And don't that as a criticism Eric, because it all seemed to make good sense to me.

But JamesJim's "80% tax on anything is absolutely ridiculous!!!! " doesn't. Not as a general proposition, because it's too easy to think of examples where that might be a perfectly reasonable level of tax.

For example, if I use something that causes a lot of pollution, why shouldn't I have to pay for the cost of cleaning it up, and making good the damage? That is part of the real cost of the stuff, and just because it costs less than that to make it is no reason for loadsinmg the cost on to other people.

What the right cost for petrol should be, and who should decide it, and how we can find ways to spread the cost of keeping this planet habitable, in a way that is fair, those are other questions, and I'd never say that the British Government or any other government have got it right, or even look like getting it right.

But the principle that all of us should be responsible for the cost of clearing up the mess we make - that seems pretty basic to me.