The green assault on taxpayers continues as Treasury takes £52 billion in environmental taxes
Environmental taxes raised £52.5 billion in the UK in 2023 according to the latest available data from the Office for National Statistics. To put this in context, we spent almost that same amount on our defence budget over that period.
Westminster and Whitehall have had a near obsessive focus on 'soft power' over the last decade or so, relentlessly pursuing it while seemingly happily allowing the country's 'hard power' to slip away.
Radical environmental policies are relentlessly feted by politicians of all stripes as a definitive weapon in the nation's soft power armoury as a justification for green taxes and charges which continue to push up household bills.
In an act of stunning confidence in our nation's soft power as well as in his own powers of persuasion, Ed Miliband traveled to China on Friday to convince the world's biggest polluter to follow the UK's lead in shifting to green energy.
The construction of new coal-fired power plants in China reportedly reached record levels last year. Beijing's eco-vandalism even extends to countries which have opened themselves up to Chinese investment too.
The same day that Mr Milband and his Chinese counterpart signed the Clean Energy Partnership Memorandum of Understanding, it was reported that 'a river died overnight' in Zambia following an acidic waste spill at a Chinese-owned mine.
These copper mines 'have been accused of ignoring safety, labor and other regulations in Zambia as they strive to control its supply of the critical mineral, leading to some discontent with their presence', according to reports.
And so, when Mr Miliband's ideological allies in the EU urge 'Beijing to halt its coal power growth, saying that it was undermining the country's green credentials', which are evidently non-existent, it is hard not to conclude that we are being ruled by an unserious, out of touch elite, who have developed a habit of being economical with the truth in order to advance a green agenda in which they are heavily invested.
This habit has been developed and perfected over time.
It was back in 2008 when the Climate Change Bill was introduced to Parliament by the Gordon Brown administration, which would go on to enshrine in law a duty on the UK to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Ahead of the first reading, Lord Lilley, who was then a Conservative MP went to the Vote Office to ask for the Impact Assessment- the cost benefit analysis the government is legally obliged to produce.
'The officials told me I was the only person to ask for a copy and had to cut open the bundle', Lord Lilley recounts. The analysis revealed the cost of the policy to be twice the maximum benefit. If that wasn't enough to set alarm bells ringing in Westminster, even at that stage it was clear that while the cost would be overwhelmingly borne by British taxpayers, the benefits, such as they were, would largely be spread over the world.
'No one apart from us 'infamous five' [the only four other MPs who joined Lord Lilley in voting against the legislation] mentioned the potential cost throughout the passage of the Bill', despite the revelation, such was the strength of cross party consensus on the matter.
Quite incredibly, once the bill had passed and was ready to be sold to the public, the Government claimed to have found an extra trillion in benefits to offset the costs.
A Conservative administration under Theresa May in 2019 would go on to strengthen the target to a 100 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050.
'It's good to see that my opinion is becoming more fashionable after 17 years', Sir Philip Davies, the former MP for Shipley and one of the 'infamous five' crew, tells me as Kemi Badenoch's announcement this week to depart from the Net Zero target finally breaks the consensus in Westminster.
'It is one of the votes I'm most proud of in Parliament', says Sir Philip, having recognised over a decade before most that achieving Net Zero by 2050 would be impossible without bankrupting the country and placing crushing demands on taxpayers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
G7 to discuss further sanctions if Russia fails to come to negotiating table, PM says
G7 allies will discuss further sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin does not agree to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has said. Speaking last night en route to the G7 summit in Canada, the prime minister said the conference is an opportunity to have a broad conversation with allies about global security in a "constructive way". His comments come as efforts by the US president to bring Russia and Ukraine to the table for peace negotiations continue to fail, while the UK government and European allies continue to plan for a "coalition of the willing" to enforce any peace deal. The prime minister is currently in Canada to attend the G7 summit - the annual meeting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US, and the UK, as well as the EU. Speaking to journalists on the plane, Sir Keir was asked if he expects additional sanctions on Russia to be agreed by allies. He continued: "My long-standing view is, we need to get Russia to the table for an unconditional ceasefire. That's not been really straightforward. "But we do need to be clear about we need to get to the table, and that if that doesn't happen, sanctions will undoubtedly be part of the discussion at the G7." 1:51 Sir Keir added that he has a "good relationship with President Trump", which is "important" amid ongoing conflicts, such as between Israel and Iran. "I think the G7 is our opportunity to look at, as we are, the global economy, security in that global economy, trade and the economy as well, and more matters of national security," he said. "I've been saying, for probably the best part of six months now - we're in a new era of defence and security, a new error for trade and the economy. "And I think it's really important for Britain to play a leading part in that, and that's what I'll be doing at the G7, talking to all of our partners in a constructive way." Mr Trump returned to the White House in January with a pledge to rapidly end the war in Ukraine. After President Zelenskyy had a blazing row with the US president in the Oval Office, Sir Keir accelerated his plan for a "coalition of the willing" - countries that would be prepared to provide troops or other means to ensure any eventual peace deal with Russia. But talks between the US and Russia on moving towards any kind of ceasefire have yet to bear fruit, and attacks on Ukrainian cities continue.
