Air Tax Up

[toddcl]

Chancellor Gordon Brown has put green issues at the heart of his Pre-Budget Report, with motorists and air travellers hit by a hike in taxes.

The Chancellor has announced a 1.25p rise in fuel duty, taking effect from midnight tonight, ending a three-year freeze on the tax.

Meanwhile, air passenger duty for domestic and European short-haul flights will double from February 1 next year, rising from £5 to £10, while long-haul destinations will increase from £20 to £40.

[melandsharon]

I am so glad we now live here, the only problem is it will cost more to go back, that could be a good thing as "I will not be able to afford it, as the taxes in the UK are too expensive" might keep my mother quiet.

[costakid]

Putting more money in the chancellors coffers will not help the enviroment, but it will give him more money to give to the ponces who never put anything in to the economy but just take out. tax after tax. At this rate there will be no brits in the UK

[toddcl]

He says the money will be spent on schools!

Probably to make exams easier for the morons to pass who can't add two numbers together without a calculator but have a maths degree etc

[phillb]

Well it will help pay for the new missiles we need £2 billion worth and if anyone can tell me the reason for the need, please let me know

[rafiki]

Chancellor Gordon Brown has put green issues at the heart of his Pre-Budget

[rafiki]

Putting more money in the chancellors coffers will not help the enviroment, but it will give him more money to give to the ponces who never put anything in to the economy but just take out. tax after tax. At this rate there will be no brits in the UK

MPs are saying they deserve to be paid over £100,000 per year to bring them into line with other jobs similar to theirs, they suggest their jobs are on par with medical GPs!! That will have to be paid for.

Blair recently gave £100 million to Pakistan to assist with internal security (so they wouldn't have to cut their nuclear budget I suppose).

A few days later Brown generously gave £100 million to Iraq to rebuild infrastructure which they keep on destroying themselves - should a country that is floating on a sea of oil need our tax money?!

[Grouser]

A few days later Brown generously gave £100 million to Iraq to rebuild infrastructure which they keep on destroying themselves - should a country that is floating on a sea of oil need our tax money?!

Well as we were part of an illegal invasion force that has created the disaster there, we have some sort of moral obligation don't you think? There may have been killing and oppression there before, but George and Tone have managed to move it up to a whole new level of ghastliness.

As for all the other comments, perhaps we could have some positive suggestions on how you would deal with the problem of global warming if you don't want to make the use of carbon based energy more expensive.

[mhic]

I don't really have a problem with paying extra taxes if they go to help with the reduction of global warming, I have grandchildren and am a little worried as to what life for them will be like if nothing is done. But, I have a problem believing that "green" taxes will actually be spent by any British Government on anything other than jobs for the boys.

Come back Guy Fawkes and try again.

mhic.

[Faire d'Income]

As for all the other comments, perhaps we could have some positive suggestions on how you would deal with the problem of global warming if you don't want to make the use of carbon based energy more expensive.

Dead simple. Rather than an increas in these spurious 'green taxes' hitting completely the wrong industries, then simply provide tax incentives for end users wishing to install energy efficient equipment.

CHP, Heat pumps, rain/grey water recycling systems could all be encouraged by the removal of VAT (at the very least) combined with some form of Government subsidy to encourage their adoption.

Unlikely to happen though because this would be:

a) pro-active
b) an original idea instead of jumping on the Tory Party's green mandate
c) not something Greedy Gordon would condone as it goes against his desire to increase taxation rather than stimulate demand by reducing it.
d) it potentially could generate business for UK Plc in the form of high end, quality engineering (which the UK can still produce) whilst developing new markets.

[rafiki]

As for all the other comments, perhaps we could have some positive suggestions on how you would deal with the problem of global warming if you don't want to make the use of carbon based energy more expensive.

Hello Grouser.

My comments were intended to be sidswipes at politicians. Global warming, for them, is a wonderful excuse to raise taxes and tell us all how they are saving the planet. I would be more impressed if we heard a lot more about tax incentives to be green rather than penalties if we are not. After all, revenue raised in this way rarely gets recycled into green projects.

[Grouser]

Yes I like the tone of these posts much better. I agree absolutely that encouragement to do the right thing is the best way forward, although I would like to see the 'Chelsea Tractor' drivers hit hard in their capacious pockets, to finance these incentives.

[toddcl]

Can I elect for my extra taxes to be spent on buying our Army better equipment and armored vehicles as they are getting creamed, while we are looking to replace a load of deterrent missiles that will never get used.

[anyroads]

Let's get this into perspective....

An extra £5 on Ryanair is not going to save the planet. Cut back on that in-flight gin and tonic and you come out quits.

If Gordan has destroyed the pension industry, he is not going to make any great use of my fiver in the meantime.

Anyroads

[kevin77]

If Gordan has destroyed the pension industry

I dont understand this statement, the pension industry seems alive and well in the UK! Especially the paying in bit!

[katy]

Taxing the airline industry mainly hits the less well-off, the ones who save all year for a 15 day holiday, not what you would think a socialist Government would do. People who travel a lot will not give it a thought.

Global warming, not sure I go with the flow. There are as many experts who disprove the theory as prove it only they don't feature in the media. Of course none of us will be around to say I told you so!

[Faire d'Income]

Taxing the airline industry mainly hits the less well-off, the ones who save all year for a 15 day holiday, not what you would think a socialist Government would do. People who travel a lot will not give it a thought.

Global warming, not sure I go with the flow. There are as many experts who disprove the theory as prove it only they don't feature in the media. Of course none of us will be around to say I told you so!

Global Warming is occurring and that's a fact. The only debate and one that confuses most people is to what extent it's a man made factor or a natural occurrence.

The arguments that dispute the facts are usually made by/in support of those with vested interests.

Notwithstanding that, in the vast majority of cases environmental solutions are usually far more efficient and cost effective than the 'carry on as usual' alternatives.

[Grouser]

Katy I think you will find nearly all of those experts you're talking about work for George W. or the oil industry. Ah I just spotted Faire d' Income's beat me to it so I will hold my powder. Agree though that a fiver on short haul flights is just tokenism You would have to be very poor for it to stop you booking the flight. So poor in fact, that you wouldn't be looking for a flight in the first place.

[lis48]

Global Warming is occurring and that's a fact

Noone disputes that between 1975 and today, world temps have increased, BUT they also don´t dispute that between 1945 and 1975 world temperatures fell. The debate not only is about how much is caused by man and how much a natural occurence, but also how long term
a trend this is and there are many scientists who have suggested that the next 25 years will see another fall. In fact you will find that the term "global warming" is no longer used in scientific papers, as "climatic change" is preferred as a more accurate description of what is happening.
I´m with Katy on this one and feel the air tax is a political attempt to look more green purely for votes.

[concorde]

Back to the air tax, apparently it is going to be a logistical nightmare trying to collect extra tax from air-travellers who have already booked flights. It seems that air-line staff are supposed to collect it , no cash only credit/debit cards, more queuing, no doubt.
Mind, just arrived back from 10 day trip to Spain to find petrol has shot up 5p per litre, but then we found that Granada drinks prices had shot up as well since July.
Going to Prague for Xmas markets next week, no doubt everything will have trebled in price knowing my luck.