FUEL PRICES DEBATE

Plaid and the SNP have a debate at Westminster (this afternoon) which will help to pressurise the UK government into taking action on rising fuel prices (which is hitting all of us either directly or indirectly). Plaid and the SNP are calling for the Con Dem Government to consider a regulator to cut fuel duty when oil prices rise. Both parties will make their case during an opposition debate in the Commons.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Transport, Jonathan Edwards MP, said:

“Plaid Cymru and the SNP recognised this problem long ago – we pushed for it in Budgets in 2005 and 2008 with widespread support from real people outside parliament. Unfortunately, Labour stubbornly ignored the problems of rising fuel prices while the Conservatives scared of supporting our idea decided to steal it, water it down and re-brand it as their own. There has been a massive hike in the cost of fuel recently, not all of it down to the rising cost of oil. The Tory-led Government's VAT increase and fuel duty hike have pushed the price of a litre up by at least 3.5p in the last month alone.Businesses and especially families in rural areas, especially in many parts of Wales, where a car is a necessity not a luxury are those who are facing the pain because of these choices. For the short-term we need to have a fuel duty stabiliser and a special price for fuel in rural areas, but we also need to diversify and invest in renewable energy alternatives to reduce our reliance upon oil and other fossil fuels.”

SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP said:

"This may be the only opportunity MPs will have to debate fuel prices ahead of the Budget in March and the fuel duty increase in April, and so it is crucial that we persuade the Tory-led government to honour its pre-election pledge and establish a fuel duty regulator.The country is crying out for action to bring down fuel prices, and this SNP / Plaid debate will be a focus for that. Westminster's inaction has made this an enormous issue for the Scottish Parliament elections in May. Its a huge issue on the doorstep and the forecourts because and a key illustration of why we need to build up Scotland’s Parliament, and equip it with the full powers of financial responsibility. A Fuel Duty Regulator – which the Tories supported before the election – would bring duty down when oil prices go up. Cutting fuel by 10p per litre in Scotland would only cost about half of the estimated £1 billion in extra revenue the Treasury is set to rake in as a result of rising oil prices. It's a national scandal that in Europe's oil-richest country, Scots are paying among the highest fuel prices.”

Plaid Cymru / SNP motion:


This House notes the oil price has reached $100 a barrel; that diesel in the UK is the most expensive in Europe; further notes that the combination of the 1 January 2011 duty rise and the VAT increase is estimated to have added 3.5p to the cost of a litre of fuel; acknowledges the sharp rises in fuel prices over the past year and the resulting impact on headline inflation figures; recognises the financial pressure this places on hard pressed families and businesses already struggling with high inflation and the impact of the recent VAT rise; condemns the government's continued dithering over the implementation of a fuel duty regulator (or stabiliser) as neither a sustainable or stable way to make tax policy; further recognises the specific additional fuel costs for those living in remote and rural parts of the UK; is concerned that diesel in such places is approaching £7 per gallon; condemns the Government for its failure to prioritise the implementation of a fuel duty derogation; and calls for the introduction of a fuel duty derogation to the most remote areas at the earliest opportunity.

The Conservative Party had promised to look into a "fair fuel stabiliser" in their election manifesto, back in January, David Cameron was considering ways to help cash-strapped motorists. More recently, however,  Cameron has played down the possibility of a "fair fuel stabiliser" to limit fuel duty rises. The fact that UK Government benefits to the tune of 600 million a week in fuel duty may be a contributory factor in relation to the PM’s indecision, just as it was with former New Labour PM, Gordon Brown, perhaps Mr Cameron should declare an interest?

TIME TO DECLARE AN INTEREST?

Everybody is getting hit hard by the high fuel prices, if the Prime Minister breaks his promises on introducing a fuel duty stabiliser then the poorest in society suffering more than the rest of us. The Conservative Party promised to look into a "fair fuel stabiliser" in their election manifesto, in early January, David Cameron said he was considering ways to help cash-strapped motorists. More recently Cameron has played down the possibility of a "fair fuel stabiliser" to limit fuel duty rises. The fact that UK Government benefits to the tune of 600 million a week in fuel duty may be a contributory factor in relation to the PM’s indecision, just as it was with former New Labour PM, Gordon Brown, perhaps Mr Cameron should declare an interest?

