Bikers begin fuel protests
Hundreds of bikers today descended upon Manchester in what many believe will be the first of a number of high profile public protests against the price of fuel in the UK. Roads around the Manchester region could literally come to a standstill this weekend as the cost of fuel in the UK continues to move higher. It is not necessarily the cost of fuel which is the problem but the amount of tax which the UK government takes off each and every litre sold up and down the country.
The authorities may have believed that high-profile protests could be avoided before Election Day but it seems as though the next few days could see more similar demonstrations. There is no doubt that UK motorists feel as if they are being "milked" by the authorities and have become something of a cash cow. Whether the next government in office, whoever that may be, will attempt to reduce the friction between motorists and the authorities remains to be seen.
In truth it is difficult for the government of the day to reduce the tax take on fuel because ultimately UK finances are in a real mess. There is a need to increase taxes and reduce the cost of running public sector services but a reduction in fuel tax is certainly not on the agenda in the short-term.
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