One in five backs windfall tax
Wednesday 24th September 2008, 4:11AM BST.
The government has come under renewed pressure to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies as new research revealed one in five Britons backed such a move.
A new survey showed that 78 per cent of people think energy firms’ profits are unfair, while two in five want a rebate on fuel bills for the least well off.
Mark Hodson of Opiniun Research, which carried out the study, said: “Rising energy bills have affected the majority of people in the past year and the public seem to be as disheartened by the recent energy measures as they are by green taxes.
“It is probably due to this fact that nearly two thirds think the government should have gone much further.”
Accompanying research reveals that 71 per cent of respondents think the government’s green agenda has been hijacked in order to raise taxes.
Despite three-quarters of people saying they were recycling more, the same proportion said they were unwilling to pay higher taxes to combat environmental issues.
“It is clear that the British public do not trust the government to spearhead the green agenda. It seems that a significant amount of people believe the government is guilty of creating a ‘green hype’ for monetary gain,” Mr Hodson added.
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Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are slipping into fuel poverty, having to choose whether to heat or to eat.
The Green Party backs a windfall tax on excess energy profits.
Energy companies should be compelled by the government to provide free insulation to householders through mandatory energy company contributions, starting with those who need it most, who are at most risk of fuel poverty.
In Kirklees, Green councillors have spearheaded an initiative to ensure that every home receives free insulation. £10 million of investment has been leveraged from energy companies, saving the average family around £150 per year off their heating bills.
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