Fuel Duty Rise Scrapped

On the same day that the Transport Secretary says that fuel duty will definitely rise in August to reduce the deficit , Osborne performs U-turn number 473 (actually about 33) and scraps it.

Left hand not knowing what right hand is doing?

I dont think Ed Balls would consider it as "left hand not knowing what right hand is doing", or even a u turn.

This is what he said this morning;

"Labour put up fuel duty in the past. But we often delayed or cancelled planned duty rises based on the circumstances at the time".

At least we wont hear any nonsense about u turns ect from him over this, because they've "often" done it in the past themselves.

You would think that they'd give other Ministers notice that it was going to happen so that they didn't appear in the papers saying the opposite.

Gives the impression of policy making on the fly.

Seems an odd thing to do when the price of oil is dropping and the budget deficit is increasing .

Seems an odd thing to do when the price of oil is dropping and the budget deficit is increasing .

Osborne caving in to populism, not always the right thing to do but it appears he has no spine when it comes to principles or policy that is better for the long term.

The fuel duty price escalator is utter madness. It was a stupid policy. It should have been scrapped not dithered with. Fuel duty is already too high. It hits many people who can't afford it but can't afford to be without fuel. They are too spineless to tax income. To spineless to spend on industry that that will grow jobs. They would rather print money and give it to bankers.

They could spend it on flood defence schemes. A reservoir for the south east. Motorways to get britain moving and open up new areas for industry.

Tinkering with fuel duty is madness Just taking money from Joe Bloggs and then wondering why he is not spending so much in the high street.

Osborne caving in to populism, not always the right thing to do but it appears he has no spine when it comes to principles or policy that is better for the long term.

Politician in damned if you do, damned if you don't shocker.... ;-)

Politician in damned if you do, damned if you don't shocker.... ;-)

For once can you admit that there is a cock-up? No "yes buts" and "what abouts". This is a bit of egg on face for the Government isn't it?

For once can you admit that there is a cock-up? No "yes buts" and "what abouts". This is a bit of egg on face for the Government isn't it?

I've no idea - haven't looked into it yet

What about Labour? What would they have done?

I've no idea - haven't looked into it yet

 

What about Labour? What would they have done?

On the same day that the Transport Secretary says that fuel duty will definitely rise in August to reduce the deficit , Osborne performs U-turn number 473 (actually about 33) and scraps it.

 

Left hand not knowing what right hand is doing?

Wonder how many regiments this will cost the Army...

Being the Sales Manager of a transport company with a mixed fleet of 60 vehicles I am pleased as the average price that we payed per litre over the last 3 months was £1.16 and with an average of 9 miles to the gallon (artic fully loaded) that will be a big help to our bottom line.

Chloe Smith got wheeled out twice yesterday to Newsnight and Channel 4 news. She was absolutely destroyed. It was awful to watch.

We voted for for this approach in 1979. Thatcher's approach was always about low taxation at income level, but regain it on Fags, booze, fuel, VAT etc. It may be simplistic, but its common sense that Country A needs £x bil in taxation to deliver the service levels its population expects... Her policy was to hoodwink voters into thinking lower income tax equalled lower taxation... reality is all parties need to try an balance the books.

Problem is that all parties now do the same - pretend to give with one hand and take from the other, but then come out with further BS that its to do with another policy - eg Fuel tax escalation linked to 'reductions in use, linked to reduction in emmissions, lower congestion, greener Britain' rhetoric... yet after having neglected investment in DECENT public transport for 40 years, we need our cars, use our cars and top up the exchequer's coffers.

Why All parties are not forced to provide a simple pie chart detailing total tax revenues (inc NI which goes into the same pot anyway) v total planned expenditure on services with details of service level that expenditure provides, without having to delve into mountains of manifesto, policy documents or political BS, and then let folk decide on taxation levels they are prepared to put up with to deliver the desired service quality is obvious... we would think they are all totally fecking mad.

Thatcher's concept was that people get to chose what they pay their tax on - yet inevitably such a policy hits the poorer in society more than those paying additional VAT on luxuries.

Sick of the lot of them - all far too childishly immature, backstabbing, Spin obsessed, w ankers more obssessed with elcectoral gains than what is in the best interests of the countries people.

[h=1]George Osborne 'a coward' for making Chloe Smith defend fuel U-turn

[/h]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18608133

George Osborne 'a coward' for making Chloe Smith defend fuel U-turn

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18608133

She seems way out of her depth. Isn't it common practice for a senior minister to delgate this kind of routine stuff to junior ministers? I'm not defending Osborne as such, just wondering if this is more of a case of the junior minister not doing enough preparation herself before going on air. Maybe it's a bit of both?

(Yay, a whole post without mentioning the Labour Party.....you da man Trousers)

Actually, I've just read some background to this and it does look like a case of Osborne putting her in the deep end with any briefing, so I think the accusation against Osborne is probably fair on this occasion.

She seems way out of her depth. Isn't it common practice for a senior minister to delgate this kind of routine stuff to junior ministers? I'm not defending Osborne as such, just wondering if this is more of a case of the junior minister not doing enough preparation herself before going on air. Maybe it's a bit of both?

 

(Yay, a whole post without mentioning the Labour Party.....you da man Trousers)

Maybe they were doing it to test the waters with her to see if she could take the heat. Or maybe anyone would have been annihilated over this(Maria Miller struggled earlier on Daily Politics though did better), because it is clearly a panic move/u-turn and populist. And they still haven't worked out how they are going to pay for it! I'm not saying whether I agree with it or not here, just saying their economic case so far is weak.

For those of you that haven't seen it.

From 6min 20secs in.

[h=1]George Osborne 'a coward' for making Chloe Smith defend fuel U-turn

[/h]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18608133

Awful doubletalk. Was like watching something out of 1984. She could have had the grace to blush .

Haha, she looks very stupid in that interview. I wonder when politicians will learn that they'll go up in the public estimation if they just tell the truth?