Motorists hit by surging price rise at pumps face Reeves raid

CHANCELLOR DEFIANT DESPITE SHOCK IMPACT OF WAR

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Potentially triggering a cost-of-living catastrophe. Fuel duty has been frozen for 16 years. In the November Budget the Chancellor extended a 5p cut until September when duty will begin to climb unless she relents.

It came as the AA and RAC took the unusual step of urging motorists to cut nonessential journeys and avoid harsh acceleration and braking to conserve fuel.

Ms Reeves said she would “keep a close eye” on pump prices to stop oil giants from profiteering but admitted the crisis will send inflation even higher in the coming months.

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: “Her gross mismanagement has left us far more vulnerable than would otherwise have been the case.

“Inflation was bang on target when we left office, but thanks to [the Chancellor's] choices, it rose back up to almost 4% last year, the highest in the G7. And inflation remains elevated. That is far from ideal, given the threat of a significant further spike in energy prices.

“And of course, extraordinarily, the Chancellor has just now reconfirmed that the will press ahead with a rise in fuel duty later this year.”

Ms Reeves echoed Sir Keir Starmer's warning that the longer the war continues, the more likely it is there will be economic damage.

Concerns over pump prices intensified after Saudi Arabia — the biggest oil supplier in the region — began to curb output at two major fields.

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