Local councillor tackles Minister over waste and pollution

11.23.51am GMT Wed 5th Jul 2006

Lib Dem Group Leader on Cambridgeshire County Council, Julian Huppert, today challenged David Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, about what he would do to reduce the levels of waste and pollution from people and businesses.

David Miliband was speaking at the opening of the Annual Meeting of the Local Government Association in Bournemouth. His reply was minimal: "I've said as much as I want to say."

Mr Miliband also spoke about the need for locally-generated energy, and Coun Huppert asked how he squared that belief with Tony Blair's drive for nuclear power.

Coun Huppert commented:

"Urgent action to reduce waste and pollution is needed, and I had hoped the Minister had plans to actually deliver improvements to our environment. Sadly, all he could offer were warm words - which won't help to reduce global warming!

"As for nuclear power, he can either argue for small-scale environmentally friendly power generation, or hugely expensive centrally-driven nuclear plans - but he can't do both! I know which one I support."