Cut fuel duty by AT LEAST 5p to help Brits beat cost of living crisis, MPs urge Rishi Sunak
RISHI Sunak was last night urged to slash fuel duty by at least 5p a litre to help motorists.
The Chancellor has come under pressure as prices have risen by around 20p a litre in the past month alone.
Average prices are at a record 165.9p for petrol and 177.3p for diesel.
The Chancellor has been told to act after France slashed 12p off a litre of petrol, and Ireland followed with 17p.
Tory MP Robert Halfon urged Mr Sunak to cut the duty by at least 5p, and even go further to “really cut the cost of living”.
He said: “Motorists face a ‘fuel empty’ alert on their vehicles as they won’t be able to afford to fill up their tanks for much longer.
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"At the very least a 5p cut will help millions of working people — but Boris and Rishi could follow the example of Ireland and go much further.”
Tory Craig Mackinlay added: “Go on Rishi, put a smile on the face of motorists at your spring statement on Wednesday.
“The Treasury is pocketing billions in windfall VAT on the back of motor fuel and domestic energy price rises.
“At the least, the Chancellor should cut fuel by a minimum of 5p a litre.”
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The post-Covid bounceback and war in Ukraine has pushed fuel costs to never-seen-before levels.
Filling an average 55-litre tank family car at motorway services hit £100 at the weekend.
Drivers are sacrificing seeing friends and family, going shopping or medical appointments, say campaigners FairFuelUK.
Duty has been frozen at 57.95p a litre for 11 years in a row — thanks to The Sun’s Keep it Down campaign.
Urging the Chancellor to follow Ireland’s 17p-a-litre cut and France’s 12p in April, the campaign group’s founder Howard Cox said: “Dear multi-millionaire Chancellor, stop sitting on your myopic belief that the cost of living crisis will solve itself.
'NI raise may not hit poor'
MR Sunak raised hopes the poorest people may avoid the National Insurance tax rise, as he stated it was his mission to cut taxes for everyone as soon as he could.
The Chancellor insisted his Spring statement will target help to the most needy and vulnerable.
And he refused to deny speculation that he may increase benefits to match soaring inflation.
A three per cent benefits rise was set last year — before inflation shot up nearly six per cent.
Mr Sunak said: “I want to make sure we’re helping the most vulnerable.”
Labour said OAPs will be £1,400 worse off over two years due to tax hikes and rising bills.
Shadow pensions chief Jonathan Ashworth said: “It’s daylight robbery. Boris Johnson has betrayed retired people.”
“Other countries have reacted and acted quickly. Why haven’t you?”
Last week nearly 50 MPs signed a letter to Mr Sunak urging him to look at a cut.
Yesterday Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Labour wouldn’t block the move but warned: “Even a 5p reduction will only reduce filling up with petrol by £2.
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“So I don’t think that really rises to the scale of the challenge — which is why we are calling for a windfall tax on the big profits being made by North Sea oil and gas companies right now.”
And, backing a cut for the first time, Reeves said her party “won’t stand in the way” of such a move.
Fracking favoured
THE Chancellor has thrown his weight behind fracking in a fresh Cabinet split.
Rishi Sunak came out swinging for the controversial drilling technique, despite opposition from Cabinet colleagues.
He said: “If there’s a safe way to do it, then it’s definitely something we should be exploring.”
Other ministers have talked down the prospect, amid fears it can cause earthquakes.
Boris Johnson is still mulling whether to give the green light to further research and exploration of shale gas wells in the North of England as part of his upcoming energy strategy.
The Sun understands millions are expected to get extra home heating cash via insulation incentives.