Radical taxes in shades of green

Who woulda thunk that the UK Tory party would “go green” and talk of raising taxes (with proposals for a green tax on flights)?

My how the world has changed! On face value, this seems like it’s no bad thing: I agree that global warming is a bigger threat to the world than (say) terrorism and that “something has to be done.”

And, if Labour party can “switch sides”, to support warmongering and get into bed with the furthest right-wing regime we’ve seen since Hitler and Franco, then, someone has to provide the balance.

I’d be one of the first to congratulate the Conservatives, if they really have “seen the light” and realized that their old polices don’t work, but I am more inclined to think that they’ve seen that they aren’t what the people want - Tony Blair has kindly proven that for them.

They know, therefore, what will NOT get them votes.

Superficially, at least, the Tory party look like they are setting out to provide the answers that people do want. But that makes me ever more uneasy about being “beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing”, because the motives behind these headline-generating, radical (for them) proposals, might only be as deep as a voting paper is thick.

The move would be pretty unpopular with expats, I’m sure. Telegraph readers, responding to the question, “Would air travel taxes stop you from flying?“, call it a stealth tax and one that “makes the UK an increasingly expensive country - and one that non-residents like myself - will avoid more.” Here, here! Others say, “makes UK look like a banana republic with no bananas ” to “a form of house arrest.”