Dear Editor,
For the last few years the Liberal Democrats have been trying to convince Maidstone that they are green, however their selection of a high profile fuel tax protester, Peter Carroll, as parliamentary candidate shows their real colour - grey.
Reducing tax on petrol and diesel would be disastrous for the planet and the benefits would be very short lived. Fuel prices are set to continue to rise in the future and in little time any short term savings would disappear. What is required is rapid investment in alternatives to cars as the main form of transport and a localisation of the economy so that we don't transport goods thousands of miles but produce them locally wherever possible.
These two initiatives would save people money, reduce pollution and create jobs - all much needed in a time of recession and climate change, but if government were to give way and reduce tax on fuel the investment for these initiatives would be very hard to find. I also doubt that Mr Carroll, as a haulage boss, would be keen on reducing the need for long distance freight - turkeys don't usually vote for Christmas.
Clearly local Lib Dems are targeting a populist vote rather than trying to convince people to vote for principled policies made with a positive future in mind.
Stuart Jeffery
Green Party parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald
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