The Government has a simple choice.

They can provide for the needs of asylum seekers whatever the cost.

Or they can allow asylum seekers to legally work to support themselves and provide for remaining needs as befitting the welfare state.

I could very well see them doing that.
(which, of course, means that if you take out a loan or HP agreement for the car, you'll be paying interest on the tax they paid for you)

That's fine. Then no mileage charge for the first three years. Stick a £1,000 surcharge on the purchase of a new car to compensate and to discourage people from switching their cars out too often to avoid the mileage charge.

Rather than paying alongside VED, it'd be better to pay it as part of an MOT when mileage for the previous year is officially recorded. Apparently they haven't thought through the payment mechanism properly yet as they're putting it out to consultation.

I think about the barriers in front of me that prevent me from cycling to my preferred supermarket, for instance.

thecommongreen.scot/2022/11/25/o...

I do think we need to push more for 15min neighbourhoods to reduce the need for travel at all, better active travel and much more cheap (free?) public transport, easier car hire to reduce the need for private ownership.

It's worth saying that fuel duty on an IC car works out at closer to 5p/mile. We just don't quite think of it that way.

The alternative to flat mileage pricing is a tracking device to monitor which road you're driving on.

Yes, this does discriminate against rural folk, but are alternatives better?

Ah. Confirmation from Reeves there that the mansion tax applies only to England.