MPs revolt over plan to increase fuel tax
Tuesday 15th November 2011, 10:59AM GMT.
David Cameron was today facing a fresh backbench revolt by Conservative MPs over rising fuel prices.
MPs were voting on a backbench motion calling for a ‘price stabilisation mechanism’ to operate alongside Chancellor George Osborne’s fair fuel stabiliser introduced in the Budget. And Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski is calling for Mr Osborne to go even further.
The MP wants the Chancellor to consider proposals to give drivers in remote rural areas like Shropshire a discount on the price they have to pay for fuel.
“Rural parts of England are very different to the situation in London. In London we have Tubes, buses and trains. But in rural Shropshire there are few alternative forms of transport,” he said.
“Some people can get very isolated, particularly the elderly. There should be different fares of taxation in different parts of the UK depending on the rurality of the location.
“There has to be due consideration for a reduction in fuel tax in rural areas,” added the Tory MP.
More than 100 MPs of all parties, including 83 Conservatives and five Liberal Democrats, have so far signed the backbench motion – co-sponsored by Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard – despite the fact that it does not represent Government policy.
Downing Street would not say whether Tory MPs would be instructed to vote against it.
However, Conservative backbencher Rob Halfon, who secured the debate after a No 10 e-petition attracted more than 100,000 signatures, said he had been told there would be a three-line whip – the strongest disciplinary sanction – which was defied by 79 Tory MPs in a Commons vote for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.
In an apparent olive branch to the rebels, reports said today Downing Street was considering scrapping the planned 3p a litre rise in petrol duty due in January. However the Prime Minister’s official spokesman would only say that decisions on taxation were a matter for the Chancellor.
Mr Pritchard said: “Whilst all governments need to raise revenue by taking fuel, the amount of tax British people pay is exceptionally high.
“There is a point when the Treasury loses money if fuel prices are too high and fewer people use fuel.”
By London Reporter Sunita Patel
UK News
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Yes we have one bus a week and you have to ring up and book a seat on it to use it. On at 9.15am take a 30 minute journey then you have to do everything by 13.30 then back home again. No good is it? If you miss that bus its £15.00 for a taxi home!!!!!!! So yeah reduce the fuel so everyone can survive.
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Or, alternatively, move closer to town!!!!
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Kawczynski jumping on a band wagon again with sound bites nothing more, i heard his interview this morning from London where he talks about trains, Tubes Buses and that they have them all down there blah blah, how he uses the Train to get there but what he didn’t say is he claims for the travelling costs likewise he would had he driven there.
As for push for a reduction for rural drivers such as those in Shropshire i can see that going down a storm in places like Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Telford, Shrewsbury and futher afield in large towns.
Just like public sector pay has been frozen for the last 18 months and for the next 18 months along with some in the private sector, perhaps the best solution is a complete freeze on the cost of Petrol/fuel for the next 2 to 3 years, HM Goverment would still pull in Billions of pounds.
Another thing what happened to all the “truckers, Famers” who were up in arms 10 years ago when it was measly 0.75/0.80p a litre, doing blockades, rolling road blocks on the motorways> where are they now.
Lastly Cameron when in opposition cited Labours “hammering of the Motorist” and how he would put a stop to it, well its been 20months now and we are still being hammered.
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I thought cutting the defecit was the single biggest priority? Think how much increasing fuel tax would make. It might save a few frontline services.
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I bought some diesel at the local Esso station today. Overnight it had gone up from 137.9 to 139.9. It seems that if the government are about to raise the price of fuel the oil companies will get in first. They always do this just before a predicted budget increase so that the overall rise gets blamed on the government.
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Owen Paterson my MP states in a reply to a request to attend the debate that he has other long standing commitments on the day. He also states that “High fuel prices are largely the result of the high price of oil”
Nothing to do with the high fuel tax then Mr Paterson
He also supports the fuel stabiliser meaning that while oil prices are high fuel duty will increase by inflation alone and if the oil price falls below set level on a sustained basis, the Government will increase fuel duty above inflation.
So not a lot of chance for a reduction in the present fuel tax. I think it’s time to get on the bus, that’s if you can find one or move to London where the transport system is prob the best you could hope for as many of the MP’s will tell you
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Nothing we say will make any difference.
Price of fuel has always gone up – since I started driving, in 1964 when it was only 4/6d (22p) a GALLON
You could buy 4 gallons and have change out of a £1 NOTE
Fact is – this country is all but bankrupt, in money, and in terms of government.
Everywhwere you look, it is a disaster zone.
The economy is in a mess, and the Eurozone looks as though its about to crash too.
So… whether we put, or dont put 3p on a LITRE (not a GALLON) will make not a pennyworth of difference.
The discussion is pointless – there are far greater problems out there which will make the price of fule seem irrelvant.
To be honest, at my age of 64, i really despair. Where ARE we going with this country?
If I were starting out again, when petrol wass 4/6 a gaollon, i wouldnt bother, and emigrate as far away as possible.
As I said – NOTHING anyone says will make any difference!
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As a old one like you I totally agree with you,
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