There is an urgent need to see measures put in place to stabilise prices before they rocket even higher. Implementing a Fuel Duty Regulator would at least bring duty down when oil prices go up – and cap prices at the petrol pump. I think that there is little chance that Cameron will keep to his word or his election pledge on introducing a fuel duty stabiliser, as this UK Coalition Government seems to have shed any real principles as regularly as the snow melts in warmer weather.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) says the UK now has the second highest diesel price in Europe - something which it says is causing great difficulties for hauliers and other businesses dependent on road transport. They point out that in Europe, the total price is split about 50/50 between the cost of the fuel itself and tax, yet, in the UK, the average product price is 38% of the total, with the remaining 62% coming from tax. Fuel duty already costs 58.95p for every litre. Average prices at the pump are now around 127p per litre and the Retail Motor Industry Federation has written to the Chancellor asking him to scrap the planned fuel duty increase, due in April.

Prices reached $147 a barrel before the recession in 2008 but are currently about $100 a barrel. The average price of petrol is rising at the highest rate for 10 years. The average cost of a litre of unleaded petrol has gone up by 6.13p since mid-December to a record 128.27p (£5.83 a gallon). The price of diesel is even higher and in some rural areas the cost of fuel is more than 20p a litre above the average figure. There are further increases in duty planned for April as well as expected rises in the price of oil. The 4th January VAT hike to 20% and a simultaneous rise in fuel duty, did little to help matters, as motorists saw 3.5p added to the cost of a litre.

Plaid Cymru has long favoured a new system of regulating tax on fuel in order to mitigate the effects of high prices at the pumps, and for a fuel duty regulator to cap the price of petrol at the pump when it rises too quickly. Wholesale oil prices will inevitably rise over the next few years as the world economy re-builds itself in the face of an increasing demand for oil and all of us will pay for higher fuel prices directly or indirectly. What's needed is an increase in sustained investment in renewable energy sources which would boost our economy without damaging the planet. It is scandalous that Wales was left out of recent pilot programmes for electric cars, but recent experience tells that for many Westminster Governments (Conservative or New Labour) Wales is so often out of sight and out of mind.

A DATE FOR THE DIARY!

So, providing that that the 5 years fixed term remains a fact of the life, then the date of the proposed next Westminster election will be Thursday 7th May 2015 - oops isn't that exactly the day of the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliamentary elections. Coincidence or what? While one would like to think that the Conservatives and their Liberal Democrat chums are not that dull as to have not realised it? One suspects that party political advantage may have been a major factor in the decision rather than it being down to coincidence rather than an attempt to boost turnout?

If you follow that sort of logic then any referendum on primary lawmaking powers should take place on Thursday 5th May 2011, the of the National Assembly elections, for that will increase turnout as well. An interesting thought, but, one that does not hold sway with the Liberal Democrat and Conservative leaders in the National Assembly who (especially the Conservatives) have been well set against any previous suggestion of that idea. Their reasoning being that it would confuse the voters; rather than simply rend their parties asunder, with some campaigning for and some campaigning against, whilst simultaneously trying to fight a united campaign.

It may be interesting trying to fight two simultaneous general style election campaigns with 100 candidates a piece, with two manifesto's, two different sets of media coverage. Not to mention twice as much campaign literature and at least 3 ballot papers, and possibly at least two different electoral systems and that before you begin to take into account any effects of electoral reform (or not). If this stands then it is going to be one hell of an interesting organisational and logistical exercise for any political party, the voters and not doubt somewhat hard pressed election officials.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE LAST DAY...

All in all, it has been an interesting campaign, if rather a long one thanks to Gordon the Ditherer, having been selected back in the autumn of 2007, in anticipation of an autumn Westminster General election. Oh boy! Gordo I will bet that blunder has kept you awake night after night, not to mention the self induced economic disaster that happened on your watch! In truth I have never liked the word in this particular context as - 'watch' would imply some degree of activity, well any degree of activity!

I would say that on the whole it has been a clean well fought campaign, despite an increasingly desperate attempt by the New Labour candidate to inject some life into his failing campaign by having a pop at the Tory candidate in the last few weeks. Think if we (the other candidates) hear from New Labour lips the oily smoothly delivered phrase 'progressive consensus' one more time then we may not be responsible for our actions. The irony is that the current New Labour Party would not know a progressive consensus if it fell over one in the street!

Roll on close of poll, a bumper crop of new Plaid MPs - who will champion their constituents interests, fight for fair funding for Wales a fair deal for our pensions, our service men and women and our military veterans! Roll on a hung parliament! Roll on electoral oblivion to those MP's who were caught with their fingers in the till and electoral reform! Think Different, Think Plaid!

THE GREAT IGNORED

If either the Tories or New Labour win outright on the 6th of May, there will be a lot more people who will pretty rapidly become members of David 'Call me Dave' Cameron's new exclusive club 'the great ignored'. Membership of which may end up including significant numbers of people in Wales, Scotland, the north of England and many English urban areas.

