Andy Burnham and Labour have missed a massive opportunity to connect with drivers struggling with rising fuel costs, according to an opinion piece by Luke Chillingsworth, Cars Reporter.
Mr Burnham entered Downing Street promising to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, but since the summer, petrol and diesel costs have soared. Diesel prices exceeded previous all-time highs in October and are hovering below £2 per litre, while petrol sits around 174p per litre, roughly 20p higher than in June.
Planned Fuel Duty Hikes Delayed
Despite calls from the motoring industry and fellow politicians for immediate action on fuel duty and VAT fees, Labour stood firm. All announcements were expected to be saved for the Budget, and inevitably John Healey announced that planned hikes from January would be delayed.
Labour had planned to reverse the Conservatives' previous 2022 5p cut, with the first 3p rise scheduled for January. Mr Healey realised that if motorists are already struggling to pay existing bills, adding more would not be a good idea.
What Did the Budget Do for Drivers?
But the Budget did little for petrol and diesel owners already struggling to fill up their tanks. Mr Burnham could have gone further, slashing fuel duty by an additional 5p and showing he is on the side of motorists. After cutting fuel duty to 47.95p, he could have declared the fee was at its lowest rate since the early 2000s.
No Chancellor has increased fuel duty rates since 2011. With 42 million drivers on the road, increasing fees would be political suicide.
Rising Costs Forcing People Off the Roads
People are already voting with their wallets. Recent data from Tempcover found that as many as 40% of UK drivers have already cut down the number of vehicles on their driveways as costs spiral. Meanwhile, one third (32%) said they no longer drive enough to justify owning more than one vehicle.
It is clear that rising costs are forcing people off the roads. The question remains whether Labour has missed a staggering opportunity to cut bills and keep Britain moving, and whether they will ever have another chance to connect with voters again.
