East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight has attacked calls for higher fuel taxes, made by a Labour Party-supporting policy group.

The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), which has close links to the Labour Party and develops much of Labour policy, is also calling for road charging to be introduced and a greater use of so-called ‘congestion charging’ to raise funds for Government coffers.

Mr Knight said, “Action to help motorists at a time of recession and high international oil prices is crucial to protect communities living in rural areas and to help stimulate the economy. Pump prices are currently 10p a litre cheaper than if the Government had implemented Labour’s planned fuel duty escalator, and this is something my constituents and I welcome. This call for more taxes shows how out of touch Labour and their advisors are”.

Mr Knight added: “The UK already has the highest fuel taxes in the European Union. Sixty per cent of what motorists pay at the pump already goes straight to the Chancellor. In the light of this, it beggars belief that a London-centric think-tank – or should that be ‘non-think tank’ can be so out of touch with transport reality for millions of people across rural areas in Britain.

Mr Knight called for Labour leader Ed Miliband to ‘immediately distance himself from these proposals to hit motorists with even more tax’.

The IPPRs report was also slammed by the Automobile Association, their spokesman Paul Watters saying: “Far from raising fuel duty the Chancellor should continue to freeze it to help stimulate the economy and lift some of the fuel burden from families and business. Holding fuel duty where it is also protects those in rural areas who may be at risk of losing access to bus services”.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance is also calling for Chancellor George Osborne to continue to freeze fuel duty.

East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight is backing a cross-party Parliamentary Motion calling on the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to investigate big oil companies for anti-competitive behaviour.

Mr Knight said: “Oil prices have plummeted by twenty-eight per cent over the last three months; however, motorists are only seeing petrol prices five per cent lower at the pumps.”

Mr Knight added: “An OFT investigation will help ensure that there is no monopoly or any price fixing among petrol companies which would hurt motorists by driving prices up.”

Mr Knight concluded, “There is no good reason why the price of petrol is still so high. We must bring greater transparency to the matter. We lose nothing by examining the oil companies thoroughly.”

East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight has welcomed the Government’s decision to scrap the planned 2012 fuel duty increase.

Following a cross-party Parliamentary Motion to stop the fuel duty increase, backed by Mr Knight and others, the Chancellor has yesterday announced that the fuel duty increase will be cancelled and that there will be no duty increase before 2013.

Mr Knight said, “This news will be welcomed by people in rural areas like East Yorkshire, who are dependent on the car to get to work, as many do not have access to public transport. What’s more, an increase in fuel prices would also damage small businesses, hiking up the freight costs of everyday household goods.”

Mr Knight added, “Even a small increase in fuel duties can wreak havoc with family budgets. For those who have to drive to their workplace or for their job, a fuel duty increase would put a major strain on their wallet.”

Member of Parliament for East Yorkshire Greg Knight is callling on
the Government to ‘look carefully’ at the damage being caused by
high fuel prices and to scrap the planned fuel duty rise scheduled
for August this year.

Mr Knight said: ‘Fuel prices have hit record levels and the UK now
has the most expensive diesel in Europe.

He added: “High fuel prices hurt everyone, not just motorists. The
increasing cost of moving people and goods around the country
means more expensive goods and services, less money in our
wallets and a slowing of economic growth.”

Mr Knight added: “People in rural areas like East Yorkshire, where the
car is not a luxury, but a necessity, are the hardest hit by the
skyrocketing price of fuel. Almost everything is a car journey in
rural areas; the shops, the schools, the doctors and getting to work.
Often there is no alternative of using public transport.”

Referring to the Chancellors previous freeze on fuel duty, Mr Knight
said: “The present Government has done its bit since 2010 to put a
lid on the cost of motoring and our fuel tax is currently 10 pence
lower than it would have been without the intervention of the
Chancellor. When Mr Osborne next reviews our tax levels, the
rising cost of oil should be in the forefront of his mind.”

Mr Knight praised FairFuelUK and the Countryside Alliance who
have just revealed figures showing that as well as people having to
travel further in rural areas, they also pay more for their fuel per
litre.

The MP also criticised some garages for putting up pump prices by
more than was necessary.

Member of Parliament for East Yorkshire Greg Knight is backing a Parliamentary motion calling on the Government to scrap the planned fuel duty rise scheduled for August this year.

Fuel prices have hit record levels and the UK is now being officially recognised as having the most expensive diesel in Europe.

Mr Knight said: “High fuel prices hurt everyone, not just motorists. The increasing cost of moving people and goods around the country means more expensive goods and services, means less money in our wallets and a slowing of economic growth.”

Mr Knight added: “People in rural areas like East Yorkshire, where the car is not a luxury, but a necessity, are the hardest hit by the skyrocketing price of fuel. Almost everything is a car journey in rural areas; the shops, the schools, the doctors and getting to work. Often public transport is not available.”

Referring to the Chancellors previous freeze on fuel duty, Mr Knight said: “The present Government has done its bit in the past to put a lid on the cost of motoring and our fuel tax is currently 10 pence lower than it would have been without the intervention of the Chancellor. I hope that when Mr Osborne introduces his budget on 21st March the rising cost of oil will be in the forefront of his mind.”

The campaign is backed by FairFuelUK and the Countryside Alliance who have just revealed figures showing that as well as people having to travel further in rural areas, they also pay more for their fuel per litre.

East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight is one of a number of MPs sponsoring a Parliamentary motion calling for an end to ‘stratospheric interest rates’ on short term loans.

The motion notes that an organisation called wonga.com currently advertises a ‘typical interest rate of 4,214%’. It says that whilst all financial institutions have the right to make a profit, many companies involved in short term lending are; ‘adding to poor families’ financial problems’ and that sensible restrictions on interest rate levels should be introduced.

Mr Knight said, “Short term money lenders can provide a useful service. However, their customers are frequently the most economically vulnerable in society and therefore action needs to be taken to stop four figure interest rate charges”.

Mr Knight added, “As things currently stand many of these services are nothing short of legalised-theft. If the industry does not reform its practice itself then the Government should step in with regulation. In the meantime my advice to consumers is check the APR”.