Mantra for the new pm: "brexit will make britain greener" | thearticle

Whoever wins the ongoing leadership contest, our next prime minister will be confronted by a formidable challenge. How can either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt lead Britain out of the

European Union on the one hand, while also unifying a nation that remains bitterly divided over the issue? A clue comes from yesterday’s parliamentary proceedings, when a piece of secondary

legislation quietly took a further step forward. Under the amendment, VAT on home solar and battery storage systems will increase massively from 5%, where it has stood since 1997, to 20%.

The move has of course caused an outcry from environmental groups for the obvious reason that it is a big disincentive for ordinary consumers to adopt greener types of energy, and will make

it even harder for our Government to live up to its promise to reduce carbon emissions. But the Government’s decision is hugely important for the Brexit debate because it has been taken in

order to comply with EU laws. Four years ago, the European Court of Justice ruled that energy saving materials did not merit a lower tax rate. This led to a VAT increase on solar systems

installed in new-build homes. But now the ruling has been given wider reach because it affects existing homes that are upgrading their energy supply. The fact that the EU is the driving

force behind this decision matters enormously. Not only is it a perfect illustration of how this country, like any member state, cannot be its own boss, but it reveals why the EU is ‘A Bad

Thing’ when it comes to the very issues that matter most to many ordinary people, above all to those who most strongly support it. Look at the surveys and talk to anyone and it becomes clear

that the younger you are, the more likely you were to vote to stay in the EU: studies show that around 70% of 18-24 year-olds voted Remain, while just under 30% opted to vote Leave. The

older you are, the more likely you were to vote Leave. It is fair to say that the nation is currently divided into the under-45s who, broadly, are in favour of staying in the EU, and the

over 45s, who largely want to get out. But at the same time young people are increasingly focused on tackling climate change. This has become increasingly noticeable over the past few months

alone. Extinction Rebellion, Campaign against Climate Change, ‘Youth Strikes’, Greta Thunberg – all these names and terms have appeared suddenly and there is no reason, at a time of

record-breaking temperatures in Europe and elsewhere, to suppose that this massive issue is going to suddenly disappear. There is every reason, in fact, to suppose it will gather momentum

and escalate considerably. Here is the great chance and opportunity for the next prime minister, the Conservative Party and every Brexiteer must seize. They must press home the fact that,

unshackled by EU laws, we would be much better positioned to reduce our carbon emissions and set an example that other member states could follow. They must be unrelenting about the EU’s

culpability for our VAT on solar panels, repeating the facts mercilessly, while policy experts also need to find other examples of how the EU has not just failed to tackle this vital issue

but even actively impede it. In the past, Michael Gove has played a brilliant card by emphasising that Brexit can enhance our national track record on animal welfare, not least by allowing

us to end exemptions that the EU currently allows (such as bullfighting and the production of foie gras). This appealed strongly to the younger voters who had failed to see any tension

between their Remainerism on the one hand, and commitment to animal welfare on the other. It is in the same spirit that every Tory and Brexiteer must now seize their opportunity on climate

change, exploiting the issue ruthlessly to win the high ground.