The height or depth of hypocrisy?

For a year or two now NuLabour have been attacking large, gas-guzzling cars, whether through road tax or road charging. It has seemed almost like a class vendetta, but they claimed that they were protecting the environment.

Now they are contemplating financial help to a firm which makes two of the gas guzzlers - Jaguar and Land Rover. Should they be encouraging the assembly of such cars, given their professed concern about the environment? Even if the Jaguars and Land Rovers in the immediate future are likely to be exported, they will pollute the environment elsewhere, which will rebound on us.

It is very likely that other countries will subsidise their motor industries, in a kind of "beggar my neighbour" policy, so our government will feel the need to protect us against unfair competition.

Could I respectfully suggest that given their professed aim to remove gas guzzlers from our streets, Mandelson and Co. should give far more aid to what is left of our mass car production industries, even if they are entirely foreign owned, and much less to gas guzzling Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, et al?

I appreciate that my appeal will fall on deaf ears, and that actual aid given publicly will be given with fanfare to the areas with marginal labour seats!!