Gordon Brown, a green sham
February 1, 2007 12:00 AM
A decision by Gordon Brown to double Air Passenger Duty (APD) and sell it as a green tax has been attacked by Liberal Democrats in Derby.
Cllr Lucy Care, speaking on the day the tax rise came into effect, 1st
February said "Air Passenger Duty is a flat rate tax paid on air passenger tickets. For economy seats on domestic and European flights, APD has just doubled from £5 to £10.
"APD is completely unconnected to the pollution produced by an aircraft" Lucy Care said, "But the Government sold this tax rise as a measure to tackle global warming and climate change.
"The reality is very different. It is just another Labour tax rise,
camouflaged as a green measure. It does not target the pollution from
aircraft. It will do a great deal to boost Government coffers.
"Gordon Brown will rake in another £1 billion a year from this tax rise and he has not used it to cut taxes elsewhere.
"Green Gordon is nothing other than a figment of the imagination of Labour spin doctors. The reality is that he is Tax-Grab Gordon. He is a green sham"
Lucy Care continued "The Liberal Democrats have agreed policy for air travel designed to target pollution. We will scrap Air Passenger Duty and replace it with a charge on the plane based on the pollution the plane causes.
"The more fuel efficient a plane is, the less pollution it causes and the less tax charged on it. It will be a direct incentive to airlines to buy cleaner, greener planes - and to ensure that all the seats are filled.
"But any extra taxes raised from green taxes must be used to cut income tax. We believe people pay enough taxes already and we will not increase the overall burden. Indeed, if you have a cleaner, greener lifestyle, the amount of tax you will pay under the Liberal Democrats would go down."
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