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Diesel ‘toxin tax’ is betrayal of Britain’s drivers, appalling politics and numbskull policy

Defra boss Andrea Leadsom is planning to launch financial torpedo at the hard-up Brits who May has pleged to help

SIXTEEN years ago, the Labour ­Government did everything it could to persuade drivers to swap petrol cars for diesel.

Duty on diesel was cut and ministers banged on non-stop about doing our bit for the environment. Millions switched and the number of diesel cars on ­Britain’s roads rose from 14 per cent in 2001 to 36 per cent last year.

The Government's plan to get rid of diesel cars will hurt the people Theresa May has promised to help
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The Government's plan to get rid of diesel cars will hurt the people Theresa May has promised to helpCredit: Getty Images

Now the Government wants to do the exact opposite and get rid of diesel cars altogether.

But instead of working with motorists who only ever did what they were asked, Andrea Leadsom, the minister responsible, has decided that they should be punished for it.

Rather than come up with a solution that phases diesel out, she plans to introduce a savage tax on diesel cars.

She has ruled out a scrappage scheme, which would be sensible and mean drivers wouldn’t have to pay for a mistake by the Government.

Andrea Leadsom is ­planning to launch a financial torpedo at precisely the people who Mrs May says she is in politics to help
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Andrea Leadsom is ­planning to launch a financial torpedo at precisely the people who Mrs May says she is in politics to helpCredit: Getty Images

A serious plan to deal with diesel would take time — and mean making the cost of buying new diesel cars ­prohibitive, not simply attacking drivers who already own one.

The so-called “toxin tax” is effectively a daily fine on drivers unfortunate enough to have believed that successive Governments meant what they said about switching to diesel.

It will leave millions of Sun readers with cars that cost a fortune to run and can’t be resold for anything like their expected value.

Theresa May's Government claims it wants to help the so-called 'just managings'
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Theresa May's Government claims it wants to help the so-called 'just managings'Credit: Getty Images

So much for the idea that the Government wants to help the so-called “just managings”. Andrea Leadsom is ­planning to launch a financial torpedo at precisely the people who Mrs May says she is in politics to help.

This isn’t just a betrayal. It’s appalling politics and numbskull policy.

 

Blue is the colour

The Sun is campaigning for the return of the iconic dark blue British passport
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The Sun is campaigning for the return of the iconic dark blue British passportCredit: Getty Images

A NATION’S passport is a symbol of its sovereignty.

While we were members of the EU, our passports reflected that.

Now we are on the point of leaving, our passport should show our independence. That’s why The Sun is campaigning for the return of the iconic dark blue British passport.

Now we are on the point of leaving Europe, our passport should show our independence
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Now we are on the point of leaving Europe, our passport should show our independenceCredit: Alamy

So it’s good news that the Government is tendering for the “design, production and personalisation of the UK passport” after 2019.

An independent Britain once more — with a passport to match.

Cop bail’s up

Twenty-one innocent Sun staff ­suffered the cloud of suspicion because the police dragged their bail out for months and, in some cases, years
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Twenty-one innocent Sun staff ­suffered the cloud of suspicion because the police dragged their bail out for months and, in some cases, yearsCredit: PA Archive

FROM today, police have a 28-day limit before they have to charge people on bail or clear them.

Twenty-one innocent Sun staff ­suffered the cloud of suspicion because the police dragged their bail out for months and, in some cases, years.

Today is a good day for justice.

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