18.03.09 Duty rise set to bring fuel tax to 71% in 2 weeks

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10324 comments 15282 votes

Has the Budget been postponed to push through a fuel duty rise unchallenged?

In just 2 weeks fuel duty will rise again, bringing the total tax paid at the pumps to 71 pence in every pound - despite Prime Minister Gordon Brown promising not to raise fuel duty.

Watch Brown pledge to freeze fuel duty. (1.40m - 2.02m)

Fuel duty is set to rise by roughly 2 pence per litre on April 1st meaning that 66 pence of the average litre of fuel goes directly to the Treasury.

Fuel tax goes into a central government tax pot. It's not necessarily allocated back out to motoring, so fuel tax can be spent on anything � the NHS, housing, pensions or even banking bailouts.

At the height of soaring pump prices Brown made a promise during Prime Minister's Questions on July 16th 2008 not to raise fuel duty for a year.

He stated: "In recognition of the problem people face with petrol, we are freezing duty on petrol for the full year."

Brown broke this promise in December 2008 when he added 2 pence per litre to fuel duty to offset the reduction of VAT to 15% - a move which angered UK hauliers who are able to claim fuel VAT back, but not fuel duty.

He is set to break the promise for a second time on April 1st when fuel duty on unleaded and diesel will rise 1.84 pence per litre. Including the additional 15% VAT on top this will make the rise at the pumps around 2 pence per litre.

The Treasury have said that the only time further changes to fuel duty can take place are at the next Budget � which has been postponed from March until April 22nd, after the duty rise comes in.

Do you think the Budget has been postponed to push through a duty rise unchallenged? Do you think it's fair that 71% of the cost of a litre of fuel goes directly to the Treasury? Should Brown be held to account for breaking his promise not to raise fuel duty? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

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This is definitely the wrong attitude during the recession. Is this to cover costs for baling out the banks so that CEOs can continue to draw obscene amounts as pensions? Why does fuel have to be taxed so much anyway - especially diesel, which is far cheaper in Italy, for example, than unleaded.

Posted by Gareth Zimmerman, 18th March 2009 5:34pm

Well what can I say... There is no pleasure in motoring any more.

The Government are set to make our lives misery in many departments, and to be frank if I didn't have ties I'd have left this big black hole years ago.

The Government already impose a lot on us motorists, and they just keep asking for more! Why? Well they haven't got a REAL reason, they just blame global warming - wow the world has warmed up before our time and cooled down again - it's just a good way of making money for them and the EU!

Do you (Government) really think that by raising prices of everything motoring will get us off the rubbish roads you built, and STOP global warming? No, so leave us alone to enjoy driving whilst we can just still about afford it - and that's before we all loose our jobs.

Someone do something and get rid of this government...

Posted by Scott Osborne, 18th March 2009 5:35pm

Am I surprised? No. I long ago lost any respect for the former Chancellor's ability to run our economy so now he is Prime Minister that just adds to my sense of gloom, especially now I have been reminded that fuel duty is being added in April without a fanfare!

Posted by Derek Redwood, 18th March 2009 5:35pm

Outrageous, who voted this lot in?

Posted by C Houghton, 18th March 2009 5:35pm

Why are we paying so much for diesel which cost less to make than petrol?

between 9 and 15 p per litre more than unleaded petrol?? and now EVEN More Tax, we are being ripped off yet again. bt this "Spend and Bust " government.

Posted by Belinda Wood, 18th March 2009 5:35pm

I CANT BELIEVE THIS PETROL RISE AGAIN I THINK THIS GOVERMENT THINK THEY HAVE GOT US ALL JUST WHERE THEY WANT US. WITH NOONE REALLY WORKING AT THE MOMENT HOW DO THEY EXPECT YOU TO KEEP PAYING ALL THESE BILLS HE WONT REST TILL THE COUNTRY COMES TO A STAND STILL.
I THINK ITS TIME WE TOLD HIM TO GO FORTH AND STOOD UP FOR OURSELVES AND STOP PAYING ALL THESE STUPID TAXES EVEN THE COUNCIL TAX HAS INCREASED WITH NO JOBS WHERES IT ALL COMING FROM COME ON YOU LOT STAND UP TO HIM ITS ALL OF US AGAINST HIM

Posted by Disgusted Di, 18th March 2009 5:36pm

It looks very much like another example of this administration sliding in a stealth tax hidden amongst the 'credit crunch' bad news.

