davidb

after todays fuel protests by hauliers ive been listening to a radio talk show where someone made the suggestion that why dont we , the general public boycott two main petrol companies and continue to fill up at others ? it makes perfect sense ,its non confrontational ,doesnt hold anyone up and you can bet that the two unfortunate petrol companies singled out will be having stern words at no 10 and getting the tax lowered . plus reducing their prices to lure customers back !

earlb

It's not the fuel ompanies, it's the Government. They are too greedy with the tax. Just think - if they lower the tax considerably, everything else will follow (like food) because transportation costs will be lower. Don't say it's not green because the little we may do is outweighed by China and Russia .

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

GRAEME

Take the duty off petrol by all means.

Are we then prepared to pay higher income taxes like grown up citizens?

Governments of both persuasions have been raising taxes indirectly for decades because we've been brainwashed into thinking income tax is "bad". But we still want high levels of high quality public service.

Has to be paid for. If not via income tax (which is progressive and redistributive) then by other means like fuel duty which hits quite poor people disproportionately.

It's a no-brainer really.

All men leak.

Dame Starry

I read a letter written by a scientist last night.
In it, he stated that scientists actually like to start a 'media panic' which draws in ignorant politicians who haven't got a clue - because it's the best way for them to get funding.
I believe that we do have to look ahead because of limited resources and I also believe that manufacturers should be lobbied to use less and better packaging - but I believe that the global warming myth was started by scientists who like to be 'noticed'.

Motorists SHOULD do the same as the hauliers did - and stop the traffic. We are being conned right, left and centre with regards to fuel taxes and 'green' taxes; rest assured that the only place that the so-called 'green' taxes are going to go are into Fagin McBroon's pocket and his pension fund!

DS x.

GRAEME

You really should take the CEEFAX/Teletext letters pages with a pinch of salt!

Yeah. Scientist. Bet he had his white coat on and his clip board under his arm as he wrote the letter in crayon (no sharp objects, dear!).

"As a scientist... "

Nuts.

The world burners have "scientists" in droves - they all work for big oil, etc. The real money is in global warming denial.

Twaddle. Take a look at where tax gets spent - hugely, overwhelmingly, staggeringly on Pensions, healthcare, social services and education.

Which would you like to cut to get a few pence off your next litre?

All men leak.

Dame Starry

Was it on the TV text too? It doesn't matter because it's something that I have always been personally suspicious of anyway.
Governments are happy to waste time and energy listening to scientists because they see 'TAXES' written on the backs of their eyelids whenever they speak. The global warming myth was a gift from Heaven for our government!

If you are happy to believe that your taxes are spent in that way, then I wouldn't want to disillusion you.

DS x.

davidb

for once this is not totally directed at the government ,shell and bp have made ginormous profits just lately ,they can lower their prices a little as well .ive a feeling that the oil cos are pushing things are far as they can to see how much joe public is prepared to pay !

christoph404

Here is a happy thought for anyone thinking of visiting the USA, not only is the pound very strong but as we all know the cost of fuel is one third of the cost here in the UK.
The price of oil has gone up slightly, but approx 81.5% of the total price of fuel at the pump in the UK is made up of taxes and VAT. Britain is the most expensive country in Europe to buy diesel and petrol. But wait...isn't the EU supposed to promote fair trade?
And here is a question that no one in any UK government has been able or willing to answer; how is it possible to pay duty on fuel then be expected to pay VAT on that duty amount! Paying VAT on the actual cost of the fuel and not on the duty would certainly bring prices down a bit because at the moment motorists are being taxed on tax,in other words motorists are being openly ripped off! Part of the fuel duty is supposed to be spent on maintenance of roads and highways, a more direct tax on motor vehicles is of course the yearly tax disc which I believe is being increased drastically depending on the size of your motor. I think the UK government, past and present, and their novel sliding duty scale (a scale that always slides upwards!) is responsible for the spiraling cost of petrol in Britain and something needs to be done to bring prices more in line with the rest of Europe. Im of the opinion that blaming greedy oil companies for the price hike is simply deflecting the issue here in the UK.

davidb

the bigger picture is theyve got us over a barrel and they know it ! public transport is abysmal in this country so youve got no alternative to use a motorcar .if they tried to clobber the united states like they do us [ a nation of car lovers ] there would be a lynch mob outside the whitehouse .all we do by comparison is grumble and pay .ive started to return to two wheels over the last couple of years which is great deal more economical anyway . a car is nothing but a money pit as far as taxes and congestion charges are concerned

GRAEME

Oh dear. It is a simple fact. If you want to believe the majority of tax is spent on asylum seekers or war or lining politicians' pockets then go ahead.

Some is. A tiny proportion.

As I wrote. The vast vast majority is spent on pensions, social sevices, health and education.

There is no easy solution. If we want services we have to pay for them. The fair way is income tax. The unfair way is indirect taxation like fuel duty.

Petrol prices may be important - but the NHS is more important.

The facts:
So, I guess, depending on what bits of public spending you don't like, you could argue there is slack in the system.

Again I ask - which bits of public spending would you cut to bring down the cost of your petrol?

All men leak.

davidb

the rich have no qualms about side stepping the need to pay tax ,the whole lot needs an overhaul to make people across all pay scales pay a fair proportion , i genuinely feel sorry for small haulage companies though as their business is being trashed due to an unfair tax system

GRAEME

Agreed.

A fair taxation system is redistributive and progressive. And no loopholes for the super-rich.

All men leak.

CaptainWaggett

Public transport is abysmal in some parts of this country. It's very good in lots of areas, yet many motorists will make any excuse rather than get out of their cars (thus the 1000s who insist on driving into London every day despite the excellent system of buses, tubes and trains). If cycling is more economical than driving, then surely the rise in petrol prices has ultimately done you (and your muscles!) a favour!

christoph404

The super rich are sensible enough to live outside the UK and not be subject to tax laws here. Talking of which, wasn't it great to see British Lewis Hamilton win the Monaco Grand Prix in his home town?.....bet he doesn't worry too much about the price of fuel

davidb

i meant motorbike ! although ive got a bicycle im not doing 26 miles a day on it !