I’ve been delighted to lend my support to a campaign by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) and Friends of the Earth to dramatically reduce plastic pollution and the amount of plastic we use.

The Plastic Pollution Bill which calls for government to set targets to phase out non-essential single use plastics by 2025 and eradicate almost all plastic pollution by 2042.

People in Lancaster and Fleetwood have told me they want urgent action to tackle the plastic waste that is blighting our environment and harming our wildlife. With 12 million tons of plastic ending up in the sea each year, we simply cannot wait any longer to take action.

That’s why I am backing the Plastic Pollution Bill to stem the plastic tide and help preserve our environment for future generations.

WI members have been taking action in their own communities to reduce their own use of plastic and encourage others to the same but as individuals they say they can only do so much.

The figures are shocking. Only 9% of all plastic waste has ever been recycled. And WI research has highlighted that by simply washing synthetic clothes this releases trillions of tiny plastic fibres every week. If we are to end the scourge of plastic pollution we need strategic action from government and I urge the government to take the opportunity to lead on this hugely important issue.