The Liberal Democrats have attacked the Taxpayers’ Alliance report on green taxes as flawed.

Commenting on ‘The case against further green taxes’, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

"The Taxpayers’ Alliance case against more green taxes is flawed. They fail to allow for any social costs from road transport apart from carbon, such as casualties and congestion. These account for an estimated £22 billion a year.

"The Taxpayers’ Alliance also fail to take account of the worsening costs from climate chaos. On the Stern Review estimate - which was informed by the most recent science - green taxes raise £8.7 billion less than the estimated social costs of carbon.

"In short, the argument that green taxes are already too high compared with the social costs they offset is untenable. The Taxpayers’ Alliance is simply wrong on green taxes.

"The Liberal Democrats propose substantial new green taxes on gas-guzzling new cars and planes offset by a cut to 16 pence in the basic rate of income tax. We need a green tax switch, to tax pollution not people".