Local Lib Dems Lash Out at "Green Cop Out" Budget

4.46.18pm GMT Thu 13th Mar 2008

"It is time for the Government to back up their words on the environment with real action."

Liberal Democrats on Waltham Forest Council have branded the Government's budget announcement as "a great green cop out".

Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Belam, the Council's portfolio holder for the Environment, lashed out at Chancellor Alistair Darling's failure to address environmental issues, calling on the Government to show a commitment to the environment by ending delays in increases to Vehicle Excise Duty, Aviation Duty and the introduction of a Plastic Bag Tax.

Cllr Belam recently lead a Liberal Democrat motion that will seek a voluntary agreement with local businesses to end the provision of free plastic bags. Measures in the motion also included making council facilities more energy efficient and introducing a Climate Change Impact Assessment into every Council report, putting the environmental concerns at the heart of the Council's agenda.

Cllr Belam said:

"The Chancellor has kicked green taxes into the long grass. The Government has presented this as a budget of the environment and opportunity but in reality it is a tax grab - by 2010 the Government will be taking £1.8bn more from taxpayers to plug the budget deficit.

"It is entirely right that the most polluting cars should pay more tax. However, the Government has once again delayed any action for 2-3 years as the announced measures will not come into full force until 2010/11.

"On the issue of Aviation Duty, we welcome that the Government have finally seen the benefits of taxing planes and not people, but this budget simply offers yet more dithering by delaying its implementation until 2009.

"The Liberal Democrats support measures to introduce a plastic bag tax and have been at the forefront of local schemes to end the practice of providing free plastic bags to shoppers. However the Government continues to be indecisive over whether it will actually introduce this, choosing instead to introduce another 'consultation' as a green gimmick."

"This budget simply attempts to pull the wool over the eyes of those who share our concerns about the environment. It is time for the Government to back up their words with real action."