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MSP criticises Coalition Government on lack of action over fuel





MSP Dave Thompson says the Coalition Government needs to do more to reduce fuel prices
MSP Dave Thompson says the Coalition Government needs to do more to reduce fuel prices

Badenoch SNP MSP Dave Thompson has criticised the UK Government for its failure to take any action to reduce the prohibitive cost of fuel.

While the French Government has announced that it has struck a deal with fuel producers and distributors to cut the cost of fuel by 6 eurocents per litre for three months, the coalition has remained inactive as UK fuel taxes continue to be the highest in the EU. Taxes make up about half of the pump price of petrol in France (54%) – less than in the UK at 60%.

The SNP has continued to do all it can to alleviate the problem of increasing fuel prices by spearheading a cross party campaign at Westminster which successfully forced a U-turn on a further 3 pence rise from the Treasury, planned for this August. However, the party has argued that this amounts to only damage-limitation, and that the introduction of a fuel duty regulator would represent a long term solution to protect households and businesses from the rising costs of fuel.

Commenting on this, Mr Thompson said: “This decisive and immediate action from the French government contrasts with a UK Government which continues to sit on its hands while the economy flounders.

“While the French are cutting the cost of fuel to boost economic activity, the Tories and Lib Dems indulge in little more than cuts to the poorest and gesture politics to their party faithful. Their inaction may explain why latest growth statistics show both Germany and France outperforming the UK, despite the troubles of the Eurozone. It’s clear the UK's double-dip recession is very much down to economic mismanagement from the UK Government.”

He added: “The French government has recognised that high fuel costs are hammering businesses and households and choking back growth. Yet fuel tax is even worse in the UK, where we have the highest rates of tax on both petrol and diesel in all EU countries.

“Repeated calls by the SNP for lower tax on fuel and the creation of a fuel duty regulator have fallen on deaf ears in Westminster. High fuel prices have a disproportionately larger impact on rural areas where customer already face some of the highest prices at the pump, and public transport alternatives can be more limited. The coalition is failing to address the needs of people across Scotland, and it is only through independence that we can tackle these damaging hikes in fuel duty.”


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