Hard-pressed motorists could get another fuel duty cut, Boris Johnson hints
HARD-pressed motorists could get another fuel duty cut, the PM hinted yesterday.
In March, 5p was slashed off but 82p per litre still goes to Treasury coffers in duty and VAT.
And despite the wholesale price of oil dropping, prices at the pumps have remained at record highs.
Campaigners last night warned major oil companies needed to pass on the dip to retailers who can then pass it on to the fleeced drivers.
Boris Johnson was probed on the soaring cost of living while attending the G7 in Germany. Rebutting claims his Government is not listening to the concerns of voters, he spoke of “the lesson that I think people like me need to learn from what is going on, the inflationary pressures”.
He added “At the pumps people are thinking ‘this government could do more to help with the cost of fuel’, people are thinking ‘what can this Government do to help me with the cost of food.’”
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Downing Street reiterated the hint, saying it was keeping “support under review".
It came as prices at the pumps jumped again. The RAC said unleaded broke records over the weekend with a litre costing 191.05p – meaning the cost of filling tops £105. Diesel also reached a high point on Saturday with an average of 199.09p, making a full 55-litre family car fill-up £109.42.
Howard Cox from FairFuel UK said: “It is totally wrong to blame small independent retailers. It is further up the fuel supply chain where fleecing drivers and retailers is so unchecked and rife.”
RAC fuel boss Simon Williams said: “We are struggling to see how retailers can justify continuing to put up their unleaded prices as the wholesale cost of petrol has reduced significantly.”
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AA president Edmund King added: “The Government needs to urgently take action on price transparency and cut duty levels.”