Ralph Palmer

Wolf Alice live at the O2 - picture of stage and crowd

Wolf Alice last night at the O2 was absolutely extraordinary. Generational band, one of the best of the last decade.

After the excellent Environmental Improvement Plan launch yesterday, I'm in LabourList bigging up Labour's nature delivery. But that this is being hampered by its nature rhetoric.

Theres now a real opportunity for a reset to leave a lasting legacy for UK nature.

labourlist.org/2025/12/envi...

Only 5/6 have specific weight/size tax (e.g. France & Norway) but it's more that our tax system doesn't tax the gas guzzling SUVs based on CO2 as much as many other European countries (altho gov did x2 tax rates for higher emitters last year). I do agree on the case for a weight tax though!

The Government's new EIP marks a genuine turning point for cleaner air.

By accelerating the UK's PM2.5 target by a full decade, committing to action on wood burning, and backing local authorities, this plan will deliver tangible wins for public health, the economy, and the environment.

This is such an important step from the Government on the journey to cleaning up our air. Defra should be getting major kudos for this.

Agree, needs ironing out at consultation because it's not clear how that'd work atm. The issue with people potentially paying for miles driven abroad is also something that needs resolving.

Labour Group Slams Lord Glasman Over Climate Denial Lecture An influential Labour peer has been criticised for being the star speaker at the UK’s main climate science denial group, which says carbon emissions are a “benefit to the planet”. Lord Maurice Glasman...

🔴 NEW - Labour Group Slams Lord Glasman Over Climate Denial Lecture

The Labour peer called for new coal power in the Global Warming Policy Foundation’s annual lecture.

📝 @adambarnett.bsky.social

Delivered well, the new EV tax & fuel duty uplift can balance the needs for fairness, revenue and sustainability, & help raise the finances in the long term to support Labour’s wider vision for an affordable, integrated and reliable transport system & support people switch to EVs.

Finally moving the dial on fuel duty was the right decision by the Chancellor. By March '27, it will be back at pre-2022 levels & rise with inflation afterwards. This will help maintain a strong running cost differential to EVs & send a signal that it's not just EVs are still the best choice.

Transition is moving from early adopters to early mass market. This means getting policies to support low-middle income households to access EVs & addressing inequity of higher public charging costs will become more of a priority. Govt commitment on the latter is very welcome in light of new tax.

Getting the EV transition right goes hand-in-hand with Labour’s agenda on living costs, energy security, health & decarbonisation. Govt deserves credit for investment & policies they're implementing to support the EV transition but PPM tax introduction emphasises the need to do more, more quickly.

Screenshot of title of blog. Keeping the transition on the road - and why delivering EV taxes fairly will be key 1 December 2025 Image of electric car charging Ralph Palmer Ralph focuses on LCEF's work on transport and air quality. He has over five years of experience supporting and leading programmes of work for leading climate NGOs, mainly focused on transport.

🚗 New blog from me on the announcement of a new pay-per-mile tax for EVs.

It's right that EV drivers start to pay more in tax, but the wider policy & messaging must be right to ensure public confidence in the EV transition continues to grow, not be stifled.

lcef.co.uk/blog/ev-tran...

Cleaner air means higher productivity, better health & a stronger economy - delivering this goes hand-in-hand with labour values & aims for govt. Our essay collection from earlier this year highlights the Labour case for bolder action.

lcef.co.uk/publications...

Wood-burning stoves could face partial ban in Labour’s updated environment plan Exclusive: Pollution targets set out alongside nature recovery projects to allay concerns over housebuilding

Credit to govt for taking a long overdue move to strengthen UK PM2.5 targets, aligning with the EU. More to be done, but the plan shows a step change in narrative & policy where clean air is taken more seriously.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Private jet passengers flying from UK face fourfold increase in tax More than 500,000 trips will be subject to higher levies

Private jet passengers flying from UK face fourfold increase in tax on.ft.com/3Xnvtzk

Great to also see the first freeze to rail fares in 30 years which will save commuters hundreds a year. Also good to see that the Government has confirmed it will close tax loophole to ensure private jet fliers are paying more tax - something we had called for.

Timing these rises ahead of the introduction of PPM for EVs is the smart thing to do - sends a clear signal that, even with new EV taxes, EVs are still the best choice for drivers. Revenues raised should be reinvested into fixing roads, boosting public transport use & supporting people access EVs.

