Over 100 MPs pledge to #PassOnPlastic with Sky Ocean Rescue

Today, over 100 Members of Parliament signed a pledge to #PassOnPlastic with Sky Ocean Rescue. Environment Secretary Michael Gove, Environment Minister Dr Thérèse Coffey, Steve Double and Holly Lynch were among the MPs making a commitment to reduce their single-use plastic consumption, leading by example in their local constituencies. They join the likes of Ben Fogle and Cara Delevingne who have also committed to making their own pledge to #PassOnPlastic.

Sky Ocean Rescue’s whale, Plasticus, which is made up of a quarter of a ton of plastic – the amount that enters our oceans every second - arrived outside Parliament to bring to life the scale of the problem. Launched in January 2017, Sky Ocean Rescue aims to shine a spotlight on the issues of ocean health, particularly single-use plastic, and inspire people to make small changes. As a business, Sky is the first FTSE 100 company to commit to going single-use plastic free by 2020 this includes the packaging for its recently announced NOW TV Smart Stick and Sky Soundbox.

Sky’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Darroch said "2018 is the year to turn off the single-use plastic tap. It’s great to see MPs leading by example and encouraging others to make a change for the better. The pressure is now on businesses of all sizes to take action.”

Environment Secretary, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP said “Plastic has no place in our oceans, and I wholeheartedly support the work Sky’s Ocean Rescue campaign has done to put this issue in the hearts and minds of the public.

“We have already introduced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads and removed nine billion carrier bags from circulation, and through our ambitious 25 year plan for the environment I am determined we further crack down on the scourge of plastic choking our oceans.”

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP commented “I am delighted to support Sky Ocean Rescue and I welcome the move by Members of Parliament to reduce their single-use plastic consumption to protect our oceans. This is a critical environmental issue and I hope we will be able to further reduce single-use plastic waste throughout the Palace of Westminster in the future.”

Notes to editors:

High res images from the event at Parliament can be downloaded here

Full list of MPs who made a commitment

• Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
• Dr Therese Coffey MP
• Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP
• Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP
• Zac Goldsmith MP
• Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP
• Jess Phillips MP
• Steve Double MP
• Sarah Newton MP
• Luciana Berger MP
• Andrew Selous MP
• Mark Field MP
• Rt Hon David Hanson MP
• Seema Malhotra MP
• Wera Hobhouse MP
• David Drew MP
• John Lamont MP
• Martin Vickers MP
• Wendy Morton MP
• Maggie Throup MP
• Alison Thewliss MP
• Maria Eagle MP
• Angela Eagle MP
• Hugh Gaffney MP
• Rachel Maskell MP
• Richard Benyon MP
• Rt Hon Alistair Carmicheal MP
• Jo Churchill MP
• Barry Sheerman MP
• James Gray MP
• Neil Parish MP
• Matthew Offord MP
• Paula Sheriff MP
• Alan Mak MP
• Scott Mann MP
• Graham Jones MP
• Alex Chalk MP
• Coleen Fletcher MP
• Jessica Morden MP
• Judith Cummins MP
• Mims Davies MP
• Tracy Brabin MP
• Ruth Cadbury MP
• Jonathon Reynolds MP
• Sheryll Murray MP
• Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP
• James Cartledge MP
• Ben Bradshaw MP
• Tim Fallon MP
• Chi Onwurah MP
• Melanie Onn MP
• Victoria Prentis MP
• Kevin Hollinrake MP
• Rosie Winterton MP
• Steven Lloyd MP
• Mohammad Yasin MP
• Stephen Gethins MP
• Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP
• Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP
• Stephen Pound MP
• Tony Lloyd MP
• Justin Tomlinson MP
• Will Quince MP
• Douglas Ross MP
• Chris Green MP
• Rt Hon Priti Patel MP
• James Heappey MP
• Rosie Duffield MP
• Emma Lewell-Buck MP
• Fiona Bruce MP
• Tom Pursglove MP
• Antoinette Sandbach MP
• Rt Hon Sir Hugo Swire MP
• Stephen Kerr MP
• Sir David Amess MP
• Royston Smith MP
• Vicky Ford MP
• Mike Penning MP
• Dr Sarah Wollaston MP
• Claire Perry MP
• Jeff Smith MP
• Chris Elmore MP
• Justin Madders MP
• William Wragg MP
• Robert Courts MP
• Baroness Anne Jenkin
• Rt Hon Alun Campbell MP
• Robert Jenrick MP
• Patrick McFadden MP
• Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP
• Michael Tomlinson MP
• Nicholas Brown MP
• Kerry McCarthy MP
• Martin Whitfield MP
• Vernon Coaker MP
• Ian Murray MP
• Holly Lynch MP
• Bambos Charalambous MP
• Helen Whately MP
• Dame Cheryl Gillian MP
• Eddie Hughes MP
• Richard Graham MP
• Geraint Davis MP
• Paul Masterson MP
• Marcus Jones MP
• Toby Perkins MP
• Damian Moore MP
• Phillip Dunne MP
• Ian Austin MP
• Sarah Champion MP
• Gillian Keegan MP
• Craig Tracey MP
• Nick Smith MP
• Steve Brine MP
• Anne Main MP
• Michelle Donelan MP

For further information contact:

Amy.Holland@Sky.uk

About Sky Ocean Rescue

As Europe’s leading entertainment company, we’re using our voice and potential reach to inspire people to take action to protect our planet, raising awareness of how plastics and other pollution are affecting our oceans. Since January 2017 more than nine million people have engaged with Sky Ocean Rescue and we want to do more.

As a business, we’re committed to reducing our impact and have a positive impact on our oceans. We are transforming our own business eliminating all single use plastics from our operations by 2020. We are encouraging and supporting innovation to develop solutions through the Ocean Rescue Innovation Fund and we are working to influence others to take action.

Sky Ocean Rescue forms part of the Bigger Picture which also inspires the new generation through the power of sport, and invests further in creativity and diversity in our industry to make a difference.