Brexit decision left UK firms paying 10% more than EU rivals for emissions

'Going Green' was never going to be the cheap option short term, but the decision of the UK government to opt out of the EU emissions trading scheme (EU ETS) is costing industry more than their EU competitors.

An article in the Guardian reports that "British businesses are paying substantially more to produce carbon dioxide than their EU rivals because of the government's refusal to link the UK carbon market to the bigger European market after Brexit.

The difference is putting UK industry at a significant competitive disadvantage to European rivals, at a time of soaring energy prices, but does not result in any additional benefit to the environment.

The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, said: "The UK needs ambitious climate policies, but they will always be better if we work together with international partners. The Conservatives' failure to do this is now hitting British business at the worst possible time, as energy-intensive firms are struggling with sky-high gas prices."

The government has not explained why it has so far rejected a link with the EU system, but many suspect it is part of the desire for a "clean break" hard Brexit, maintaining as few regulatory links as possible.

This is yet another example of the cost to the UK of the dogma driven ideology that seems to have taken over the Conservative Party. Compromise and common sense seem to be in very short supply at the moment.