Gary Jones – the Labour-supporting, Remain-voting ex-Sunday Mirror editor who took over the Daily Express three years ago – believes the paper has “come a long way” since he began his mission to make it a more positive force for good.
Jones made much upon his appointment of his plan to make the Express more inclusive and move away from the “Islamophobic sentiment” that made him “very uncomfortable”.
He wanted to rebrand the Express away from the front pages for which it had become notorious, rarely deviating from the royals, health breakthroughs (especially on diabetes), Brexit and the weather.
Speaking to Press Gazette as he approached his third anniversary in the role, Jones said: “I think we’ve come a long way. I grew up reading the Express as a child and it was really important to my parents: it was aspirational and a positive force in their lives.
At the same time the chief executive of the UK’s fastest-growing energy supplier, Bulb, threw his weight behind this newspaper’s call for Zero for Zero – zero VAT for products with zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The tax is deterring Britons from making climate-friendly choices such as buying electric cars or installing solar panels.
Hayden Wood said: “Families shouldn’t be taxed for choosing green options, so let’s scrap VAT on green products. This would make green technology more affordable for millions of people.
“We’re backing the Zero for Zero campaign because we think everyone should be able to benefit from the green recovery.”
Experts have suggested consumers could become more motivated to make greener choices if VAT is cut for low carbon or carbon zero goods.
The current tax regime holds back progress towards our national green targets while giving an edge to conventional high carbon products and rewarding polluters.
For example, solar panels are currently taxed at 20 percent VAT, while domestic coal - which produces harmful emissions - is charged at five percent.
In one of a series of questions in our survey below, the Daily Express is asking if VAT should be cut for low carbon or carbon zero goods?
Should Britain s green belt be protected from development? (Image: GETTY)
| UPDATED: 14:04, Tue, Feb 9, 2021
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Jon Worth, an EU observer and lecturer at the College of Europe, has insisted that Brussels is unlikely to pursue any reforms to the treaties which govern the bloc. This is despite moves by Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to open a discussion on the future direction of the European Union after Brexit. Mr Worth added that EU leaders are fearful any attempt to ratify reforms via public referendums would result in humiliating defeats as happened during attempts to alter