Pamper to the poor and lay waste to the wealthy

've been researching how it is that countries like the UAE and Norway can afford their populations paying little or no tax, whereas we (or at least the majority of us) are always talking and worrying about tax rises.

- NS, via email

The answer is that a lot of their revenue comes from state-owned oil and gas companies, with profits from these being ploughed back into the economy to pay for the countries’ services.

Thus, there is no need to charge inhabitants much, if any, tax. And it is now these profits which are allowing these states to turn green.

Meanwhile successive, weak British Governments have allowed the rich oil and gas companies to plunder our resources and pay little by comparison in return.

This would have allowed the UK to go green much earlier, but the only thing green about this country is us turning green with envy over other countries who have got their economies sorted.