𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves face a nightmare Commons vote as Conservatives try to scrap the Chancellor’s plans to increase fuel duty by 5p. Tories argue that the petrol pump price hike is the last thing cash-strapped motorists need as the Iran conflict sends the cost of oil soaring.

They will force a House of Commons vote on Tuesday to overturn the rise, meaning that the Prime Minister faces a choice between ordering his MPs to vote in favour of the increase or performing yet another U-turn. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said on Monday: “Last week at the spring statement, Rachel Reeves said that the 5p cut on fuel duty would only last until September. Given what we know about what is going on in the world, we should be extending that.

“So tomorrow, I’m going to be bringing in a vote so that we can have a say on keeping fuel duty low as much as possible.”

Asked whether she supported the idea of a Liz Truss-style support package to help households and businesses with a surge in oil prices, she told the Press Association on a visit to Bromley on Monday: “The first thing that the Prime Minister should do is stop Rachel Reeves’s silly changes to fuel duty.

“Last week, she had an opportunity in the spring statement to announce measures to help all of those families out there who are struggling with the cost of living.

“Instead, she spent the statement telling us what a fabulous job she was doing. So tomorrow, I’m going to be bringing a vote so that we can make sure that we keep fuel duty low, and I would expect Labour MPs and others to support that at a time when we’re expecting serious shocks to energy prices.”

Motorists face the first fuel duty increase in 15 years this year, with a 5p rise being introduced in stages from September, despite rising global oil prices adding further pressure to household budgets.

The Government has brought forward legislation to implement the rise.

Conservatives froze or cut fuel duty every year in government, and are accusing Labour of prioritising higher spending over protecting commuters and small businesses.

They said Labour’s looming fuel duty hike will punish motorists, commuters and small firms as global tensions push up oil prices.

There is no automatic vote on the fuel duty regulations, but the Government should allow a vote if the official opposition goes against the rise.

A motion tabled in the name of Mrs Badenoch and signed by Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride, as well as Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden, will be tabled this week to try to force a vote.

Sir Mel warned Ms Reeves that the fuel duty rise would be a “hammer blow” for families, commuters and businesses already facing rising costs.

He said: “The latest developments in the Middle East make it even more important for Rachel Reeves to reverse course and scrap the rise in fuel duty she announced at the Budget.

“Labour are piling up the benefits bill instead of prioritising motorists and commuters. For every year of the last Conservative government, we found the resources to freeze fuel duty.

“Labour did not make the same choices and chose ever higher spending instead. They must scrap the rise before it’s too late.”

Campaigner Howard Cox, from FairFuelUK, said: “We are in an escalating oil price crisis. The impact on the economy will be devastating.

“If Rachel Reeves is serious about economic growth and reducing inflation, she must cut fuel duty. And she must stop opportunistic profiteering at the pumps by implementing FairFuelUK’s PumpWatch.

“The fuel supply chain is already hiking prices on existing pre-crisis paid-for forecourt stocks. It’s time for fiscal sanity and announce fuel duty will be cut and frozen for the lifetime of this parliament.”