Saturday, September 23, 2006

Green Taxes: More LibDem hypocrisy

Oh dear, they've done it again.

Whilst dear old Sir Ming pontificates all week about how jolly "green" the LibDems are (despite having a total of no energy saving lightbulbs and being forced by media pressure to sell his gas guzzling Jag), a senior member of the Norwich LibDems appears to be leading the hypocritcal charge from the grassroots.

As I was filling up my Astra family car with petrol this week - note to all, I use a tank per month on average - up pulls the most enormous 4x4, a veritable monster truck of a vehicle. It overshadowed all other cars and nearly took up 2 lanes in the petrol lanes. Surly the owner was some Tory landowning toff? Not a bit of it, out stepped a certain former LibDem Councillor and a gentleman once described as a future leader. Until he lost his seat ...

And to boot, I nearly chocked when I saw the self righteous LibDem PPB later that week - full of gloating that they are an eco-party!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Personally Antony I support Carbon Taxes on Vehicle and Aircraft transport fossil fuels,(Zero Tax on Hydrogen and Biofuels), however unpopular whilst scrapping silly taxes like Stamp duty, Inheritance tax and the TV Licence Fee (Most people have a TV but not all watch BBC predominantly. I think 1.5x Council Tax should apply to unoccupied second homes.

Antony said...

I have no problem with what your suggest, annon. What I do object to is the LibDems claiming they are holier than thou, whilst their top members flaunt their massive gas guzzlers. Everybody knows there are some econ-luddites in the Tories, but we are not preachey about it!

Anonymous said...

Today I saw an an interesting article in The Times on tax, and the amounts raised

Income Tax £229 billion
&NICs

Corporation Tax £48 billion

Council Tax £22 billion

Stamp Duty £12 billion

Environmental Tax £ 9 billion

Capital Gains Tax CGT £4 billion

Inheritence Tax £4 billion

VAT and other taxes not included


It is actually worth scapping Stamp Duty, CGT and Inheritence Tax completely (which raise £20bn, 8-9% of taxes not including VAT and misc taxes) between them and raise this amount through the fuel duty escalator (be brave, this is a Fossil Carbon Tax already up and running), aircraft emissions tax and a new higher rate of VAT say 35%) called the "Luxury Product Tax" on 4x4s, Sports Cars, swimming pools, private aircraft, expensive jewelry, holiday homes etc, with a duel incentive to save, build and invest rather than waste money on vanity products; to bring in £20 million.

Anonymous said...

What's his name? Not Discy Dean