Green party says Tories' environment rhetoric is dangerous

Caroline Lucas derides 'fluffy communications strategy' and 'inadequate' action on plastics

The Conservative party's rhetoric on the environment is a "fluffy communications strategy" when change on plastics could happen in half the time pledged, the co-leader of the Greens has said ahead of her party conference speech.

Caroline Lucas will use her speech on Saturday in Bournemouth to call for petrol and diesel-only new cars to be phased out by 2030 and a deposit return scheme on drinks containers to be launched by the end of the year.