Government is in a bind over loss of tax as more cars go electric. Estimates of the tax loss are £10 billion by 2030 and £30 billion by 2040. It can hardly put tax on electric cars, at least until they are the norm, and cannot replace the fuel tax as electricity is ubiquitous. We already have road pricing of sorts with the congestion charge in London, and the Motorway Toll road.
ENVIRONMENT
it is time we got some accountability from government. it was sadly better when we had nameless bureaucrats in Europe running the show. There have been numerous International Conferences and Treaties over the years, but none have resulted in accountability. We expect teachers to report on the progress made under their tuition in numerous subjects and social ares. Why not the same for each ministry.
EMMA RADUCANU
COVID
Vaccine levels in North Somerset are 87.6% one jab; 82.1% 2 jabs. I am surprised it is not higher – Scotland has almost everywhere at over 90%, even 95% for once jab and over 85% for 2. Yet Scotland has a higher rate of infection than England where some areas are 55% one jab. Does this make sense? Schools went back earlier than England so we will see what happens next week. North Somerset level is 395 and Sandford is 414 per 100000 (7 days to 5 September). At least 2 teachers have tested positive ing the last week at Churchill.
COVID VACCINE
Surely no one believes anything Johnson says. At the G7 he stated that the whole world would be vaccinated by the end of next year. WHO set a target of of this month to jab 10% of the population in all countries. December deadline is 30% with no chance of success. COVAX has channelled just 4% of vaccines to poorer countries. By January we will collectively have produced enough vaccine for every adult on the planet. So what is going wrong?
EMMA RADUCANU
OUT OF HIBERNATION
Gavin Williamson? In a rambling speech to the Universities conference he managed to criticise many aspects of universities including debates about statues, inadequate teaching, antisemitic incidents, non-disclosure agreements to silence victims of sexual assault, inadequate facilities for disabled students. And then an increasingly casualised workforce, too much money spent on corporate activities and marketing.
ELECTORAL FRAUD
With one prosecution for fraud after the last election it would seem an expensive waste of time to require identity cards with photo’s. However it is my belief that this is the first step to identity cards for all. This government has shown a huge amount of control freakery over Covid, with vaccination passports almost certain to be introduced to nightclubs and some outdoor events – fortunately we can rely on the government to mismanage this – probably self certification or something equally pointless.
SELFISHNESS
I guess most people vote for selfish reasons, a party suggesting less tax, or more jobs, or better policing, or even less immigration. However we all know (apart from the extremely bigoted or delusional few) that the party we vote for does not represent every single view we have on the plethora of important issues.
TAX RISES
It seems that the Brexit promise of £350 million per week for the NHS has not materialised (or has it already been syphoned off for privatised provisions)? Raising National Insurance would be a very unfair way to pay for social care as it would hit the poor hardest – let us see how those who claim climate change reduction costs will hit the poorest most, vote.