Key Ed Miliband adviser wants to tax your foreign holidays and ban domestic flights
ED Miliband’s adviser wants to slap new taxes on Brits who fly abroad for their holidays.
Eleanor Salter also wants to BAN all domestic flights in the UK.
And she called for the “managed decline” of industries which use fossil fuels – even though this would cause job losses.
Ms Salter advises Labour’s climate change chief on what eco policies to bring in and has a parliamentary pass.
Her hugely controversial comments have sparked fresh fears Labour will impose punitive green policies if they get into government.
Speaking at a Zoom discussion about a Green New Deal in December 2020, she called for a crackdown on foreign holidays.
She said: “There’s been a lot of discussion about the aviation sector for example, which has been floundering in the pandemic.
“Rather than bailing them out, so that taxpayer money can be distributed to shareholders, which has actually already happened with EasyJet, they should be brought back into public hands.
“Travel could then be scaled down using mechanisms like a frequent flyer levy and domestic flights can be phased out entirely.
“This would drastically reduce our emissions and ensure that rather than being laid off, as is happening now, workers are supported through a just transition.”
She also called for the “managed decline of these failing carbon intensive sectors”.
A senior Tory source said: “It’s the same old Labour Party who want to lecture normal people about how to live their lives.
“Labour’s solution to anything is to either ban it or tax it.
“ In this case they’ll try and do both.”
The bombshell comments plunged the Labour Party into a fresh row over its green policies.
Sir Keir Starmer’s vow to spend £28 billion a year on eco plans has come under heavy attack.
He has scrambled to water down the pledge – insisting the spending pledge plays second fiddle to hitting fiscal rules.
But he has so far refused to dump the promise entirely.
A Labour spokesman said: “Labour supports investing in British industries to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
“This includes investing in carbon intensive industries so we can safeguard good jobs for our country.
“Labour does not support frequent flyer taxes or ending flights.”