Drivers face a double tax for travelling longer distances under Rachel Reeves. The Labour Party Chancellor has eyed up a plan to slap thousands driving to France with a ‘crazy’ holiday tax.
Under a new pay-per-mile car tax system, motorists will be forced to fork out 3p per mile. The scheme is currently believed to be implemented from 2028, which could lead to drivers being faced with an extra £250 every year.
Speaking with GB News star Dawn Neesom, deputy editor of French conservative magazine Causeur, Jeremy Stubbs, laid into the plans revealed by The Telegraph. He said the threatened tax “just seems crazy”.
READ MORE Five home improvements UK households can make to get £2,000 off energy bill
Dawn explained: “So when you go overseas, like cross the Channel into France, you could add £45 for a round trip driving across the Channel down to NIS, for example.
“The move means that British motorists could face a double cost, the UK mileage levy on top of France’s motorway tolls, which, by my reckoning, means it’s probably cheaper to fly and destroy that environment we all care so much about.”
Mr Stubbs went on to explain the tollfare “for the upkeep of French motorways” could prove to be very costly.
“If you take the motorway, which is the best way to travel, and that round trip would be, by my calculation, £220,” he said.
“So you’re being clobbered both by taxes in France and the long arm of the Chancellor reaching across from Britain? It does seem unfair.”
The Telegraph reports the change will affect road users making journeys of great distances to the European Union continent.
Mr Stubbs explained: “They are making life even more complicated by them. So this is rather typical of this Government. We get mixed signals.
“On the one hand, yes, go ahead and respect the environment. On the other hand, it’ll cost you a lot more.”
He added: “I do understand, though, that in Switzerland they’re thinking of a similar tax to Rachel Reeves.
“Presumably, once the Swiss learn that they are having the same idea as Rachel Reeves, they’ll backtrack on it, right?” he laughed.
“This is the problem with any European country introducing it,” he said. “And the current Government says that we want to get close to our European friends.
“But this is exactly the opposite as a message. How did they come up with this idea? I’m not quite sure.”
