Research Suggests Darling's 'Green Budget' Will Be Unpopular
Following today’s Budget announcement, David Elms, Chief Executive at Unbiased.co.uk comments:
“Today’s budget may not have been full of surprises but there was one small one - the announcement that the chancellor is increasing petrol duty in 2010 above the increase for "environmental reasons". In addition he confirmed that the 2p duty rise this year will be postponed for six months.
“Our research* shows that this extra 2p on fuel will no doubt be an unpopular move for Alistair Darling – as even before the rise 45% of the population named fuel duty as the most resented tax in the UK. And even more worryingly for the Chancellor – 62% of Brits state they are NOT in favour of introducing higher taxes to support green issues.
“Unbiased.co.uk’s research also showed that Council Tax (42%) and TV license fees (35%) were high on the list of the public’s most resented taxes. On top of that almost one in five Brits (18%) resent the level of car tax / road fund licence – another area of tax increases Alistair Darling announced in today’s Budget Speech.”
Notes to editors:
*Research conducted online by Opinium Research LLP among a sample of 3,048 UK adults between 7th and 14th February 2008. Data has been weighted to nationally representative criteria.
The UK’s most resented taxes:
Tax | % |
Fuel duty | 45% |
Council tax | 42% |
TV license fee | 35% |
Inheritance tax | 20% |
Car tax/ road fund license | 18% |
For further information please contact:
David Elms | Anna Schirmer/Jonathon Grove |
Chief Executive | Lansons Communications |
Unbiased.co.uk | 020 7294 3682 |
020 7833 3131 |
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