Posted by John Forsyth, 18th March 2009 5:36pm

I think the government should get the banks to pay for the increase in fuel duty! They are still quite happy to pay outrageous bonuses!!!!

Posted by Alan, 18th March 2009 5:36pm

As always we are given something in one hand and twice as much is robbed from the other.

when will we all finally stop being sheep and stand up and say no to this tax, just stop buying fuel for 3 days, then they would have to do something about it.

Posted by Dean Tompkins, 18th March 2009 5:37pm

No surprise then, need a bit od extra cash, nobble the motorist, an easy target and don't have to use the ols imagination

Posted by John Roberts, 18th March 2009 5:38pm

This really must be the final nail in the coffin for Brown. People seem to have forgotten the disastrous first few months of his tenure - this will remind them with a vengeance.

Posted by Malcolm Entecott, 18th March 2009 5:38pm

In the name of running the country filing up their pockets, securing their pensions on the expense of tax payers. Where people dont voice thier concerns this is exactly what happens. The government has become greedy here. Time to move your assetts abroad. It will get worse and nasty and crafty as they will try to recover lost taxes to fill up their pockets. Time to move now........dont say later didn't warn you.

Posted by Jason, 18th March 2009 5:38pm

I say let the dithering idiot keep making these school boy errors, he'll be out of Number 10 come the next election. It's almost as if he wants the tories to get in!!

Posted by Mighty Mongo, 18th March 2009 5:38pm

I cannot understand why people are surprised. The money to bail out the banks has to come from somewhere. Gordon got us into this mess and now he is looking to us to pay for his mistakes. Pity he couldnt start cutting back in Whitehall...

Posted by Rhys Harries, 18th March 2009 5:38pm

As a couple who as pensioners are already subjected to a reduced income as a result of virtually non-existent interest from our savings, who have been clobbered with a disproportionate rise in council tax and don't benefit from reduced mortgage repayments (through prudent management we no longer have one) this is one more blow to our rapidly reducing quality of life.

Posted by Alan Butcher, 18th March 2009 5:38pm

Another 2p per litre will take the price of diesel back above the £1 mark again. Last time this barrier was broken the price increases by roughly 2p per litre evry week for several months. The government just shrugged their shoulders and said that it was beyond their control. This time it is the government instigating the rise that could start the mad upward spiral again.
The next election can't be that far away and we will all remember this event.
I live in on a main road in the north east of Scotland, about two and a half miles from the nearest village and there is no public transport between here and the village, or infact between here and anywhere. Because of the frequent poor weather conditions and because my freinds and neighbours live in more remote places, I drive a Landrover Defender, hardly a prestige 4x4 that I see in towns. I am already being penalised with the excessive road tax (£400) this increase in fuel duty is just one more sl;ap in the face from a know nothing, care even less bullshxxxing government.

Posted by Dave Jones, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

It's to pay for greedy bankers and self serving, ineffective politicians.

Posted by Tim Batchelor, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

April 1st? Is this a joke? Sadly not, but the Government is! They spend billions bailing out the banks and yet, as others have commented, little if any of this money is being passed on to businesses and the public. They then say that we're all "shareholders" in the banks, but I haven't seen or heard of any share certificates being issued, so we won't benefit when the economy does pick up again.
As with other comments made, the NHS is in a mess, our roads are in a mess, public services are generally in a mess, but the rich seem to get richer and the government squeeze the private motorist and businesses alike ... again.

Posted by Simon Shilleto, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

Yes, another increase is not we all want, but, consider these figures I've just found on the net. In 1971, the average weekly wage was £15.00, and petrol cost £0.34 per gallon, that's 2.3% of the weeks wages. Today, well last year anyway, the average weekly wage was £558.00, and petrol was £3.95 per gallon, or 0.7% of the weeks wages. Just think how we would moan if the percentage was the same as in 1971; the litre price would be.......£2.82!!! Gives us something to think about.

