society estimates the UK uses 8.5 billion straws every year which are among the top 10 items found in beach clean-ups.

In January the Prime Minister Theresa May said she wanted to eliminate all avoidable plastic within 25 years.

Restaurants including JD Wetherspoon, Wagamama and Pizza Express have said plastic straws would be phased out or only made available on request.

Franz Timmerman - Credit:  Francois Lenoir/ Francois Lenoir
Franz Timmerman Credit: Francois Lenoir/ Francois Lenoir

The Queen has also sought to reduce plastic straw usage at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Last month Therese Coffey, one of Mr Gove’s ministerial team, said adults should "act responsibly" by stopping asking for plastic straws in their alcoholic drinks.

Ms Coffey, the 'minister for litter', has regularly tweeted support for the increasing number of restaurant and bar chains which are stopping offering plastic drinking straws, dubbing them "strawpedoes".

She said on Twitter that she hoped the changing public mood would "signal the end of strawpedoes, we (esp adults) don't need plastic straws to drink".

Ms Coffey is even understood to have challenged guests at political drinks parties by removing plastic straws from their glasses.

Ms Coffey told The Telegraph: "Littering is unacceptable behaviour and time is running out for litter louts. 

"We can all do our bit and encourage others to act responsibly on reducing waste, including in the choices we make everyday like do you really need a straw for that drink?"