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Cable drops line on fuel levy
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent15 Sep 2008
Vince Cable today ditched part of his speech which praised Norway for increasing fuel by 20p a litre more than in Britain.
The party's Treasury spokesman called for the Lib-Dems to show the "courage and maturity" to make the case for green taxes on oil.
And in his speech, he had been due to say: "Look across the North Sea to Norway. They could now easily afford to have the cheapest petrol in Europe. reality they have chosen to have the most expensive petrol, and diesel, in Europe, at least 20p a litre more than in the UK."
But Mr Cable dropped the reference to a 20p rise and insisted he was not advocating such an increase. Mr Cable's aides said the speech had been altered because the 20p reference did not scan well.
Reader views (18)
"No wonder these clowns never make it into office...they are stupid!"
Vince Cable is far from stupid: it's a great pity he never was and never will be Chancellor. Unlike Darling and Osborne he has worked in the real world, as Chief Economist for Shell before becoming MP. He has spent the last few years banging on about banks and irresponsible lending but nobody loves a party pooper. Now, sadly, his predictions have come true big time. But if people want to vote Conservative with their 'promises' of tax cuts on 4x4s (and presumably tax rises for someone else) good luck to them.
- Tonyb, Twickenham, 15/09/2008 20:42
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I was going to ask Colin if you believed in the Tooth Fairy and the Flat Earth as well as climate change conspiracies.
Then when you said climate change had been hijacked by Labour to raise taxes I realised you were joking.
As we both know Labour has made close to zero effort to combat climate change - they've expanded airports, frozen petrol duty, and expanded motorways rather than restrict the soaraway rise in motoring and have declared war on public transport users to such an extent that I have to walk !! with these sandals !!!
- Bernard, London, 15/09/2008 15:15
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I knew there was a reason why I don't vote for the Liberal Democrats!!
- Angry Of Alton, Alton UK, 15/09/2008 14:02
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No wonder these clowns never make it inot office...they are stupid!
- Zaphod, zanzibar, 15/09/2008 13:53
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Such inane ideas are why the Lib Dems will never, but never, gain any significant degree of power. Who can trust this lot?
- Al Webb, Croughton, Northamptonshire, 15/09/2008 13:21
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Poor Bernard,another poor sole sucked in by the sandel wearing,tree hugging brigade,climate change has been with us since the beginning of time,and has of late been hijacked by new labour as another way of screwing us into paying more in taxes,and Ethan when you say 'we can then get to work fixing the country'who did you have in mind exactly? as I see it our only voting choice at the next general election will Blue Conservative,or Red Conservative,I am sad to say I think this once great country of ours has past the point of no return.
- Colin, Bristol, 15/09/2008 12:55
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This just proves that politicians are simply realy stupid!
We need a revoloution to remove these idiots. Please people stop voting for these stupid people. Lets have them put down (humanely) to save their constant pilfering, lies, and our suffering with their stupidty.
- Winsor, Southampton England, 15/09/2008 12:45
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well Linda, we're certainly not overtaxed on petrol otherwise why would the roads be over congested. I'd support Cable on this. Oh yes it'd be nice if petrol were free but in the real world we are facing catastrophic climate change as we burn this finite resource.
It won't happen because Brown is scared of the motor lobby and wimps out of increasing fuel duty every time.
Bravo to Cable for saying what needs to be done rather than court popularity.
I'd accompany the fuel duty increase with axing the 30% hike in train fares and axing top-up fees.
- Bernard, London, 15/09/2008 12:21
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Why 20p? Why not 40p or 60p or 80p etc? When your petrol is paid for by the taxpayer like all politicians who cares how much it costs?
- Frank, England., 15/09/2008 12:11
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Seriously ... are these politicians ALL startk staring mad ???
- John, London, 15/09/2008 12:10
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Why did the Lib-Dems cross the road?
There are no cars left to run them over.
- Charles Siu, London UK, 15/09/2008 12:06
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God we are taxed enough in every direction no wonder the Lib-Dem's will never be elected to run this country !
- Linda Cliff, London, 15/09/2008 10:28
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Who cares what the Lib Dems say? Thet are politically irrelevant.
- Paul, London, 15/09/2008 10:27
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Nice thought ... but it doesn't really look like the Lib Dems are in touch with the mood of the country, even now?
- Marianne, SW France, 15/09/2008 10:12
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Since the Libs have zero chance of forming any government they can afford to spout clap trap. Hoping of course it buys votes, in this case those of the Uber Eco Loonies.
Paradoxically I too hope Nu Liebour put at least a pound a litre tax on petrol. The resulting civil unrest should finish McBrown of pretty quickly and we can then get to work fixing the country.
- Ethan, UK, 15/09/2008 10:00
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What an extraordinary statement from Vince Cable, on reading this article the words Shoot and foot came to mind.
- Daniel, London, 15/09/2008 09:37
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This nonsense is another reason why the Lib/Dems will never be in Government,Cable forgot to mention the fact that Norway has a Public Transport System.
- Colin, Bristol, 15/09/2008 09:33
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Thank God these loony's have no chance of getting into power here. Cable obviously thinks that everyone has an unlimited pot. It wouldn't be too bad if the revenue raised from motor related taxation was spent on roads and public transport. It just gets wasted on white elephant projects. Green taxation is akin to giving money to God.
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 15/09/2008 09:20
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