MY wife Maria was in Huddersfield bus station the other day staring out at grey sky and drizzle and heard two elderly ladies talking.

“Do you think the Government’s got anything to do with this weather?” one said.

“Ooh, I don’t know, love,” said the other.

It’s natural to want to blame somebody for the bad weather but even I, a critic of governments of any political shade, cannot accept that the coalition has engineered climactic conditions so perfectly suited to recession.

Mind you, if he sees any profit in it, I wouldn’t be surprised if George Osborne slapped a sunshine tax on those days that the clouds parted and the sun shone from a blue sky and actually confirmed that it is summer.

If it does happen you could get a bill from the Inland Revenue at the end of the financial year.

“Tax for sunshine for the year 2013/14, calculated at 5p an hour: £1 25.”

Daft, you say?

There have been taxes implemented in the past that now seem just as silly.

The Roman Emperor Vespasian slapped a tax on urine, and no, I’m not taking the Michael. It was a valuable commodity for tanners and laundry workers. In the 17th century Britain had taxes on fireplaces and windows.

Oh, this is an easy way to make money, thought the Chancellor. And promptly slapped another tax on house bricks. Then hats. Peter the Great of Russia taxed beards and in Texas, owners of clubs who serve alcohol and have girls dancing in skimpy costumes, have to pay $5 per customer. This is, of course, known as the Pole Tax.

And who is to say that in the future the Government will not be able to control the weather? As science progresses exponentially, it seems inevitable that in the near future we will have a Minister for Weather who will be able to conduct the Four Seasons with the skill of Vivaldi.

Then watch out for tax.