Good Morning Britain - Boris Johnson Interview

[Tito Fuente]

I appreciate that making difficult long term decisions may not be your kind of politics (you gloss over the bad nuclear decisions for example) but what if a short term windfall tax leads to a long term withdrawal of investment in renewal energy sources, and so we have another problem in a few years? Thats the governments concern.

Worth noting as well, that with increased profits they will be paying increased taxation too.

I'm open minded on a windfall tax, but how I can see how it's a short term fix that may be a bad decision in the long run

You're just taking the piss now, surely?

Energy companies having massive profits and not being taxed accordingly 'just in case' it leads to a long-term withdrawal of renewable energy. Laughable.

Who's in charge: the energy companies or the government? They can be legally forced to co-operate with the green and renewable legislation but instead let's be blackmailed by companies while people are literally starving.

[JamesWales]

You're just taking the piss now, surely?

Energy companies having massive profits and not being taxed accordingly 'just in case' it leads to a long-term withdrawal of renewable energy. Laughable.

Who's in charge: the energy companies or the government? They can be legally forced to co-operate with the green and renewable legislation but instead let's be blackmailed by companies while people are literally starving.

I don't think you understand how long term investment works. The point is that that is done in conjunction with government and places the risk and rewards on the business. Things like windfall taxes are not always wholly positive because it can reduce trust and investment in sectors we need it in. Nonetheless, I am not against it in this case. I just realise it's more complex than you make out, where you think there are simple cost-free answers to everything, but there isnt.

Do you at least recognise that the increased profits mean increase tax receipts?