Progressive protectionism: Should Britain impose a carbon border adjustment tax?

Pressure is growing for the UK government to impose taxes on high-carbon imports but would such levies be legitimate tools for meeting the global net zero emissions goal, or are they old-fashioned trade protectionism in disguise? Ben Chu investigates

‘There is no point in damaging the competitiveness of economies such as the UK while other countries maintain their competitive edge,’ argues the former trade secretary Liam Fox (Reuters)

The former international trade secretary, Liam Fox, has urged the UK government to implement a new carbon tax on imports.

Mr Fox was on the tariff-cutting, free-trading wing of the Brexit movement, rather than the wing which wanted more protection for UK firms and domestic production.

Yet on Thursday Mr Fox said new import taxes were, nevertheless, made necessary as a result of efforts by the UK government to decarbonise domestic UK industry.