LABOUR CALLS ON CAMERON AND OSBORNE TO STOP THE NEW YEAR FUEL DUTY RISE

Earlier this week Labour MPs called on George Osborne to cancel the Government’s New Year 3p per litre petrol tax rise that will hit local people hard when it comes into force on 1 January.

At a time when the cost of living is rising, our recovery is fragile and this out of touch Government is giving 8,000 millionaires an average tax cut of over £107,000, it cannot be right to hit middle and low income families and small businesses with another tax rise.

The price of petrol has gone up 13p since the Tories came to power. People in Derby are really feeling the squeeze from the Government’s VAT rise – which has added 3p to the price of a litre of petrol – and deep cuts to things like tax credits.

So delaying January's fuel duty rise, at least until April, would provide some much-needed financial relief.

It’s disappointing that Tory and Lib Dem MPs voted in the House of Commons against our plan to stop the New Year fuel duty hike. But I will keep urging the Government to change their minds and not hit local families and businesses so hard at this very difficult time for our economy.