The Guardian view on the Tory low tax, free trade pitch: a hard sell in a world that needs neither

The Guardian view on the Tory low tax, free trade pitch: a hard sell in a world that needs neither | Editorial

Jeremy Hunt has an almost religious belief that the invisible hand of the market works – even when it punches Britons

Motorists are expected this year to benefit from an electric car price war – one driven not by the market but by governments in Britain and China. For the first time, the UK has required 22% of new cars sold in 2024 to be electric and, thanks to Beijing’s generous subsidies, cut-price Chinese cars will help meet the demand. There is a trade-off. While Britons can access affordable green motoring, China potentially hoovers up manufacturing prowess and jobs.

Conservative politicians seem relaxed about sending such work and technology abroad. Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, made the case against protectionism at Davos, a policy he has often criticised. He trusts the invisible hand of the market even when it punches Britons in the gut, such as the blow felt today in south Wales. Tata Steel’s Port Talbot blast furnaces will close with the loss of thousands of jobs, instead of the plant making a planned transition to a greener steel industry.

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The car made pedestrians second-class citizens. Don’t let driverless vehicles push us off the road altogether | Adam Tranter

If we want autonomous tech to succeed it must be designed to share space with us, rather than forcing us to adapt to it Adam Tranter is the co-host of the Streets Ahead podcast. He was formerly West Midlands cycling and walking commissioner under mayor Andy Street This week, the UK government announced its plans to fast-track driverless vehicle trials in the UK. One of the key companies involved noted that London presents a significant challenge: “It has seven times more jaywalkers than San Francisco.” There’s more than one problem with that statement – and it encapsulates so much of what’s already going wrong in the adoption of driverless cars. For a start, “jaywalking” isn’t even a thing in the UK. We thankfully have no such concept or offence. Unlike in many US cities, pedestrians here are free to cross the road wherever they see fit. And thank goodness for that. Adam Tranter is the co-host of the Streets Ahead podcast. He was formerly West Midlands cycling and walking co...

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