Union leader demands £3bn windfall tax on oil firms

A senior union leader has called for a £3 billion windfall tax on major oil companies after claiming they had collaborated with the fuel protests.

A senior union leader has called for a £3 billion windfall tax on major oil companies after claiming they had collaborated with the fuel protests.

GMB general secretary John Edmonds said petrol could be cut by 25p a gallon if the tax was levied.

He said at the Labour Party conference in Brighton: "The oil companies have not come over all sentimental. They had an eye to the main chance. If the demonstrators had been successful in knocking 5p off fuel tax we all know the oil companies would have sneaked a couple of pence back on at the pumps - they are the all-time winners in this game."

Mr Edmonds said oil firms had decided to co-operate "closely" with the demonstrators, adding: "How I wish the oil companies had taken the same helpful attitude when the NUM pickets tried to stop fuel supplies during the miners strike.

"I do not believe that BP, Shell, Esso and Total have a moral entitlement to a profit bonanza just because OPEC are restricting supplies."