While the electorate in Wales and Scotland can have a real choice at the polls, the depressing lack of any real choice facing the English electorate ("cuts or more cuts") may come to really rue the day for the inhabitants on Wales and Scotland. It may come down (in England at least) to a choice of the lesser of two evils - sleaze ridden inept New Labour or a potentially sleaze ridden Conservative Party eager to get its snouts into the trough - some choice!

While New Labour abandoned it's historic traditional supporters to eagerly slip into the embrace of the bankers and the City Money men, it also turned its back on the UK's manufacturing industry, something that had pretty severe consequences across much of South Wales. One thing is certain you can be sure that the Conservatives will look after their own and the rest of us will pay for it (and the tax cuts for the super rich) again and again.

In truth, we (in Wales) need to think different, we need to think Plaid. Neither Wales or Scotland can afford the consequences of either a New Labour or a Conservative election victory as they are as bad and each other. A plague on both their houses, roll on a hung parliament and a strong Plaid voice of Wales in Westminster, only then can we get a better deal for all of Wales.

A DIFFERENT ELECTION

Whatever happens at the next Westminster General Election, it is going to be a very, very different election in Scotland.

With grateful thanks to BellaCaledonia.com at wordpress.com

A CASE OF MAYBE? OR WHEN?

While I welcome the news that credit and debit cards may finally be used to pay the tolls on the Severn Bridges, I hope that the National Assembly will stay on the ball to ensure that there is a rapid change in the necessary law at Westminster.

What bothers me is that there is a risk that this may become a case of 'may’ rather than ‘when’ because UK legislation, which governs the crossings, needs to be amended to allow the use of credit / debit cards. As yet the Highways Agency has said that confirmation of any amendment is still awaited.

Now obviously with a forthcoming Westminster General election, the legislative programme will be severely curtailed, so how quickly will the change be made?

The Conservatives, who were in power in 1992, when the original Act governing the operations of what would become the Severn Bridges, was passed will obviously have their own agenda to pursue, slashing and burning their way through the public sector and military budget, no doubt. And what with them believing in tolls and private ownership of assets, this will probably not be a priority in their legislative programme, especially if any proposed change ends up not being passed before the Westminster General election.

I have oft wondered, why was the legislation so badly drafted in the first place to include the infamous annual clause that allows the operating company to raise the tolls every year? It is important to place things in context, 1992 was right in the middle of the privatisation era, when if it could be flogged off for a song, which helped make their dodgy mates in the City more than a few pounds, then it would be.

Did someone get a bung, a few quid in a brown envelope, a seat on the board or a nice holiday in the sun - these things went on at the time, although in 1992 the reality of Conservative sleaze, which could in its day give New Labour sleaze and the scandal of MP's expenses a real challenge for wild newspaper headlines, was yet to be revealed.

That aside, lets be honest, as the Severn Bridges are such vital transport links to the economy of South Wales, the real question should be how long can we afford to have our interests looked after by an increasingly distant and increasingly indifferent Whitehall.

Bring it on!

Next week Plaid Cymru and the SNP are tabling a motion calling for the dissolution of Parliament and a resultant Westminster General Election, while this is not a motion of no confidence, it will be debated on Wednesday 10th June. With New Labour poised to get a pasting in the European elections and the Local Government elections (in England) on Thursday (4th June) and Cabinet Members (and MPS) who have been caught with their fingers in the till dropping like flies this should make for an interesting and very public debate.

Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid leader at Westminster), told the BBC:

"The Conservatives are in favour of an immediate general election, the Liberal Democrats likewise and several of the smaller parties and there are many disillusioned people, if I can use that word, on the Labour benches as well. The immediate effects were it to succeed would be a general election. We are trying to do that because we believe the legitimacy of Parliament has long gone. People have got no faith in this institution and, therefore, it is wrong that they are governed by it."

Regardless of the result, and I suspect that New Labour turkeys will not vote for Christmas, it will make interesting viewing. In truth what we have at the moment is a Government that is no longer governing or even going through the motions of governance. The Westminster Parliament has gone beyond a joke, with fingers in the till revelations drowning out anything else, any faint shred or tattered scrap of credibility that Gordon Brown’s government once had is now long gone.

Enough is enough, this sad farce has gone on long enough, and from talking and listening to people over the last few weeks the ordinary people have lost patience with the failed New Labour Government and with Gordon Brown - with regard to a Westminster General Election, simply bring it on!