No matter what we may think as individuals, in the UK, as regards its litter problem, we are where we are! We can't go back and we don't know how to go forward. We can blame people in a 360 degree circle, or if you prefer we can blame the left, right and the centre and we can debate the subject forever and a day and it will still not solve the UK's litter problem! We can think of educating the 'masses' (I'm one of them) we can also wish for authoritarian regimes, 'draconian measures' (what are they?) fines, jail sentences, firing squads, etc, etc, etc, but none of them will work, it might work for some but certainly not for others, people are just too complex for such simplistic 'solutions.'
Turned on its head we could blame the people that make what then becomes the UK's litter, (this appeals to the way I think) but then we will argue about profit and the economy and other debate avenues and complexities will arise.
As regards 'educating' people about litter versus 'punishing' people about litter, as an individual I prefer the 'educating' route but I know that if anything was to change it would take a long time and it would need investment and a REAL long term plan, something that Governments are not good at, they like the short term because they want to stay in power.
And of course we the 'masses' will soon (or already are?) bored with this subject, it may be the tabloid flavour of the week today, but it will certainly be forgotten 'tomorrow!' It's only being used for political gain, there is no strategy and unless it gets votes there still won't be.