Fuel Protest

[CocoPops]

Looks like it's starting again

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...ge/4480257.stm

Lets hope the country grinds to a halt and the government finally take notice.

[Skii]

[Stringent]

Doubt they will take notice. But good on them for sticking up.

[Rave]

I was under the impression that we don't have a government right now?

[Tumble]

there was a chap on the radio just now... drives a truck. He puts 300 litres a DAY into his wagon, at a cost of around £270... of which £200 quid is pure tax.... then some plonker from the green party cycles up and argues that there should be MORE tax on fuel... eejit

[CocoPops]

Originally Posted by Rave

I was under the impression that we don't have a government right now?

eh? I thought Labour are still in power until ejected by the next party? rather than resigning power, then picking it up again?

Either way, lets hope ALL parties take notice regardless of whether they are in power or not.

[5lab]

pretty sure you're right there cocopops.

incidentally, i think they should put fuel tax UP and abolish road tax - its simply the fairest way of taxing people (as you pay per mile, pretty much, and if you've got a big polluting vehical, you pay more). granted this is a bit unfair on truckers.. perhaps we need a better rail system for whipping containers from one end of the country to t'other - think about it - if every major town had a depot with cranes to move containers from train to truck and visa versa, stuff could be moved a lot more quickly with less polution/conjecstion, and surely less cost..

[Shad]

Yup, and if there was more oil in the world it would be less of a problem, and if there was a new energy source discovered that was clean and cheap and easy that'd be good too.

Ain't gonna happen though.

The government will look at the fact that the increasing fuel prices haven't really hit the economy over the last 5 years so will probably take whatever minimalist action they did in 2000. We'll be in the same position in 5 years time, or sooner.

If the powers that be spent the tax on something useful (like inventing a direct replacement energy source) then it wouldn't be quite so annoying. But they don't. Or if they do, keep it very quiet.

This is why I don't vote. We're f***ed which ever party ends up in control.

[Rave]

I checked this with a friend. We technically do not have a government right now. Tony Blair is still the Prime Minister (or something, he has the Queen's authority to run the country) but I'm pretty sure that doesn't give him the power to raise or lower taxes.

So basically this protest is an utterly pointless waste of time.

[5lab]

not so rave.. if protesters manage to raise this high enough into the public eye then it will become an election issue, which will make pretty much every single party say 'we'll cut fuel tax' in their manifesto. granted, this means b*ggerall cos politicians all lie, but it might make some difference

[Konan555]

Last time there was a protest I ended up behind a rolling road block involving two tractors (although I managed to overtake it useing a sliproad ).

And there's me thinking farms ran red diesel..... arseholes.

But other than that - petrol HAS got totally stupid again. To the point that 40mpg still bankrupts me on a long journey!

[Spud1]

Originally Posted by CocoPops

eh? I thought Labour are still in power until ejected by the next party? rather than resigning power, then picking it up again?

Either way, lets hope ALL parties take notice regardless of whether they are in power or not.

Exactly, labour are in power - so we dont have a government

personally I dont mind the expensive fuel prices, ok so its costing a fortune to fill up the car, but the money IS going to good use, running our country - or at least it will when the tories come to power in a few weeks

And to be fair, theres not much they can do about rising oil prices - thats whats currently pushing up the fuel prices..

[DaBeeeenster]

Originally Posted by CocoPops

Looks like it's starting again

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...ge/4480257.stm

Lets hope the country grinds to a halt and the government finally take notice.

Notice of what? Rising oil prices? I'd suggest that they are well aware of the price of a barrel of crude...

[DaBeeeenster]

Originally Posted by Tumble

there was a chap on the radio just now... drives a truck. He puts 300 litres a DAY into his wagon, at a cost of around £270... of which £200 quid is pure tax.... then some plonker from the green party cycles up and argues that there should be MORE tax on fuel... eejit

If he is using his vehicle for work he gets a rebate, no?

[CocoPops]

Originally Posted by DaBeeeenster

Notice of what? Rising oil prices? I'd suggest that they are well aware of the price of a barrel of crude...

Thats not the issue, the issue is the 70pence tax per litre that we pay!

It's in the governments interests for the price to keep rising to be honest, as the tax they get also rises as a percentage etc.

[DaBeeeenster]

Originally Posted by CocoPops

Thats not the issue, the issue is the 70pence tax per litre that we pay!

It's in the governments interests for the price to keep rising to be honest, as the tax they get also rises as a percentage etc.

Where would you prefer the tax to come from?