I was interested to hear last night that British prime minister Gordon Brown will make a surprise appearance today to open the London motor show 2008. It’s supposed to be top-secret, but my well placed mole on the organising committee said he would open the Excel show at 8.00am and then complete a guided tour of the green cars on display.
It’s a classic political strategy – an opportunity to grab some headlines and some cheap next-day newspaper photo opportunities. But coming a week after he erroneously decreed that we must all be driving hybrids by the next decade, I find it a bit much to bear.
Gordon Brown, the motorist’s friend? Hardly. The man is clearly profiteering on a massive scale from the current record oil prices and yet his recent motoring tax reforms have now been proved to be just another tax increase.
Earlier this month, the Government admitted that the planned 2010 tax shake-up that will hammer high CO2 vehicles, hitting far more drivers than had previously been estimated. Vehicle excise duty will in fact rise for 43 percent of vehicles made since 2001, by up to £245 for the dirtiest, and will fall for just 18 percent.
A far cry from the ‘revenue neutral’ changes lauded at the Budget time. Do I have faith in Gordon Brown’s transport policy? Not yet. But at least he’s not afraid to pop his head over the parapet with an industry upon which he’s reliant but uncomfortable…
Click here for more blogs by Tim Pollard
