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this new set of taxs will slow down the cost had to fall not incros this is a rip off

As usual, the duplicity of the government comes blatantly to the fore. They think the people of this nation are so thick that we can't see through empty promises. This nation has been consistently brought to it's knees whilst money has been redirected to other policies and foreigners aids for political favours. It's well beyond time that the people of this nation cried out against discrimination in favour of others. How folk have been hoodwinked into accepting the situation this long is beyond me. We have a voice we must use it. It no longer has anything to do with one party or another, we must rise up as one voice, it's gone on long enough.

The labour have done it again give with one hand and take with the other
Give me my pay rise then take it back off me.
looks like labour will not be here in the next election..

I think that George Osborne got it right when he said that the Labour Governments have a history of messing up the economy through poor fiscal policy. I am old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent and the result of Labour's bungling.

For Alistair Darling to even consider adding tax to petrol shows how out of touch both he and his government are with the feelings of the British public.

Come an election and David Cameron will sweep the board, if only because it is time that Labour returned to the back benches and gave the Tories their time in the public eye. Let's not forget that when we went to the Polls back in 2004, we weren't banking on a leader called Gordon Brown.

HI. firstly can someone explain to me how 2.5% vat cut is going to help buisneses get back on track, there was me thinking that i could be saving a few quid every week on diesel, but it seems that i will be paying more, and as for te bloke who reckons that we will be more than conpensated by what we save on shopping etc, i dont spend £1000 a week on shopping, i do on diesel, so how does this vat job help then......................anyone explain to me please?

The thing that I object to is that the VAT is not on the fuel, but on the fuel plus the tax! This means that the increase also has VAT on it! There is something inherently wrong with charging tax on the amount of tax we pay.

That aside, borrowing money to stimulate the economy and make us more money so that we can pay back easily sounds like a good idea in principle, but the way that it has been done isn't going to work, it simply doesn't make economic sense. So in fact, what is happening is that the money is borrowed, but because it isn't going to specific projects it will just vanish into the noise, and we will still be poor, but with a bigger debt to pay - How long is it before we can vote the Conservatives in and hopefully halt this madness?

this is a ripoff

Entirely typical of the most dishonest government in history. Some small crumbs to its client state to be followed by large tax increases to be borne by those who actually work to produce the country's wealth.

Why am i not in the least surprised? If any poor fool votes for labour in the next election,they so obviously need lebotomising.Labour,means toil and that's exactly what we are doing,so,perhaps their name is appropriate after all.

Typical Labour, hope the working man ( if there's any left ) see's through them at the next election. But why does no politician force the issue about diesel prices so high which affects everything, oh I forgot that won't be p.c.
Useless and spineless the lot of them with their guarded salaries and pensions and perks.

Bear in mind that the VAT reduction is temporary (only for 13 months) wherea the fuel duty increase is permanent. Also for businesses who are VAT registered (practically all of them) the duty increase will not be offset by the VAT reduction (because they claim the VAT back) so their transport bill will increase and that increase will have to be passed on in increased prices. Also remember that much of your shopping (bread, fruit, vegetables, newspapers etc) is VAT zero rated and so will not be affected by the VAT reduction. I suspect that many traders will not pass on the VAT reduction to their customers anyway. In short, we're screwed yet again.

Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling should both be ashamed of themselves. Fuel prices should be coming down with cost of oil dropping.What is needed is another blockade and a proper one that will last, I also believe the last one could have brought this government down if we had stuck at it for another couple of days. Again it is to help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer I think this government don't actually want to win the next election .Labour have long since lost my vote John Smith the ex leader of the labour would be turning in his grave if he could see what Gordon & Alistair was doing to the UK tax payer sorry to say but this country has had it. Bloody Labour Party.What have we got to look forward to ?(six numbers on the lotto & i am off) Merry Christmas to all.

They haven't a clue!! Once again, the people of the country are having to pay for the Government's mistakes. I bet Brown and Darling are not in charge of household budgets at home...

