Farmers in England are planning fuel protests after the Iran war drove diesel prices to £2 per litre, according to reports. The surge follows the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping lane, due to the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Farming organisations are set to meet next week to discuss nationwide demonstrations, a source told The Telegraph. The source said: “We’ve hit the £2 mark on a litre of diesel. That’s a scary place to be. It will be a matter of time before people in this country start to go out and protest.”
The National Farmers Union (NFU) said it had not heard of protest plans but expressed concern over the impact of rising costs. An NFU spokesperson said: “The war in Iran is deeply concerning... The resulting disruption to global oil and gas markets is putting a significant strain on farmers and growers.” The NFU does not support protests that could inconvenience the public or disrupt supply chains.
Fuel prices have soared since the conflict began, with average diesel now above 190p per litre, surpassing the 2022 record. Peace talks between the US and Iran failed on Saturday, leaving the Strait of Hormuz closed and potentially driving prices higher.
In Ireland, nationwide fuel protests by farmers and hauliers have entered their sixth day, causing disruption and leading to arrests. The Irish government called an emergency Cabinet meeting on Sunday to address the crisis. Northern Ireland’s political leaders have urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to act decisively on rising fuel costs.
