Countdown presenter Nick Hewer argued that it’s disgraceful’ to snitch on litter louts in return for financial incentives – adding it’s the ‘duty as a citizen.’
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, the 77-year-old insisted that we shouldn’t pay people to tell on others, while TV presenter Bushra Shaikh argued it’s a ‘win win’ to pay people to snitch on others who leave litter.
It comes just days after shocking pictures showed beauty spots left strewn with litter after unlocked Britons celebrated the easing of lockdown restrictions.
Presenters Alex Beresford and Charlotte Hawkins also revealed that more than 2million pieces of litter are dropped in the UK every day, while the cost to clear it up is over 1 billion a year.
Currently litter louts can face fines of up to £150 rising to £250 if they’re taken to court, but most councils issue just one fine a week for littering – while ‘Don’t Trash Our Future’ wants fines to be £1,000 or 100 hours litter-picking.
‘Listen, there’s nobody who is more obsessed with litter than me,’ explained Nick. ‘My partner Catherine tells me to calm down or I’ll burst a blood vessel. However, it’s the duty of a citizen to report it not for money.’
Bushra (pictured) argued that if people are going to take the time out and tell, grass or snitch on people, why not be paid for it?
It comes just days after shocking pictures showed beauty spots left strewn with litter after unlocked Britons celebrated the easing of lockdown restrictions. Pictured, rubbish left at Potters fields next to Tower Bridge, London
He continued: ‘This isn’t Stasi East Germany in the Cold War. What are we going to start with next, maybe we should snitch for a few quid if we spot someone speeding or parking on a double yellow line? It’s a bad thing, it’s not a British thing. We should do the right thing and report them by all means, but for money? I think it’s disgraceful.’
‘But I don’t want my grandchildren to grow up in a society whereby for a few quid you’ll snitch on a fellow citizen. Go and address them personally and say, “You’ve done this littering here, pick it up and if you don’t pick it up, I will.”
Money for snitching is a disgrace. I hate it.’
But Bushra argued that if people are going to take the time out and tell, grass or snitch on people, why not be paid for it?
‘I don’t see why anything would be wrong with that, it just looks like a win-win to me,’ she said.
Countdown host Nick Hewer (pictured), 77, appeared on Good Morning Britain today and argued that it’s disgraceful’ to snitch on litter louts in return for financial incentives
When asked by presenter Alex Beresford whether it could lead to confrontation, Nick responded: ‘Absolutely, of course it will. It’ll lead to fist fights and all sorts.’ Pictured, with presenters and Bushra Shaikh
Nick Hewer (pictured) argued he’d prefer a little bit of litter than someone snitching on a neighbour
When asked by presenter Alex whether it could lead to confrontation, Nick responded: ‘Absolutely, of course it will. It’ll lead to fist fights and all sorts.’
However, Bushra, who admitted she hadn’t thought about how much she wanted to be paid to snitch but eventually said around the £50 mark, claimed ‘idealism’ isn’t how it works here.
‘Why should people have to patrol stuff as well as going to work, looking after kids,’ she explained. ‘If we incentivize, it’ll also deter others not to leave all of their rubbish in the parks.’
But Nick once again disagreed and argued: ‘If you want to scrabble around to earn a few quid by reporting on your neighbours, that’s up to you. But it’s not a country I want to live in or I want my grandchildren to live in.
And viewers were quick to take to the comments section with their own opinions on the matter (pictured)
‘I hate litter, it’s awful, but I would prefer a little bit of litter than you snitching on a neighbour. It leads to all sorts of trouble. It’s your duty as a citizen to do it, not for money. Why is it always money?’
And viewers were quick to take to the comments section with their own opinions on the matter.
‘Litter bugs are despicable but so are snitchers,’ wrote one. ‘Squealing for cash is a revolting idea. I wouldn’t tell tales for money. Not my country. Not our way.’
A second commented: ‘Do NOT pay people to ‘snitch’ on people who drop litter. Save police time and pay people to pick up the litter instead and place more litter bins also! More jobs will save Police/Public Servants time!’
Meanwhile, a third added: ‘One of my neighbours opened their car door and dropped litter outside my house I posted it back through their letter box.’