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Ecotricity tycoon Dale Vince has said he is taking legal action against the Government, claiming they are using his 'green' Union Flag logo.

The Forest Green Rovers boss said he is angry at the Government's use of a green Union Flag to promote its Green Week initiative.

And he has hired lawyers to stop ministers using the flag, pictured in the tweet below draped over his green energy HQ in Gloucestershire.

The committed vegan announced the move on the day climate minister Claire Perry launched Green Week as Cuadrilla restarted fracking in Lancashire.

The first Green GB Week runs until Friday, October 19 and aims to raise debate in society about how to tackle climate change while also growing the economy.

On Monday night he tweeted: "We've begun legal action tonight against the UK government for using our green Union Jack flag trademark to promote their green washing attempts at Green GB Week."

The Green energy tycoon based in Stroud then hit out at the Government on his Facebook page.

He said: "Perhaps it’s a sign of the Trumpian times we live in, but politicians think they can ignore reality and paint themselves as the total opposite of what they really are.

"This is the government that has been forcing fracking on us, removing legal and environmental protections, taking planning decisions out of local hands and breaking new ground by jailing peaceful protesters.

"This is the same government that shut down our onshore wind and solar industries and then slapped a carbon tax on renewable energy. To now celebrate with a Green GB week makes this most incredible greenwashing I’ve ever seen.

"With the UN recently saying we have 12 years to save the world, there’s a real urgency to actually implement green policies and this government is in reverse.

"Tonight, we've begun legal action against the UK government for using our trademarked green Union Jack flag to promote their initiative. Simply put, we don't want the public confusing their version of a green Britain with ours."

It's not the first time he has sued over the flag Ecotricity started legal proceedings against EDF Energy for using it in the French company's Team Green Britain campaign.

GloucestershireLive understands that officials have offered to hold a meeting with the company over the branding which has been used since October 2017.

What does the government say?

A spokesman for the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy said: " As the UK Government we are rightly proud to use our national flag to showcase our world leading role in tackling climate change.”

The website for Green Week says: "It is your chance to learn about how clean growth is helping to provide new job opportunities, grow our economy for the benefit of us all and help tackle climate change. And to get involved in building a cleaner, green future."

But the green tycoon pointed to last week's UN report warning that CO2 emissions must be stopped completely to avoid dangerous climate disruption.

The UK's current target is a reduction of 80 per cent of emissions by 2050 based on 1990 levels but experts say more needs to be done to cut emissions from cars, planes, industry, waste, farming, meat consumption and heating.

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He said: "This government is taking Britain in exactly the opposite direction - and they’ve called a party to celebrate it. I’m fine if they can live with the hypocrisy of that - but not with our flag please.”

Climate minister Claire Perry told BBC News the report was "a really stark and sober piece of work".

"But for me, the constant question is what is the cost and who's going to bear that, both in the UK and in the global economy," she said.