UK gives £600m backing to Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘carbon bomb’ petrochemical plant

Campaigners say Ineos project in Antwerp will turbocharge plastic production on a scale not seen before in Europe

The UK government is providing a 700m (600m) guarantee for the billionaire Jim Ratcliffe to build the biggest petrochemical plant in Europe in 30 years that will turbocharge plastic production.

The huge petrochemical plant has been described as a carbon bomb" by campaigners. Being constructed in the Belgian city of Antwerp by Ratcliffe's company Ineos, it will bring plastic production to Europe on a scale not seen before, just as countries are trying to negotiate a binding global treaty to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution.