UK prepares for threat of new fuel protest

The UK Government wants to prevent a repeat of fuel queues like this in September.

By Robin Oakley, Cnn.com European Political Editor

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Next week marks the culmination of a propaganda war between the UK Government and the fuel protesters who brought the country to a standstill less than 60 days ago.

With the protesters -- mostly hauliers and farmers -- threatening to resume their blockades unless their demands for hefty cuts in fuel taxes are met, and the Government drawing up contingency plans, involving calling in the army, to ensure fuel reaches the pumps, the battle lines are drawn and it is now a question of who will blink first?

Brynle Williams, a farmer and leading figure among the protesters, has accused the Government of "playing a dangerous game of brinkmanship."

In September, when rising crude oil prices set off demonstrations across Europe over fuel prices, Britain was one of the countries worst hit. Motorists contribute £36 billion a year to the British Exchequer, with more than 71 pence of every pound spent on petrol going to Government revenues.

While the Government is expected to announce some concessions on fuel, in a Budget statement next Wednesday, it is not expected to do enough to satisfy the protesters.

Motorists are already stockpiling following advice from a senior minister that public organisations, such as the Health Service, should begin doing so.

It is not yet clear what the protest leaders' reaction will be to Home Secretary Jack Straw's statement in the House of Commons on Thursday in which he outlined a package of emergency measures and tough action against any new blockades of oil refineries.

"The right to argue, to complain, and to protest is an essential feature of our democratic society," Straw said. "Preventing law abiding people from going about their business and threatening the wellbeing of the country is not."

He added: "Those now seeking further disruption must understand that the demands they have made could not be met without great damage to jobs and industry, to essential services including the NHS, to pensioners and children. We all have responsibilities."

In September, seemingly spontaneous blockades of oil refineries by an informal association of about 2,000 farmers and lorry drivers armed with nothing but mobile phones and CB radios -- and the support of much of the public -- brought the UK to a standstill.

Ninety per cent of filling stations ran out of petrol, industry cut back production, supermarkets ran out of bread and hospitals cancelled operations.

Not least, the popularity of Tony Blair's Government, slow to see the crisis coming and over-optimistic in its predictions of returning normality, took a nosedive.

After six days and appeals from the Prime Minister, the protesters called off their protests. But they promised to resume them after sixty days unless the Government took action to cut fuel duties.

UK hauliers' message to the Government

That deadline runs out on November 13.

While ministers insisted they would not be swayed by force or make "policy lurches" as a result of demonstrations, they said they would listen to the protesters' grievances.

Since then there has been an intense war of nerves. Ministers have been trying to persuade farmers, truck drivers and motorists that they have been listening while at the same time calculating what concessions they can afford to make without losing political authority.

Among the possibilities said to have been discussed are an extension of the cheaper fuel scheme for farmers to truck-drivers, a special "vignette" tax for foreign truck-drivers operating in Britain, tax rebates for hauliers or a discount on road tax for rural motorists.

So far the Chancellor has given little public indication of his intentions beyond saying that there would be no "quick-fixes" and that policy changes in response to demonstrations would be the "worst kind of short-termism."

Lorry drivers have threatened more traffic jams on the UK's major routes.

While some ministers have been in obvious listening mode the Cabinet's Civil Contingencies Committee, headed by Straw, has been drawing up counter-emergency measures with the police and the oil companies.

Peter Shipley, spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers, has said: "Next time policing of all aspects of the protest will be much more vigorous."

For their part, the fuel protesters have been wondering if they can succeed with similar tactics given that they have lost any element of surprise and with the police much better prepared.

Some have threatened a four-day, slow-moving convoy from the North of England to London if Brown fails to satisfy their demands in his pre-Budget statement.

But there is evidence of divisions among the protesters, not least over their objectives.

The People's Fuel Forum has demanded a cut of 26.2 pence off a litre of fuel, which is unlikely to be met, while others would settle for a smaller figure.

Blair moves to end growing UK fuel crisis
September 12, 2000
Fuel protests widen across Britain
September 10, 2000
Europe governments struggle with fuel protests
September 18, 2000
European fuel protests escalate
September 16, 2000
OPEC agrees to boost oil output
September 10, 2000
Pumps run dry amid fuel protest
September 4, 2000

UK Government
Road Haulage Association
Oil Price Information Service
National Farmers' Union

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.