Philip Hammond declares fresh war on White Van Man by threatening to hit diesel motorists with higher taxes to improve Britain’s poor air quality
The Chancellor wants to review the “appropriate” tax treatment for diesel cars in a bid to improve air quality
PHILIP HAMMOND was today accused of declaring a fresh war on White Van Man – by threatening to hit diesel motorists with higher taxes.
The Chancellor - dubbed “Spite Van Man” over his National Insurance raid – wants to review the “appropriate” tax treatment for diesel cars in a bid to tackle NO2 emissions.
Details buried in the Budget yesterday revealed changes could come as early as the Autumn Statement this November.
Experts fear the Chancellor may decide to up fuel duty for diesel in a bid to encourage millions of motorists to switch to more environmentally friendly motors.
Campaigners reacted with fury today – saying it was a horrific double whammy for hard-working Brits.
Howard Cox, co-founder of FairFuel UK, said: “The Chancellor delivers cabaret jokes as he thumps White Van Man with an National Insurance hike.
“Now he plans to punish them even more with an extra green based diesel tax. Hard working drivers will be furious at this duplicity when emissions are falling everywhere.”
He added: “UK drivers are already penalised every time they fill up, yet every other country worldwide continues to tax diesel less than petrol.”
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Tory backbencher Charlie Eliphicke added: “Pollution is a serious matter.
“Yet it’s wrong to demonise the owners of diesel vans and cars. Any move to jack up diesel taxes would be a real blow to White Van Man.”
Before yesterday’s Budget, the Chancellor was said to be considering a dramatic increase in registration fees for new diesel cars. Experts added he may increase vehicle excise duty.
There were also calls for a £2 billion scrappage scheme to encourage Brits who have bought diesels in the past to switch.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling stunned motoring organisations last month by saying motorists should beware buying a diesel.
He said: “People should take a long, hard think about what they need – about where they’re going to be driving – and should make best endeavours to buy the least polluting vehicle they can.”
The Tory heavyweight was said to be sympathetic to a scrappage scheme – but warned campaigners the cost could be prohibitive.
AA public affairs spokesman Luke Bosdet said today: “Fixating on diesel cards is to ignore 90 per cent of other causes of urban air pollution.
“City drivers have seen this skewed approach before when CO2 was the target, leading to hundreds of pounds being added to the cost of residents’ parking permits- even though the engines were switched off while parked up.
“The AA fears history repeating itself.”
Petrol giants were last month accused of running a “ruthless” £1 billion diesel rip-off over the past two years - by charging 2p more per litre for diesel than unleaded despite identical wholesale costs.