Education Secretary Douses Fuel Panic Amid Price Surge
Britain’s Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has stepped up to calm nerves as petrol prices rocket past 150p per litre. The spike follows Iran’s blockade of the crucial Strait of Hormuz, sending fuel costs soaring by 17p since February.
Speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Phillipson told drivers to “just fill up as normal, continue as you are.” She backed warnings from groups like the RAC against panic buying, urging calm at the pumps.
Fuel Supply ‘Rock-Solid’ Despite Middle East Mayhem
Phillipson reassured Brits that fuel supplies remain safe and domestic production is steady, despite tensions in the Middle East. “We’ve got the security of what is coming in, and production isn’t affected,” she said.
The minister emphasized the government’s readiness for any future disruptions: “We are well prepared.”
Opposition Slam Fuel Duty Hike as Petrol Costs Soar
As fuel prices climb, Tory, Reform UK, and Lib Dem leaders are backing calls to scrap the planned fuel duty rise due in September. They blame the Iran crisis and demand urgent government action.
Phillipson dismissed these calls, insisting there’s “no need” to act now and refused to commit on fuel duty decisions months in advance.
Kemi Badenoch Demands North Sea Energy Boost to Fight Crisis
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch slammed talks of fuel rationing and called for faster drilling in the North Sea. She touted Shell’s Jackdaw gas field near Aberdeen as vital to delivering “gas before winter.”
Badenoch also blasted Labour’s ban on new oil and gas licences introduced last year. “The right thing right now is not to bankrupt the country,” she said. “We need cheap, abundant energy, and that means all of it – nuclear, renewables, and oil and gas.”
