A LIBERAL Democrat has thrown down the gauntlet to other political parties in Redditch to back five environmental targets set by Friends of the Earth.

General election candidate Mike Ashall has pledged his support for the five targets, which he says would protect the environment for the future.

They are:

1 Provide every household with doorstep recycling ensuring no new incinerators and halving waste by 2010.

2 Treble investment in buses and traffic calming by 2005.

3 Make biotech companies responsible for any harm caused by genetically modified crops by introducing strict liability legislation.

4 Protect the climate by cutting UK carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent and generating 20 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2010.

5 Make businesses accountable by requiring directors to report on and take into account their environmental and social impact.

Mr Ashall said: "These are sensible and well thought out targets that the next parliament must meet.

"We all share the same environment and any damage we do is passed down to our children.

"The environment is too important an issue to be a political football so I hope all the other candidates in the forthcoming election will support these targets."