MP Esther McVey – whose constituency includes Lymm – is urging the chancellor not to hike prices at the pump in next week’s Budget but instead offer a lifeline to families, businesses and those reliant on cars.
It is widely anticipated chancellor Rachel Reeves will increase fuel duty by 7pence per litre – something Ms McVey wholly opposes.
She wants duty to remain frozen, as it has been for 14 years.
Ms McVey said: “Ideally, I would like to see a reduction in fuel duty but at the very least I want it to remain frozen. Any increase will have a devastating impact on families, small and large businesses, those that rely on their cars which is large numbers in our area.
“Everyone will be affected by this. It will push up food prices as businesses will need to claw back the cost of transportation and will drive up inflation. It is completely ill-thought through, instead of filling the so-called black hole the chancellor keeps referencing, it will damage the economy and be bad for growth.”
Ms McVey along with other Conservative MPs and Fair Fuel UK founder Howard Cox delivered a 130,000 plus strong petition, to Downing Street ahead of the Budget on October 30.
She said: “It was the Conservative Government that cut fuel duty, ending years of rises under Labour, and I will not sit quietly and allow this new Government to increase prices at the pumps for my constituents.”
In addition to the petition, Fair Fuel UK supporters have emailed the chancellor calling for a cut in duty.