Didnt Brown condem the oil companies for putting up the price of oil ?didnt he condem shell? and bp? for raising the costs of petrol diesel? didnt he sell the gold reserves? didnt he steal our pensions? Has he just put the cost of fuel up again? Well who voted for the W*****S? somebody did? and they will again?

GIVE WITH ONE HAND AND TAKE BACK WITH THE OTHER AS AN O.A.P.I NEED TO DRIVE TOTHE SUPER MARKET IN THE TOWN FOR FOOD.THE VAT REDUCTION WILL BE SWALLOWED UP WITH INCREASED D/L COST AND I WILL PAY MORE FOR FUEL .THE INCREASE IN PENSION .WHAT INCREASE ITS ALREADY BEEN SPENT FOR ME.

Yet again Labour proves (as it did under Tony Blair regarding the Weapons of Mass Destruction saga) that it is expertly unmatched in its competence at feeding the British public and tax payer a bunch of lies and hot air.

The only parties to benefit from Alistair Darling's announcements yesterday (24.11.08) is the Treasury, and ultimately the Labour Party.

Yet again the Fat Cats win by fleecing the ordinary man on the street.

As a class 1 lorry driver this really shocks me that he has the front to increase petrol/diesel again. This is a stelth tax. No matter what the green's say and no matter how much you put onto the trains which couldn't cope with it before and won't be able to now due to lack of care on the rail network. YOUR DAILY LOAF STILL HAS TO GET TO THE SHOPS. The more Brown puts on the fuel, the more it'll cost the haulage companies, so the more they have to charge to move the load and HEYHO you and I end up paying more!!!! Has the man no brain ... why not slash fuel tax or even remove it and the biggest over head in the country has then been removed, everything will drop in price naturally, people can afford to spend and the wheels start to roll. Blimmey and I'm not even into politics!!!

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I am surprised that someone like the CBI hasn't come out with the point that for ALL businesses (vat registered) the VAT was reclaimable but the duty ISN'T - this means that fuel costs for these have GONE UP by this amount.

Another classic case of daylight robbery. Give with one hand, and take everything else with the other.

Does the government think that everyone that is struggling with the Crunch walk everywhere?! as is said over and over, the majority of people drive because they have to, or because it is by far the easiest option, not because they want to.

Labour will never listen to the Public, and never have. Brown and Darling? TAXI!!!!!!

The fact that the whole mess probably started when Gordy robbed the pension funds seems to have escaped everyone's notice. Whilst annoying, robbing the motorist is par for the course for all governnments. Personally, I am giving up my vehicle in the new year and using public transport with my bus pass. Wonder how long it will be before they work out a way to tax that!!

I don't really know why we are surprised...just typical of this government. Rail fares are rising, so it's not as if we've got a cheaper alternative!

Get Labour OUT! They have pissed about with the country for long enough now!

Once again Labour has taken on Middle Britain to pay for its mistakes of the past. To increase fuel prices means further price increases for everything delivered by road as well as making travelling to the shops for many of us more expensive.
Like me, many people live in areas where public transport is either not available or very difficult and so being a motorist is imperative. Rural dwellers are once again being overlooked.

I am not sure what people were expecting.

We have had years of fiscal incompetence with a "prudent" chancellor, now unelected prime minister, constantly forcasting higher economic growth than is achieved and then borrowing on the strength of their own forcast. So what is new!

I for one am not surprised and although I have always considered myself an optomist I believe the current economic climate will cost us dearly for the next 10 -15 years, not the seven to eight years Brown/Darling are predicting.