Posted by John Miners, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

You can almost predict the companies on whose boards Gordon is aiming to sit as a highly paid non exec director once he inevitably goes - A bank or two he has bailed out and have since bought themselves out of the debt at fantastically low rates, a petro-chemical company whose coffers he has swelled by not forcing them to bring down the fuel prices with the market, a middle eastern company that owns most of the bailed out industries that he has helped in this recession.

A recession he helped to create by turning a blind eye to the joke of a regulating body he set up to be looking the other way while financiers robbed the country blind and we all thought it couldn't happen because they were regulated.

Just how do we force this unelected buffoon to go to the polls?

Posted by Mike Barlow, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Gordon Brown will break his promises - he has repeatedly done so since coming into government. Remember the referendum on the EU constitution.

It is no surprise that he is raising taxes again - he has raised them to historically high levels.

So long as we British passively accept what is thrown at us by the Labour government they will continue to tax and lie.

Posted by Patrick Arthur White, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

Once again we are stabbed in the back by our politicians - little wonder that our younger generations have little belief or interest in the politics of our country.

Add this rise onto the rise which will hit us all when the VAT returns to its usual level and its a double whammy really - the perfect way to kick the British public when its down - especially when financial uncertainty and the threat of unemployment looms over all of us. Just when will the government start to do anything to actually help the "man on the street" rather than just hitting us harder and harder?

Posted by Rick Kelso-davies, 18th March 2009 5:39pm

This government will not be happy until the only cars on the road are driven by Government ministers and the very rich. The rest of us will have to stay in our villages and towns, as isolated as they were in the 17th Century

Posted by Malcolm Henderson, 18th March 2009 5:40pm

and once again this goverment do just the opposite of what they promise...why is Mr Brown (I wanted to write something else here) hanging on to his position of power....oh yes, thats it, he loves the power and what bthey say is true isn't it....

Posted by Tony Woodhouse, 18th March 2009 5:41pm

This is typical of Gordon Brown. He has again broken another promise and shown how devious he is. He can only be trusted to break his promises and be underhanded. He has never been voted into office as prime minister and the sooner he is voted out of office the better. Stealth taxes were never heard of before he became Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Posted by Derek Andrews, 18th March 2009 5:41pm

I wonder when Brown/Darling last put fuel in their cars......

Posted by D Walmsley, 18th March 2009 5:42pm

......so, it seems there are no morals these days; it's totally okay to LIE!! Do you think I'll get away with promising the council that I will pay them my council tax bill but then change my mind?

Basically, they screw up and we pay the price!

Posted by Parminder Saimbhi, 18th March 2009 5:42pm

Gordon Brown is ensuring that there is plenty of money in the pot to pay his pension. Does he not know that theft is a criminal offence, and for the past ten years, he has been robbing the British people. As Prime Minister he is not fit for purpose, Keir Hardy must be turning in his grave, at what has happened to the Labour Party he originally envisaged.

Posted by James Fisher, 18th March 2009 5:42pm

When Gordon Brown states that the current economic crisis is Global he conveniently forgets to admit that whatever has happened could have been softened by NOT increasing the BOE base rate over recent years, putting the price retail cap back on that was removed in the late nineties, and not only NOT increasing the fuel tax BUT reducing it. This is the THE most incompetant and typically two faced politician and Prime Minister that this country has ever seen. Not to mention the Pension fund debacle, selling off our Gold reserves at their lowest price before the Gold boom. etc. etc. Politicians have GOT to stop cosying up to the Bankers and Business and start representing the voters who elect them in the first place. We want quality of life not profit at any price, living as battery workers in Britain PLC. And watch the fuel price soar when oil booms again, which it will.Rising taxes, rising prices and supressed wages. It is little wonder that for many families disposable income is non existent. Oh and reckless lending to a desperate Nation fuelled by greed.

