I gather Britain is due to launch itself into the vanguard of the fight against climate change with green taxes - just like we pay for compliance with every EU directive which other member states ignore and just like we jump into every US-initiated war.

I read that if every single power station in the UK was closed down, China would have made up for the reduction in emissions in less than two years.

And what do we do? We charge motorists in Richmond for their residents' parking according to the car they drive.

I'm afraid, as a greater devolution of power to local government is promised, more of these stupid, ineffective and repressive ideas will stem from loony amateur politicians.

Meanwhile, long-suffering British taxpayers are to be burdened yet again with having to sift through their rubbish, have microchips installed in their bins (which will probably be collected fortnightly, along with the maggots), face increases in the cost of motoring and air travel and God knows what else.

All this while America, Australia, India and China - to name a few - do precious little about a problem which, at best, is possibly overstated.

Listening to Tony Blair's impassioned speech on the Brent Report was uncannily and obscenely reminiscent of his doom-laden rhetoric on Saddam's 45-minute missile capability.

Clearly, there's money for the Exchequer in green taxes while the jobs created in enforcing the new laws and in providing the equipment needed for manufacturers, schools, councils et al to comply will favourably affect the unemployment figures.

This is a nation of service industries - we produce very little - and the bubble will have to burst some time.

Soon we're going to have our homes reappraised for council tax - improvements we have made with our tax-paid savings will be retaxed in increases.

No wonder some 350,000 Brits emigrate every year.

Just for once, let Britain hold back on flogging its citizens and let's wait for some real international cooperation to take place first.

It's a pity we're not a nation that takes to the streets or blockades motorways and ports like the French.

It's time we told the Government that we're sick and tired of being bullied, and of constantly being pushed into the forefront of every crisis while the rest of the world smirks patronisingly.

JAY DENSON The Green Charlbury