Perhaps more significantly is the beginning of the end to the stasis on fuel duty. By April 2027 the 5p cut will have been phased out & fuel duty will begin to rise with inflation. Much needed end to a giveaway that's cost £133bn since 2011, largely at the benefit of the wealthiest.

An interesting budget for transport. Much of the focus has been on the pay-per-mile tax for EV drivers - Government seems to be taking care around its introduction with decent lead time, a boost to EV grant, support for charging rollout & a review on public charging costs. But clearly more to do.

Big news on Fuel Duty - the 5p cut will be removed gradually from September. A good way to end this giveaway without pushing up inflation

No reason why PPM can't come in alongside continued success of EV transition if wider policy & framing is right. Govt is doing lots of positive things on EVs which they should keep building on. Supporting those dependent on public charging will be particularly critical from an equity perspective.

Reeves to announce £1.5bn boost in EV subsidies amid pay-per-mile concerns Industry experts welcome extra incentives but fear a consultation on a mileage tax sends mixed messages

Encouraging to see mention of review of public charging costs - critical in context of intro of pay-per-mile for EVs. If acted on, it'd help tackle one of the biggest equity challenges with the transition & strengthen EV running cost advantages for more people.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

'Taxing private jets can help the rest of us soar' - LabourList Amid economic challenges and rising emissions, fairer taxes on private jets can raise revenue and ensure the super-rich bear their share.

"It’s about the tiny minority who can afford luxury at the expense of the planet carrying their fair share of the burden, and helping raise the revenue the country badly needs."

Great to see Sarah Champion MP pushing for higher private jet levies ahead of the budget.

labourlist.org/2025/11/tax-...

Relief for rail passengers as fare freeze in England announced for 2026 Chancellor will confirm the measure, intended to help commuters on expensive routes, in her budget speech

Hard to overstate the significance of this. First fare freeze in 30 yrs; massive boost for commuters who would have seen annual costs rise by up to £300. V positive sign that affordability is being put at the heart of the govt's plans for Great British Railways.

www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...

‘Too little, too late’: damning report condemns UK’s Covid response Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of ‘toxic and chaotic’ culture inside Boris Johnson’s No 10

My story from a day reading the very long and very damning report by the official Covid inquiry into the actions of government during the pandemic.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

⚡ NEW BLOG: How Critical Minerals Can Deliver for Left-Behind Communities

The energy transition depends on batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels - but what about the lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements that power them?

🔋 Digging Deep: lcef.co.uk/blog/digging...

Beth Mead: ‘If we don’t adapt to climate change, football becomes a privilege, not a right‘ The Arsenal and England forward is backing new global campaign because talent and teamwork should decide the game – not the climate I’ll never forget stepping out on to the pitch in Switzerland for the Euro 2025 tournament. The air felt heavy – not with pressure or expectation, but with heat. It was more than 30C (86f) that day. It makes your lungs sting, makes you feel like you’re running through water. In the England camp, we had done everything to prepare. Ice vests before training, hydration breaks, modified warm-ups – things that just weren’t part of football life a few years ago. At our base in Zurich we even had cryotherapy and Slush Puppies to cool our core temperatures. During training, there were ice-cold towels, extra rest moments and constant reminders to hydrate. You could feel how carefully the staff planned every detail. But when the whistle blew, no protocol could change the fact that the climate itself has changed. Continue reading...

Beth Mead: ‘If we don’t adapt to climate change, football becomes a privilege, not a right‘

Leading medical publication the British Medical Journal recognises SUVs as a danger to public health in a new editorial co-authored by T&E’s James Nix: bit.ly/4hVDlBC

Large SUVs are a danger to pedestrians, cyclists & other drivers.

It's time to take action to reduce their presence in urban areas.

Congratulations to Lorna Fielker, selected as Labour candidate for Mayor of Hampshire & Solent! 🌹👏🏾

Our region needs strong representation on the national stage, and our first elected Mayor must be a loud voice for our communities. Lorna will be all this and more.

Well done! 💪🏾

Caitlin Prowle is absolutely right about the importance not just of community in the abstract, but of community ownership of assets as a means of making it a concrete reality - and it’s been great seeing the @coopparty.party.coop successfully push this agenda nationally