THE MP for Bromsgrove has joined his colleagues in urging the government not to hike fuel duty in the upcoming budget.
Ahead of the Budget, Bradley Thomas MP joined colleagues outside Number 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition, signed by 130,000 motorists, calling on the Prime Minister and Chancellor not to hike the levy.
Reports suggest fuel duty is expected to rise by 7 pence per litre after the budget, as speculations mount that the chancellor will restore inflationary rises and the Conservatives’ temporary cut.
At the Spring Budget earlier this year, the previous Government maintained the rates of Fuel Duty at the current levels for a further 12 months by extending the temporary 5p cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation.
This saved the average car driver £50 in 2024-25 and represented a tax cut worth over £3.1 billion.
Bradley said: “Motorists in Bromsgrove and the Villages need support not tax hikes.
“That’s why I joined colleagues at Number 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition, signed by 130,000 motorists, which calls on the Government to scrap any plans to increase Fuel Duty at the Budget next week.
“I very much hope the Government listens and doesn’t punish motorists by hiking Fuel Duty.”
Since this report was published, chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget did not increase fuel duty. Instead, she described a rise as the ‘wrong choice’ and extended the freeze for another year, maintaining the previous government’s 5p cut.