John Stockport

Posted by John Unwin, 18th March 2009 5:42pm

This government just cannot see that they are making everyone worse off, and hitting industry at the same time. Gordon Brown talks such a lot of old rubbish about helping the poorer people in society, but this will affect them also. Don't anyone ever moan about Maggie Thatcher again.
Disgusted from Redditch

Posted by Martin Chatterley, 18th March 2009 5:42pm

Yawn, Yawn, whinge, whinge.

People can easily make a 2% saving in fuel use and therefore costs by adopting efficient driving techniques. And by using your car less that's 100% saving on that journey.

As a nation we have too many cars and use them too much - we need higher rises as a deterrent.

Posted by Brian Gooch, 18th March 2009 5:42pm

Gordon should wear a mask.

Posted by Rupert Turner, 18th March 2009 5:43pm

I think that this is shameful. In a time when the government has promised to help those in need during these difficult economic times he has done exactly the opposite. The VAT reduction was pointless and now he is "topping up the pot" by the further fuel duty. It is disgusting as anyone who is VAT registered could reclaim the additional 2.5% but this increase to travelling expenses just has to be absorbed.
From the beginning of the crisis Brown has promised to help out small businesses and customers but what seems to have happened is that the big banks, who were the ones who have damaged the economy with their risk averse attitudes, are the only ones getting help, and the tax paying people are being hit yet again for the loans by whacking another duty increase. If Brown really wanted to help slow the impact of recession for the people of this country he would scrap this additional duty increase and forget the VAT change!

Posted by Athalia Loxley, 18th March 2009 5:43pm

Typically the government always manage to get more money from the poor beleaguered rural dwellers who have no choice but to pay the inflated prices to start with, then the government's increases, and then there's the higher road tax cos we need a 4x4 to get around in - don't you just love Labour?

Posted by Jane Smith, 18th March 2009 5:44pm

Another example of this dissembler's cynical style of government. His deceits are now so frequent that I doubt whether anyone believes anything he says.

More importantly, since all our food arrives at the point of sale by road and will thus become more expensive as a direct result of this hike, how can he believe it will help the economy? I can't wait to get my revenge on him by voting him out at the earliest opportunity

Posted by Peter Horsfield, 18th March 2009 5:44pm

The government seem hell bent on taxing people into poverty. It doesn't matter what fuel you use to propel your car - it can be 'emission free' water - the govenrment will STILL tax motorists to the hilt because they refuse to lose the revenue!

Posted by Paul Holcroft, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

Same old, same old again and again -- the motorist is the soft touch, (and they then say "ah - well it's now a Green Tax issue" (We have heard this before!)
Can i Just say this is a load of old Bull ****.

The politics are simple -- what else can they tax? (The do- gooders then say, but where are we going to get the money from?) Problem is that with extra Taxation - the Government + Local Government (Yes Council Tax bills are set to rocket -- Ours is a modest rise at 4.2%, still hurts!!) -- Just check out some of the others. (Well some one has to fund their losses - ( Money in Icelandic Banks etc.. -- or as i like to think -- Councils going to the casino with our money etc...)
Sorry, getting back: - eventually tax will either saturate us, or we will all go to the wall. Any one of these will hurt us, just a matter of degree!

What will the Government do when they have no tax revenues? The majority of the people will be eeking out a living on the land, (but which land who's and where?)
Until we have a Government in tune with the electrorate, a Government that will not be brow beaten by Brussels, we are on a road to nowwhere!!

Just a point of fact -- You may be able to remember a time when we bought fuel in Gallons & the Price increase was pence per gallon (Good old days)
We now purchase in Litres (4.55 ltrs = 1(UK) Gallon) so the Treasury gets a better take -- (You may say it's only 2p / Ltr -- But look it' almost 10p per gallon!! Good marketing strategy don't you think?

LN
Cleveland

Posted by Les Northend, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

JUst another Idiot decision by this idiot government trying to stimulate the economy. What is the point of saying more!

