Fuel price activists to lobby MPs

Campaigners will lobby Parliament tomorrow to protest against sky-high fuel taxes (Getty Images)

Campaigners will lobby Parliament tomorrow to protest against sky-high fuel taxes and petrol pump prices.

Organised by the FairFuelUK group, the protest will include the presentation of a report to 10 Downing Street.

This handover will be followed by a mass lobby of MPs which takes place at a time when average petrol prices have reached a record high of 137.44p a litre.

The report being delivered is from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

It says that even a modest cut in fuel duty of 2.5p per litre would create 180,000 new jobs.

The main findings of the CEBR report were conveyed to Treasury Minister Chloe Smith last week when she met FairFuelUK spokesman Quentin Willson and the organisation's founder Peter Carroll.

The meeting took place after separate findings showed that UK drivers were paying the highest fuel taxes in Europe.

Mr Willson said today: "We have shared the findings of this report with MPs and ministers. However, with only weeks to go to the Budget, we are concerned that the Government is not listening and not taking on board the significance of these findings.

"For months, the Government has been wheeling out the same old argument that it 'can't afford to cut duty'. Here is concrete evidence that it can make such a cut. Families and businesses are being crushed by these cruel levels of tax - 82p on every litre we buy. It's damaging the economy and holding back growth."

He went on: "The people are clamouring for the Government to look at fuel duty. This research shows that a cut in fuel duty won't cost the Treasury a penny. It can cut duty and do any of the other options if it so wishes.

"So it is wrong of the Government to say it's a choice between a fuel duty cut and other measures. It can, and should, cut fuel duty now."

PA