MICHAEL Gove has done his fair share of stupid things as Environment Secretary, including trying to remove climate change from the curriculum in England to calling for EU nature protection rules to be slashed.
In his latest blunder, Gove said he will reduce his use of single-use plastics for Lent – while drinking from a disposable cup.
The cup was originally thought to be plastic but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed the cup was compostible.
Compostable, plant-based cups were introduced to the Houses of Parliament last year to replace existing single-use plastic items.
The cup Gove used was made from polylactic acid, PLA, a renewable alternative to plastic.
But environmental campaigners say reusable cups are still better for the planet and critics point out that many products that are labelled biodegradable cannot just be thrown onto a compost heap with food waste.
Gove said he will "seek to minimise" his use of single-use plastic.
But Tory MP Neil Parish responded to Gove saying: "You're qualifying it now, either you're giving it up or you're not giving it up."
Gove responded by saying he would "reduce" his use of single-use plastic to which Parish said he is "still going to watch [Gove] with great interest".
Environment Secretary Michael Gove says he will reduce his use of single-use plastics for Lent.
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) 6 March 2019
It was reported, including by Channel 4 News, that he was drinking from a plastic cup while making the statement - it was in fact compostable, DEFRA have said. pic.twitter.com/J9myqmQuoY
A Labour Party spokesman said: “This is classic hypocrisy from Michael Gove, and the public have seen enough of his grandstanding.
“He should give up on the PR stunts and focus on turning his rhetoric on the environment into genuine action.”
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