Posted by Jma Hoyle, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

this is just another ploy to raise money for a dishonest government. Every increase on fuel raises the cost of living by how many times commodities are moved around the country. We are stuck with a greed culture endemic throughout.

Posted by Peter W Scott, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

This Government are seriously taking the piss aren't they ?
We are in the worst recession this country has ever known which was partly bought on by the Brown and Blair in the first place and now he wants to raise duty on an already over taxed product that every one of us needs.

What he should to do is put a windfall tax on the utility companies who also taking the piss out of us.

Come the next election, everyone must for good of our once great country, vote out Labour as this country simply wont survive another term.

Posted by Russ T, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

In my opinion, Mr Brown is a thief and a con-man protected by his position as an MP. I have been a life-time Labour voter. No more...

Let's have REAL accountability for politicians.

Posted by Tim Mylward, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

When will the country realise that this P.M. does nothing but break promise after promise. He is rapidly becoming more and more of a liability.How long do we have to put up with this sort of goverment.

Posted by David G, 18th March 2009 5:45pm

Usual stealth tax. It is time it was cut to help the economy.

Maybe the resignation of Gordon's incompetent government would also help everyone recover from the mess he has got us into. Time for an election.

Posted by Richard Clark, 18th March 2009 5:46pm

How can the Government justify the fuel duty increase in these times of increasing economic difficulties. He would have been better to reinstate the reduction in Vat that was granted earlier that appears to have had little effect.

Posted by Ken Horne, 18th March 2009 5:46pm

Gordon Brown is the biggest tos**r i have ever set eyes upon, and ANYONE that re-elects the Labour party seriously needs there heads examining !!!

I just wish someone had the courage/stupidity to walk up to him and shove a broken bottle in his face !

Dont the Goverment know the average working class person is SUFFERING !

Posted by Mark Reeves, 18th March 2009 5:46pm

We should not be surprised at his failure to keep his promises! We have agovernment with no conscience. Next election remember their lack of integrity. How can we trust them again?

Posted by Walter Nadin, 18th March 2009 5:47pm

Raising the tax on petrol/diesel by another 2p is madness, with the economy as it is to burden business with increased costs which has to be passed on to all of us is just plain stupid, but this is typical of this Government!

Posted by Nick Eddleston, 18th March 2009 5:48pm

It's Robbery with violence again

Posted by David, 18th March 2009 5:48pm

How can we as ordinary people make our feelings felt?
A 10 mph protest?
A no driving week/day?
Why don't we do as the French and protest?
Because we have to earn so much money to keep our heads above water we can't stop to think about it. Foreign companies call the UK 'Treasure Island' because they can charge so much more here for everything and we will just put up with it - it now seems our government thinks the same way.

Posted by Mike Barlow, 18th March 2009 5:48pm

This fuel duty rise is yet another totally ridicules proposition from a Prime Minister hell bent on demonstrating ever increasing incompetence to a disenchanted and disillusioned public. This is the man remember, who has rewarded banking failure with £billions or OUR money, without having the sense to put in a clause requiring banks to start lending again. The man who promised an end to Boom & Bust (eh ... excuse me?).

The quicker we get rid of these buffoons and start to get some intelligence back into No.10, the better. Voter NO to increased fuel duty.

Posted by Julian Thursfield, 18th March 2009 5:48pm

When fuel prices dropped recently everybody thought this was great and seem to have forgotten just how high petrol and diesel has gone up for many months. I have already noted both have slowly increased a bit at time even though the dollor per barrel continues to fall. We have always paid over the odds and to increase this again by the government would be a disgarce and further increas the tories lead against them at the next elecetion.

Posted by Bertram Dennis Steele, 18th March 2009 5:48pm

in Manchester we resoundedly rejected the so called "Congestion Charge" and therefore put two fingers up to the government trying to insidiously hit us with another tax. Luckily we had a referendem.
Unfortunately the only way to fight this new rise in fuel duty is to change government to one that recognises that road transport is not the goose that lays unlimited golden eggs

Posted by John Dexter, 18th March 2009 5:49pm

Oh to be a Canadian - I have just lived there twice for 5 months and 3 months, the cost of living is lower, the fuel is less than half, the houses are cheaper and their economy is in far better shape than ours. Given half the chance I would move there tomorrow and get out of this rip off country. You wonder why I don't, well unlike Britain they don't allow anyone in unless they really want them!!! Says it all don't it?

