In the news

I think it was Galloway, yes.

If tax should be used this way, we'd be paying £10 for a pint and obvs. that's madness oh wait

If booze (or tobacco) was only just discovered then there's no way it would be legalised. It's a legacy vice.

Imagine all of humanity ignoring booze for this long when animals get pissed on fruit.

Not to mention all it's useful non getting pissed applications.

Having my first drinks again would be fun though.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/01/most-mcdonalds-big-macs-eaten-lifetime-world-record-don-gorske

just look at what all that unhealthy eating has done to his hair, shocking

See also freezing fuel duty for over a decade, £80bn lost through that policy choice

Supply-side economics tho.

Yeah, I get that. When you write it down like that it's quite stark though.

Although given I think there should be a meaningful increase in tax on cars over a certain size and weight to force change in car design, I guess it's just an extension of that logic.

As M. Greenbank said, it's just incentivising lower polluting cars. Sound policy

Dunno. I kind of feel that if the cars really are that gross (and are they any more gross than say other types of conspicuous consumption like frequent long distance air travel / super motorbikes / lambos / bitcoin etc?) they should be regulated out completely. Going nuts on the tax on them is icky. Looks like a cash grab, not a policy implementation.

Ultimately it's not going to get folks out of cars, so I'm not sure why we'd be cheering it.

Do you not think having to pay £2k p/a for say a Defender vs £400 for a something else would push a lot of people into something else?

Do you not think having to pay £2k p/a for say a Defender vs £400 for a something else would push a lot of people into something else?

Not really. To many people who buy a new Defender £1600 is just a pair of shoes.

It's also that odd status thing where people want to demonstrate that they've paid over the odds for something.

If you can get enough cash out of it to fund policies driving change from those willing to pay steep prices for status, I don't see why the govt shouldn't capitalise on the opportunity to redirect funds where they might directly counteract the issue.

Is there a separate word for left-wing gammons, or do they only come from the right wing?

Something like salmon, maybe

Haha, any reason you are asking in this thread, Kev?

Christ I hope that doesn’t stick.

Salmon is really good, am struggling to think of one better

Jamón?

I mean I'm all for taxing the fuckers, but closing on 100% tax seems a bit mental

Not half as mental as the fact these vehicles are allowed to exist. High duty was the first step in banning cigarettes.

Something like salmon, maybe

I mean, Alex Salmond fits the description pretty well

Dunno. I kind of feel that if the cars really are that gross (and are they any more gross than say other types of conspicuous consumption like frequent long distance air travel / super motorbikes / lambos / bitcoin etc?)

They are more ubiquitous and cause more social harms than any of those things.

they should be regulated out completely.

Yup, high tax is a logical first step. If the ban is done in stages there is less impact on jobs and economy. E.g we needed to ban coal but it was done in a way that caused unnecessary hardship. If all the wankpanzer plants shut down overnight alot of jobs would be lost. If sales gradually dip companies can adjust.

Ultimately it's not going to get folks out of cars, so I'm not sure why we'd be cheering it.

It reduces the number of people who can afford large cars.

Has Galloway ever defended a seat or just gets in on a by election then out in the general.

Used to get used cooking oil from the local takeaways in 20l containers, (some metal some plastic containers)to run my diesel car on. Stopped when the restauranters wanted to be paid to collect. You allegedly could smell the difference of the spices used. That or smelt of old school chip shop.

Why would you dump something that has value, something that people will happily take away for free. Hence the idea that it was containers of used oil lost/fallen rather than dumped.

Bit of both, defended his seat multiple times when a labour MP. Bradford he got in on a byelection and defended it but lost at the General election. Otherwise he has just floated around trying to be MP,MEP, Scottish Parliament and London mayor when the opportunities come up.