'We were responsible for one of the few pieces of good news in the Chancellor's budget announcements this week. We told everybody it was coming, called it totally insane and the Treasury were forced into a corner and had to back down. But if we hadn't kicked up such a stink, that crazy 3p hike in duty on every litre would have gone through in January completely unchallenged. This has been a significant victory for lots of reasons. Since FairFuel started shouting back in March we've saved this country 9p in proposed fuel duty hikes, brought the subject of fuel taxes into the mainstream and made the Chancellor and the government talk about drivers in a different way. Instead of patronising 'motorists' as an elite minority, George Osborne spoke of Mums on the school run and acknowledged that for many, cars were an essential necessity. That's a big change in tone for a government who doesn't understand cars, fuel prices, trucks or the road economy.
This campaign is now one of the most successful public protest movements in the country and we've become the unofficial guardians of fuel duty sanity. The gatekeepers of common sense. And we also proved that intelligent, well-argued and passionate protest works. As supporters, you lot have done a miraculous job backing us all the way with over 215,000 signatures and thousands of emails to MPs. For that the nation's hard-pressed families and millions of businesses owe you a thumping debt of gratitude. Without your support diesel would now be over £1.50 a litre and we'd be close to the £7.00 gallon. We've also galvanised cross-party support from politicians for fuel duty reduction and made the government painfully aware that this is a subject they need to tip-toe round very carefully indeed. The old days of getting out the broom stick and Vaseline and expecting drivers to meekly bend over yet again are, mercifully, gone.
FairFuelUK will continue to give the government reasons to think carefully about any more fuel price rises and we'll carry on arguing for a reduction in duty. This is a long fight but Round One is definitely down to us. Well done everybody.
Quentin Willson
twitter
facebook
linkedin
ADD YOUR OWN COMMENTS BELOW THIS POST. THEY ARE VERY WELCOME
[ posted by Scott, December 02, 2011 16:43 ]
Well done to Fair Fuel UK for the campaign. We'd be 9p per litre worse off without you and we need the momentum to keep going to see an end to sky high fuel prices through a fair level of duty that doesn't price people out of their cars.
[ posted by john mayberry, December 03, 2011 16:32 ]
the govt are only telling you what you want to hear when are we gonnae wake up and smell the coffee do what the public sector workers did last week ,block roads, filling stations and refinerys they will soon bring down the tax down on fuel.c.mon quentin talks cheap you are wasting your breath. time for action because this govt aint listening all we have acheived is a stay of execution when we need a reduction of 20p /litre we have acheived nothing. when are we going to show a bit of spine in this country?
[ posted by john mayberry, December 03, 2011 16:32 ]
the govt are only telling you what you want to hear when are we gonnae wake up and smell the coffee do what the public sector workers did last week ,block roads, filling stations and refinerys they will soon bring down the tax down on fuel.c.mon quentin talks cheap you are wasting your breath. time for action because this govt aint listening all we have acheived is a stay of execution when we need a reduction of 20p /litre we have acheived nothing. when are we going to show a bit of spine in this country?
[ posted by Allan McKinnon, March 02, 2012 23:30 ]
I am anxious to sign up to the latest campaign on March 2012, as suggested, by contacting my MP. The problem is that the last time I contacted Gordon Banks, Labour MP, about a serious problem affecting this community in his Constituancy, he resolutely refused. The insulting reply I received was a lengthy diatribe about how I had got his title (slightly) wrong. I had researched the Labour website for his details, and copied what I had seen there. He then stated how important he was in Westminster, so he could not get involved with any issue of mine. Would it do any good to contact him in this case? Is there an alternative, more sympathetic ear? I desperately need this to succeed as I am disabled and need my car. Off my benefits today, I filled the tank at a cost of £75.00, by travelling several miles to do so. Getting a refill locally would have meant at least £5.00 more!