Posted by Vernon Fewtrell, 18th March 2009 5:49pm

Sometime this month OPEC (the oil producers cartel) is meeting sometime this month to talk about reducing output this in turn will also push the price of fuel up, it already risen in price by about 6 pence per litre due to the poor exchange rate between the pound and the dollar. I would not let Gordon Brown (unelected PM) look after a pet goldfish some how he is runing /ruining this once great country

Posted by Terry Allum, 18th March 2009 5:50pm

Once again you properly raise the serious issue of the Government's lack of sincerity on the issue of Fuel Tax.

I need my car to get to work each day, as Public Transport is non- existant between my home and place of work.

Just who is the Government helping with the Tax changes? I need hardly add that I am not a banker and have no bonus to compensate for tax increases.

Posted by John Keen, 18th March 2009 5:50pm

Rip-off UK, more like rip-off Brown and his government. They haven't done anything constructive in the 12 years and just impose more and more taxes against the public's wishes. They just do what they like and don't listen to the public. The country is in recession. People are losing their jobs and all Brown wants to do is raise fuel duty. Give from one hand and take away from the other, that's his motto.
This country has been mismanaged so much that today the IMF has said that the UK will take the longest out of all the major developed countries to come out of recession. The sooner we get the chance to vote this lot out the better.

Posted by Sam Epping, 18th March 2009 5:51pm

Another stealth tax kept at low key and creeping in. What happened to all this extra tax when crude prices were sky high ? Crude has dropped significantly but pump prices don't reflect this.Rob the motorist to reward this useless bankers !

Posted by Terry Walton, 18th March 2009 5:51pm

Maybe we should be entitled to the money raised for Comic Relief to help with our fuel costs. After all, charity begins at home!

Posted by Mark Hooper, 18th March 2009 5:51pm

Yet another fuel cost hike. This not only affects motorists BUT EVERYONE WHO BUYS ANYTHING. Is there anything we buy that does not at some point travel br road. A fuel duty price hike is like an increase on income tax for us all

Posted by Stan Scott, 18th March 2009 5:51pm

Gordon Brown is using sneaky tactics to raise money.
On the on hand he gives a vat reduction to 15%.
Then on the other hand he raises duty on fuel, inspite of the severe financial situation most people are in.
That too this is the second time it is being raised, when he had promised to not raise it. Gordon cannot be trusted.

Posted by Nelita, 18th March 2009 5:52pm

How much money do the government think they can take out of my pocket! There is only so much the government can do before I have to have a recession of my own! The government rely on the people of this country and yet we are the ones that always get stitched up.... how come mr brown?

Posted by Barrie S, 18th March 2009 5:52pm

It is unbelievable that at this time, with all the financial uncertainty within the world that this hike will take place.

Bail the banks out and charge it to the vehicle owners!!!

Posted by Peter Nicholls, 18th March 2009 5:52pm

Totally , Totally typical of this governments mis-managerment of our country and it's budget!

Posted by John H Reeve, 18th March 2009 5:53pm

More tax is a good idea - encourages people to be more aware of the resources they are using and the environmental damage they are causing.

Just the other day (in central London) saw (and heard) a Mercedes 4x4 accelerate to around 40 mph from a zebra crossing to overtake a motorcycle that was pretty quick off the mark too - then both had to brake fiercely to go round a corner. That sort of attitude is both dangerous in terms of road safety and shows how short-sighted many drivers are.

Posted by Denzil Millichap, 18th March 2009 5:53pm

If he carries on like this he won't have to worry about the unemployment figures because no one will be able to afford to go to work. It's a disgrace!!!

Sack the government!!!!