Labour what a joke who is Alisatir Darling and what qualifications does he have to be chancellor? Is he a chartered accountant no I dont think so!
2.5% off VAT a measly £5 in £200 and then the nerve to add 2p on fuel
this man and the rest do not live in the real world. He should be taking off this and more look at the money he got off the motorist when the fuel was really high, now its come down we have to pay more! We should have a general election and let the people vote

We are paying toooo Much at present give us even a wee break Please

I have always thought that we should not be paying vehicle tax, as this unfair on those that make an effort to drive less to safe money (and be green). If the government is going to put up tax on fuel then this is an opportunity to remove a tax which is much more costly to administer -

love your website CG

What the HELL is this cowboy Brown upto. He's lost it and no-one even voted for him. Get him out as soon as possible! He needn't have bother piddling about with VAT, just drop fuel tax to a fair and just amount that would benefit individuals, businesses and the feel slightly better factor alike. Increasing tax effectively on fuel again..... as I say he's not with the programme. Get rid!

As expected - once again the car drive will pay. Yesterday we went back to 'old labour' - the next election can't come sooner enough for me.

Can someone explain to me why - as I saw on the news last night - fuel is listed with alcohol and tobacco as though it were a luxury item that you could give up???

I have to drive a minimum of 40 miles a day so fuel, as for so many people, is an absolute necessity. Considering how this country would grind to a halt without it, it shouldn't even attract VAT.

Wouldn't you just know that this is the step they will take to increase tax on m otorists, just the great excuse they were looking for to increase it. Now they have cut VAT, but the delivery lorries still have to get to the shops to stock them out, and delivery charhes will be the same so the price will stay the same and the shopkeepers can up their prices to get further profits. WELL DONE LABOUR, ANOTHER STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

As the owner of a diesel powered car I am disgusted that the reduction in oil prices are not being passed at the pumps. Before the recent engineered (City speculators) oil price rises diesel was 5p/litre more than unleaded, at the moment it is 17p/litre more when oil price is at a 3 year low and still falling. Diesel car owners already pay a premium for the engine technology so why are they now being ripped of at the pumps. When I purchased my 1st diesel powered car the price at the pumps was 5p/litre lower than unleaded and were told that diesel was a by product from the manufacture of petrol. I cannot believe that while fuel prices are at these ridiculous levels and remembering the fuel protests from the road transport lobby that the government has not done a "secret deal" with them. Remember one thing Gordon, these things have a habit of being found out .

Once again the government has manipulated the media to project this image of give give give, when in reality , as all of us cynics already knew it would be, it is actually a gimic for taxation through the back door. When is this government and especially the chancellor ever going to credit the british public with having even the slightest bit of intelligence - treat us with some respect and tell it like it is!

What I cannot understand.is: If oil prices are now at there lowest for 20 months why is diesel still over a pound?
Petrol companies have said it is because the fuel in the tanks were purchased at the higher rate, that does not apply when the oil value goes the other way!!!
So not only are being up by the government but by the oil companies as well!

What a surprise bleed the motorist and transport industry. Whilst we are on the subject whats going on with the price of diesel? I can remember when there was only a couple of pence difference between diesel and unleaded, in some areas is 10p more expensive!!!!!!!!!

The motorist in particular, and the consumer in general are ALWAYS an easy target for any greedy inept chancellor. The way the general living pattern has developed, makes it impossible to not travel, and we all need th basics to stay alive. Gordon Brownand now his puppet have always relied on us needing to travel and transport goods, and until we can find a way to disrupt his thinking, it seems will always rob us this way. I also feel that to remove the VAT from all fuels would have benefitted more people and especially the lower income such as we pensioners, but the showman still wanted to have his day. In my opinion he has just had it, and as one newspaper headline says " goodbye new labour".

I think its a disgrace, give back 2.5% through VAT which is going to cost comapnies thousands and thousands, I've just opened a tile and spent the last 3 weeks pricing each of the 2500 tileson display at the price including VT, its going to take around 2 weeks to change them, costing more money

how this is going to help is beyond me, then for fuel to go up which means my import costs, delivery costs, etc etc are all going to go up, I'll end up putting the prices up, not down!!!

Get those muppets out and get soemone in who's half sensible!!!!