Wow, talaiporia (whatever that actually means?). Of course the Exchequer has to raise money from somewhere to feed all our modern extravagances - but why should the poor bloody motorist be singled out? If the need is there (which it no doubt is) we should all contribute equally - repeat equally!
And how very unfair to dismiss rural areas as of no consequence on the mere basis of numbers. People living in the country have every bit as much right to be heard as those living in the cities. You cannot just dismiss them as a mere minority - what the hell sort of democracy do you want? Not all that long ago we had the dreadful Tony Banks proclaiming against fox-hunting. He got hundreds of ignorant urban Labour MPs on his side, since they felt they must cultivate the dear-little-dicky-birds TV syndrome, and passed one of the most undemocratic Acts that have ever been through Parliament. And, because foxes (which really do have to be controlled in large numbers) are now being shot to control their numbers, many more are wounded and suffer a painful and lingering death since however careful a rifle shot is, he's bound to mortally wound a few. So, however Banks produced his case to Parliament, he actually imposed more suffering on foxes than the alternative, brutal but quick, hunting solution. And much more importantly, he set ignorant urbanites against the countryside in an inexcusable way, to create animosities that will linger on for many years to come ...
Tony.
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