We’re launching a major campaign on Monday with the Daily Express
We’re launching a major campaign on Monday with the Daily Express. I expect some raised eyebrows from that…
But I don’t care what newspaper anyone reads, or football club they support – or even who they vote for, the Green Britain we need to build is for all of us.
Thats what the Campaign is for – a Green Britain. Using our flag and the three main themes of Energy, Transport and Food – straight out of Manifesto.
It’s a really exciting opportunity to reach a new audience and drive awareness. The Editorial team at the Express are totally onboard – the campaign will run all year, leading up to COP and the aim is not just to communicate to their readers – but persuade the government to do more. That’s a door they can knock on.
A specific ask of government launches in print on Tuesday – an idea that springs from Manifesto and Brexit – simply that government needs to use the tax system to level the playing field, and there are no (EU) excuses now.
We’ve called it zero4zero, it’s a simple proposition that will have a big impact if adopted – zero VAT on anything that helps towards zero carbon.
Great examples of current tax bias that should change are 20% VAT on solar panels for homes, with just 5% VAT on coal. Even in food – high carbon products like red meat are zero VAT – some plant based foods have 20% VAT. Home energy efficiency measures are another one. Electric vehicles…imagine the impact of zero VAT….
It’s a change that seems so obvious to make. If we are serious about zero carbon targets – why are we taxing the behaviours that we need to get us there, making it more expensive than it needs to be.
Previously the government have blamed EU membership for an inability to correct these VAT anomalies….we all know that ship sailed…
If we just take the tax off the good stuff (and don’t yet add tax to the bad stuff) we can take the brakes off so many areas where we need change – boost the economy, create jobs – and cut carbon. This is one of the key routes to building a green economy, using the big lever of tax.
I have a good feeling about this. It’s a battle we can win.
There’s a petition up on change.org now – please sign it if you can.
