This was the lead story on the BBC evening news. A selection of motorists were interviewed for the programme. One, a haulier said he was working simply to pay for his fuel; another, a professional woman who lives in a rural area, said filling her tank cost her a sixth of her net income.
(The Government's e-petition website can be found
here).
So where does all this tax go? Well, according to our
Eton-educated Prime Minister Call Me Dave, we must pay down the deficit at all odds, a proposition with which his Chancellor, George (
Bilderberger) Osborne, agrees. And this money goes where? Into the pockets of the likes of
Bob Diamond, and into managed funds where the likes of
Alessio Rastani can use it to “trade”, and where others can buy and sell to their hearts' contents being paid massive bonuses whether they win or lose at this game of stock market roulette.
So what is the solution, how about a revolution? Instead of occupying “Wall Street” worldwide, the protesters might be better off dragging the money changers out of their temples like that bloke did 2000 years ago, and administering summary justice! Alternatively, for those of a gentler persuasion, Ben Dyson and his Positive Money gang are holding a meet up in London early next month. Details can be found
here.
We should perhaps mention one dissenting voice, in particular that of the blogger who claims the people behind the campaign to cut fuel duty are not ordinary motorists but "
the petrol-dependent industry – road haulage workers", etc. As somebody once said: "
vested interested is entitled to proselytise as much as selflessness". Does she imagine any motorist in his or her right mind would not support such a reasonable and modest demand?
What she seems to be forgetting is that we are all of us paying this duty because we are all dependent on road transport, or does she think supermarkets have their goods delivered by gondola?
