Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford, has promoted Labour’s anti-fly-tipping plans on social media. Some of the measures he outlined are already in force.
In a Facebook post published on 1 May 2025, Mr Yasin wrote:
‘Under Labour’s Plan for Change, we’re taking real action to clean up Britain.
- Vans used for illegal dumping? Seized & crushed
- Offenders? Tracked, caught & forced to pay
- Worst cases? Facing up to 5 years in jail
- Councils & police will work together, using drones & mobile CCTV to stop waste crime in its tracks. No more free pass for fly-tippers.’
However, when asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) to clarify the post, Mr Yasin acknowledged that the powers to seize and crush vehicles already exist but are “rarely exercised.”
“That’s why the government is taking action through the Crime and Policing Bill 2024–25, which will give the secretary of state authority to issue statutory guidance to councils on enforcing fly-tipping laws,” he said.
“Councils will be required to follow this guidance, helping to ensure tougher, more consistent enforcement across the country.”
He also said local authorities could recover the costs of seizing and storing vehicles, which is not yet standard practice.
“Further measures include a proposed waste crime levy, to be introduced by the Environment Agency, which will apply to certain legitimate waste operations and provide additional funding for enforcement,” he added.
“The government also plans to reform the waste carrier, broker, and dealer registration system, making identifying rogue operators in the sector easier.
“A review of the Environmental Improvement Plan is underway, with conclusions expected by the end of this year.”
The government’s press release, issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on 30 April, claimed “a new crackdown on cowboy waste operators will tackle soaring fly-tipping and clean up Britain’s streets, lanes and rural areas.”
Defra said “preliminary research” has started, and detailed discussions with local authorities are planned. The review is expected to be completed by the end of the summer.
In the same press release, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed MP, said: “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long. That ends today.”
The secretary of state did not respond when the LDRS asked what had happened on 30 April 2025.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
