Fuelling uncertainty

WITH higher prices at forecourts, Rachel Reeves has raked in an extra £200million in VAT from motorists since the Iran war broke out.

The figure was revealed as Canada and Germany became the latest countries to announce a reduction in taxes on drivers. Yet despite the hostilities in the Middle East approaching the end of their seventh week, there is still no clarity on what precisely the Chancellor intends to do about fuel duty.

With the worst of this crisis yet to come, she must come up with a workable plan before it is too late. We have all seen how protests and blockades about the cost of petrol and diesel have brought vast swathes of Ireland to a standstill. The last thing we need at this stage is Britain’s highways and byways grinding to a halt.