Fair Fuel UK Poll on Fuel Duty

Public attitudes towards Fuel Duty and the 2011 Budget conducted for FairFuelUK published 21 March 2011

Date Published: 21 Mar 2011

Categories: Economy | Energy | Politics | Public and communities | UK

Description

NEW POLL HIGHLIGHTS PUBLIC ANGER OVER FUEL DUTY

 

The strength and depth of public anger and emotion over the level of fuel duty in the UK has been starkly revealed in new ComRes polling published today by the FairFuelUK campaign group.  The research shows that fully half of all Britons “would seriously consider switching their vote to a political party that committed itself to reducing fuel duty”.  One in three people, the equivalent of more than 16m people, said they “would be prepared to take part in a demonstration to show disapproval at the planned increase in fuel duty”, including one in four of people over 65. 

 

The overwhelming majority – a remarkable 81% - stated that “if the Coalition Government want to show they are on the side of ordinary families they should start by scrapping the planned increase in fuel duty”.

 

Quentin Willson, leader of the FairFuelUK campaign said, ‘'This proves what we've been saying for months.  People are deeply worried about fuel duty and it is the strongest domestic political issue of the moment. If the government doesn't manage this emotive time bomb in the budget, national anger could spiral out of control.’

 

The FairFuelUK campaign is backed by the RAC, the 20,000 UK road freight companies of the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association and over 140,000 members of the public.  The campaign has been intensively lobbying MPs and Ministers and met with the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Justine Greening MP, on Thursday.

 

Peter Carroll, founder and organiser of the campaign said, ‘These shock figures are proof positive that fuel duty and fuel prices are the number one issue for millions of people and tens of thousands of businesses across the country’.

 

The research was carried out by pollsters ComRes on behalf of FairFuelUK.  ComRes Chairman Andrew Hawkins said, ‘These results show just what an emotive issue this is.  I cannot recall ever dealing with a political issue which evokes such strong feelings among the public.  That 49% say they would seriously consider switching votes, and a third of the public would be prepared to demonstrate, shows that no political party can afford to take this issue lightly’.

 

Notes to editors

 

Full results:

 

Q1. Do you agree or disagree with these statements about the planned 1p increase in fuel duty?

 

Scrapping the planned increase would not go far enough to reduce the impact of recent fuel price increases

Agree: 77%

Disagree: 10%

No opinion: 13%

 

I would seriously consider switching my vote to a political party that committed itself to reducing fuel prices

Agree: 49%

Disagree: 27%

No opinion: 24%

 

Overall, an increase in the duty of fuel would be positive because it would help tackle climate change

Agree: 12%

Disagree: 74%

No opinion: 14%

 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne would be right to allow the 1p increase in fuel duty to go ahead as planned

Agree: 11%

Disagree: 77%

No opinion: 11%

 

Fuel should be treated in the same way as alcohol or tobacco in that government duty on it should be raised at an accelerated rate

Agree: 8%

Disagree: 82%

No opinion: 10%

 

If the Coalition Government want to show they are on the side of ordinary  families they should start by scrapping the planned increase in fuel duty

Agree: 81%

Disagree: 11%

No opinion: 9%

 

I would be prepared to take part in a demonstration to show my disapproval at the planned increase in fuel duty

Agree: 34%

Disagree: 42%

No opinion: 24%