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Interest rates predicted to stay at 4.25%
The UK interest rates are set to remain the same amid worldwide uncertainty and rising inflation. The interest rate is set to stay at 4.25% following a jump in inflation in April. Interest rates determine how much money people have to pay on loans or mortgages from a bank or a credit card. This means home buyers eyeing up a property cannot expect the cost of borrowing to be slashed when the Bank of England decides on the interest rate figure on Thursday. The decision will be made by the Bank of England's monetary policy committee (MPC) next week. It has voted to cut the rates at every meeting previously since it started easing borrowing costs last August. The current rate has reduced from the earlier 5.25% at the height of the cost of living crisis. British consumers faced the highest prices in 2023 during the height of the cost-of-living crisis, which is still gripping the country. There was light at the end of the tunnel until inflation surged to its highest level for more than a year in April, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation hit 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March. The ONS said the April figure should have been 3.4 due to an error in vehicle tax collection. Ellie Henderson, an economist for Investec, said monetary policy 'seems to be in a good position, allowing the Bank of England to wait and see how economic conditions and the international political backdrop evolve.' 'Ultimately, this is a highly uncertain time that requires a potentially nimble response from central banks, limiting any great foresight,' she said. 'Although the June decision might seem clear cut, how the MPC responds to the evolving economic backdrop thereafter much depends on the details of the world in which we find ourselves.' Markets are bracing for potential turmoil after the escalating tension between Israel and Iran, which saw missiles being fired at sites in both countries. More Trending The tension could have an impact on oil prices. Meanwhile, the UK job market is seeing wage growth ease heading into April, while the unemployment rate grew as employers faced higher costs. Rob Wood and Elliott Jordan-Doak, economists for Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the weaker job market could be a factor in reassuing the Bank of England's committee that 'it can plan on further rate cuts.' View More » But they said one month's fresh data 'is far from enough to allow the MPC to bin its gradual and careful approach to easing monetary policy.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 5 forgotten items in your attic that could be worth over £11,000 MORE: Credit card customers can save up to £1,679 with a simple debt 'spring clean' MORE: I've got 'number dyslexia' – but I'm a financial expert Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Government's welfare plans must be pushed through, Starmer says
The government's welfare plans have to be pushed through, Keir Starmer has said, indicating that there will be no further concessions in the face of a potentially significant Labour rebellion over cuts to disability benefits. Speaking to reporters on his way to the G7 summit in Canada, the prime minister set out his determination to get the plans through parliament, after ministers warned mutinous MPs about the consequences of voting against the government. Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, has sought to offer some concessions before a Commons vote next month, with a large number of Labour MPs particularly worried about the tightening of eligibility rules on personal independence payments (Pips) for disabled people. 'We've got to reform the welfare system,' Starmer said when asked about the prospect of a rebellion, with some estimates saying as many as 170 MPs could oppose the plans. 'Everybody agrees with that proposition, so we've got to do that basic reform,' he said. 'It doesn't work for those that need support and help into work, and it doesn't work for the taxpayer. 'So, it's got to be reformed. The principles remain the same; those who can work should work. Those who need support into work should have that support into work, which I don't think they are getting at the moment. 'Those who are never going to be able to work should be properly supported and protected, and that includes not being reassessed and reassessed. So, they are the principles. We need to do reform and we will be getting on with that reform when the bill comes.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Pressed on whether this meant there would be no more concessions, Starmer replied: 'Well, we have got to get the reforms through and I have been clear about that from start to finish. The system is not working. It's not working for those that need support; it's not working for taxpayers. Everybody agrees it needs reform. We have got to reform it and that is what we intend to do.' The seemingly tough line follows efforts by ministers to try to reassure possible rebels and, when needed, to warn them against voting down the welfare bill. Some MPs had said there were suggestions the vote could be treated as a confidence issue, with those rebelling facing suspension from the whip or even deselection. No 10 and government sources denied this. But plans have been drawn up for a possible reshuffle if any ministers resign. The biggest sticking points in the plans, first put forward in March in a welfare green paper and intended to save £5bn a year, are the revised rules on Pip, and on benefits for carers. According to a government response to a Liberal Democrat parliamentary question last month, up to 1.3 million people across England and Wales could lose at least some support under the changes. It showed that under the current proposals, which would come into effect next year, about 1.1 million standard-rate Pip claimants and 200,000 enhanced-rate claimants could lose at least some of the payment. The government data gave statistics by parliamentary constituency, showing the impact in more deprived areas. The constituency with the most people who could lose support was Liverpool Walton, followed by Blackpool South and Liverpool Riverside. About 5,000 people in each area could lose some Pip payments.
