Fuel protests suspended
The main planned fuel protests have been called off following the Government’s announcement that it is to review fuel taxes.
Though Ministers have given no guarantees that the inflation related rise will not go ahead in September, both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have said they will review the situation.
Farmers for Action welcomed the announcement as “commonsense” and said it would be suspending its planned protests.
Chairman David Handley said that following the Chancellor’s statement “it is FFA’s opinion we should give him his three to four week opportunity to discuss with all parties why he must not increase duty.
“It will also give us time to see what happens to crude oil price following yesterday’s decision by OPEC to increase production.
Mr Handley was keen to emphasise though that protest has not been abandoned, saying, “Should Gordon Brown backtrack on his statement yesterday, I am sure everyone will be aware what will happen.”
The Fuel Lobby has also said that planned protests for Wednesday will be halted. Its senior spokesman, Andrew Spencer, told the BBC “We are being sensitive at the moment, especially when the government is making positive dialogue, so we are prepared to give Mr Brown the benefit of the doubt and see what his proposals are.”
But a protest planned for the weekend in Cardiff will go ahead. The Low Tax on Fuel group has said that though Mr Brown’s comments are welcome, they do not go far enough.
