‘Cheap fags deny NHS essential tax’ says litter pick MP
‘SICKENING SELFISHNESS’ OF LITTER LOUTS AND SMOKERS
AN MP has slammed the “sickening selfishness” of litter louts in East Yorkshire after spotting knock-off cigarette packets left strewn on the ground.
Andrew Percy, the MP for Brigg and Goole, said he had been on a litter pick in Goole on Friday morning after spotting the amount of waste on the ground while on his daily exercise.
But he said he was especially infuriated by the empty knock-off cigarette packets he had seen among that rubbish, which he said was “denying the NHS and other public services vital taxation at the time when health and social care costs are rocketing due to Covid-19”.
In a Facebook post on Friday afternoon, Mr Percy said: “I joined Goole councillors, Anne Handley, Nick Coultish and Barbara Jeffreys for a spot of litter picking on Tom Pudding Way in Goole this morning.
“The councillors undertake regular litter picks and I suggested this road after seeing the appalling amount litter down it on my daily exercise.
“We managed to get nine bags of litter, which were duly collected by East Riding Council. We will be doing more picks next week.
“There is perhaps a need for more bins on this stretch of road, but that doesn’t excuse people throwing their trash around without a thought for how it makes our town look.
“There was the usual array of rubbish but I have to confess that what really gets my goat is the large amount of knock-off cigarette packets.
“If you are one of those who buys knock-off fags from one of the well known vendors in the town can I say thank you for denying the NHS and other public services vital taxation at the time when health and social care costs are rocketing due to Covid-19. “Your selfishness is sickening. “Moreover, what sits behind knock-off booze and cigarette sales is normally organised crime which often involves modern slavery, violence and the exploitation of vulnerable people. Still, as long as you get your cheap fags.” of