Gordon Brown is "green sham", say local LibDems

3.21.26am GMT Sat 3rd Feb 2007

This so-called green tax does not target pollution and money raised will not be used to cut taxes elsewhere. It's a green sham.

The decision by Chancellor Gordon Brown to double Air Passenger Duty and pretend that it is a green tax has been attacked by Liberal Democrats in Westminster.

Jo Hayes, Chair of the Westminster Liberal Democrats, made the attack on the day that the new tax hike came into effect [1 February].

Air Passenger Duty (APD) is a flat rate tax paid by passengers when they fly. For economy seats on domestic and European flights, APD doubled from £5 to £10, with bigger increases for long-haul flights.

"APD is completely unconnected to the pollution produced by an aircraft," Jo Hayes said. "But the Government sold this tax rise as a measure to tackle global warming and climate change.

"The reality is that it is nothing of the sort. It is a typical Labour tax rise camouflaged as a green measure. It will do nothing to reduce the pollution from aircraft. It will do a great deal to boost Government coffers.

"Gordon Brown will rake in another £1billion a year from this tax rise and he has not used it to cut taxes anywhere else.

"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."

Jo Hayes then went on to explain how Liberal Democrats want to change the tax system to cut pollution and cut taxes on income.

"We will bring in real green taxes based on the amount of pollution certain activities cause. For example, we will scrap Air Passenger Duty and replace it with a charge on the plane based on the pollution the plane actually 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. That is a green tax.

"But we are not in the business of putting taxes up. Any extra tax raised from such 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 actually drop."