More Fuel Demo's

This affects me only in the sense that higher fuel prices mean othet things become more expensive, but it also makes me think that the government is losing its grip on even its own members.
news.bbc.co.uk...

I'm sure we all remember the fuel demo's of a few years ago, and the utter panic they caused in the government - this looks to be heading the same way.

Another U-turn and the press will soon be calling the PM "Bottler Brown"

He probably thought he could just leave darling to carry the can, but that appears NOT to be the case - and if this carry's on, we may see an election sooner rather than later.

I thought they were already calling 'Bottler Brown'! I know I was! haha!

Fuel issues are certainly going to stir things up, I remember the ones a few years ago you mentioned, everyone was going crazy and queing for days at the pumps.

Just another issue being stacked onto Brown. He may not be the best leader and sure lots of people don't like him, but you must say he's got a fair few major issues coming from all directions at once. Fuel issues, tax issues, costly wars and bad results in the bi-elections all add up! Not to mention all the data handling blunders that keep springing up!

The pressure to deal with all these things without messing the country up must be astronomical. Can you blame him that much for bottling? I'm not really pro or anti Brown, though I do think he'll loose the next general to Cameron, but I do have some sympathy for his position.

Then again I'm always safely sceptical. It wouldn't surprise me if Brown is acting quite deliberately for some other agenda!

You've gotta admit, the "bottler" insult and campaigners dressed up as Newcastle Brown Ale bottles works infinitely better than the chicken that the Tories sent to follow Labour in 1997!

On the real issue of the fuel demos, I'm uncertain.
On the one hand I do drive a lot for work and university and I am feeling the pinch at the pump.

But on the other hand, I want oil prices to go up so high that alternatives are researched and put into use. Additionally I dislike the idea of HGV drivers being able to blockade the country and disrupt trade. Imagine the amount of money lost every day that the HGVs block off vital trade arteries. And there is the issue of the HGV drivers subverting a (nominally) democratically elected government into an unwanted action.

It appears that one way or another, the unions will always have Labour by the whiskers.

Well, sorry but IMO the haulage companies have EVERY right to protest in ANY way they can about the ridiculous cost of fuel in this country.

Unfortunatly this can and will be spun anyway the reader leans to:
eg: Virtually all trade in one form or another relies on haulage, from one destination to another, the rising cost of fuel if the haulage company are lucky, Is then recouped by passing this on, in their costs.
Who then pass this on to the next in line, eventually the end result is the price is passed to the consumer, so who suffers?...WE DO!!

Some haulage companies dont make it to that stage..they cannot afford the cost, they cannot recoup the extra (because of contractual tie-ins) or they simply go bust.

Whilst companies are still in business they will pay tax in to the Governments coffers, put them out of business and the government dont get a penny, evenutally its all of us that lose out!



Fuel is taxed twice – firstly by fuel duty and then by VAT. Fuel duty is a fixed amount (47.1p per litre for unleaded and diesel) and VAT is a percentage (17.5%).

The money that is raised by fuel taxation goes into the Chancellors pot and taxpayers money is spent on health, education, social services and so on. In the 2004–05 fiscal year, fuel duty alone generated approximately £23.5 billion and this does not include the VAT raised on the fuel sold. In the 2005-06 fiscal year only £21 billion will be spent by government on transport as a whole. So, fuel taxation not only pays for the upkeep of our roads but it also helps to pay for the other things that government spends our money on.

Does petrol cost too much?...YES

Is it fair for government to make money this way?...YES, After all the Gordon Brown regime is supposed to be for the people. HAHAHAH

I guess he just dose not like motorists.!!!!

Once again we (the UK) are the laughing stock of europe!

[edit on 28-5-2008 by spymaster]

Originally posted by spymaster
Well, sorry but IMO the haulage companies have EVERY right to protest in ANY way they can about the ridiculous cost of fuel in this country.

I agree and I'm glad they are.. At least someone is trying to make their voice heard about this profiteering..
No one else seems to have the 'Bottle' to do it.

It's obviously the way the media spin is going at the moment in certain quarters but when this Gov has cancelled a fuel duty rise did anyone notice fuel prices stabilise?

I didn't.

The oil companies & the speculators quickly jacked up the prices - and in fact recently the rises have been quite large despite the current Gov postponing or abandoning tax rises altogether!

This current 'pressure' strikes me as a means of them trying to push the Gov around to keep the speculative gravy train rolling just a little while longer.

(haven't you heard that having got their fingers burnt in the housing markets the various large speculators have moved into commodities and food and are the reason for the current totally unjustified bubbles in oil & food prices?)

So what is the solution?

Blaming the Gov is a classic case of misdirection IMO.

If we were dumb enough to cut the level of fuel tax we would merely see the oil companies et al to lift the prices back to what they were and beyond
(which is exactly what has happened with them knowing 'the market will bear those prices'.....that is a central tennent of capitalism, right)?

It strikes me that that is a great way to end up with a huge short-fall in the public purse for no true benefit even in the short-term.
Dispite the superficial appeal.

Contrary to the beliefs of some taxes in the UK are not hypothecated......and nor does the Gov 'profit' from them either, don't be so silly.

The most sensible route to long term benefit is in fact to keep the fuel tax rises and the road tax increases on gas-guzzlers - and continue to raise them further over time.

It's the only workable way our (now mostly foreign) oil-addicted society is ever going to be eased into cleaner & more efficient vehicles & fuels and see us move further away from this mad dependence on oil.


[edit on 30-5-2008 by sminkeypinkey]

The treasury made quite a bit of money out of this - I don't see them giving much back.

But they will.

Bloody typical - they use our own money to sweeten us up on the occasion the deign to notice us.

Bah.

[edit on 30/5/2008 by budski]