Posted by Chris Maddock, 18th March 2009 5:53pm

with the pound as low as it is, it's no supprize that the lying polliticians will do exactly what they like. Never mind the price of fuel as long as they have enough free drink, flights, hotel rooms, secretaries, nannys and tax free bonus for getting it wrong all the time. While our industries are being slaughtered. Tax on tax thats the british way.

Posted by Chris Dietrich, 18th March 2009 5:54pm

Not only is it going up again but why is the gap between petrol and diesel so great,we were all encouraged to think ecconomy and now we have to pay for it.Can this government explain where all this extra tax goes and justify why we pay more tax than any other EU country it's bad enough we have so many job loses,soon people won't be able to put fuel in their cars to get to work.

Posted by John Edmonds, 18th March 2009 5:54pm

Once again the motorist has to pay for government mistakes in other areas. Why o why is diesel still averaging over 10% more than petrol when it is always cheaper on the continent. High diesel has a direct effect on high street prices due to transport costs. It is time to put us on an equal footing with the rest of europes transport system. Much more effective than a 2.5% VAT cut- which the government again made sure was not passed on to the motorist.

Posted by Ian Rodgers, 18th March 2009 5:54pm

Well slap my arse and call me marjory!! fancy the government taking the easy option to raise money for their incompetance by hitting the motorist who has to go to work, who has to run the kids to school, who has to use a car because the Public Transport system is a farce, great if you want to travel the breadth of the country ( and can afford the extra payments on your mortgage to finance it!!), a complete waste of time if you wish to go to the shops.

Posted by Paul Reynolds, 18th March 2009 5:55pm

This is ridiculous, why just as the cost of fuel is dropping do the government insist on restarting inflation by adding tax on fuel. I am sick and tired of lame excuses and promises from this government.

Posted by Richard Griffiths, 18th March 2009 5:55pm

I honestly think it's time we (the people) did something to let polititions know that we are fed up with thier drivling rubbish and that we want a proper democracy. Not simply the ability to vote in a new dictatorship every 4 years.

Trouble is, I don't now what to do :(

Posted by Tim Mylward, 18th March 2009 5:55pm

We're in the worst recession for 70 years and yet they still penalise the public more! the forecourts will probably sneak another two or three pence out of us meaning aise of up to 5p . And recently the price of oil has gone down so why aren't we paying less now?!

Posted by D.langford, 18th March 2009 5:55pm

Thanks for the reminder - l suspect that many of us had forgotten about this sneak increase. Absolutely goes against the governments publicised plans to 'ease' duty. Oil prices are down but prices at my local pumps are up from the 86p they got down to to a min of 89.9. So we'll have additional duty to pay to Gordon, plus sneak increases by the petrol stations and prices are moving in the opposite direction to the international price of oil.

I want to add my voice in opposition to Brown allowing increases to go ahead and being an unsupportive and disingenuous PM out of touch with the reality of the massive contribution motorists make to the economy and the quality of life of so many people who rely on them

Posted by Denis Judge, 18th March 2009 5:55pm

Brown has to raise money from anywhere he can because he has reduced the base rate so low that banks can't make any money with some mortgage payments virtualy zero and comitments on existing fixed deposits, so they haven't got anything to lend. Then Brown buys banks with printed money which pushes up inflation and when he has enough ownership of banks he will increase the interest rate to reap the rewards in the long term and therefore remain in power. In the interim Brown is increasing the fuel tax to keep him going. We need a change of government from one who has a leader that does not keep his word. Roll on election, May 2010, if we make it till then because Brown has convinced the rest of the world that his way is the way despite every single previous recession having had interest rates to go up. There is so much more...

Posted by Ken Good, 18th March 2009 5:56pm

Looks to me like another way to hit the over taxed motorist, its time to get rid of this lying cheating goverment and why are fuel prices rising when the price of crude oil is at it's lowest for nearly 16 months? if the cost of oil has gone down by as much as stated in the press a couple of weeks back then the extra revenue raised should be used to off set any rise in the next 3 years, motorists are hit every way, and we get nothing back, worst roads in europe, worst road layouts in europe, could go on for ever, steve

Posted by Steve Rutter, 18th March 2009 5:56pm

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