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The Government Must Go Further as Costs Climb
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
The war in the Middle East is having a growing impact on people across Newbury and West Berkshire. Rising global instability has pushed up prices at the pumps, increased the cost of heating oil for off‑grid homes, and caused fertiliser costs to skyrocket at exactly the wrong time for our farmers during the planting season - affecting food production and feeding through into higher costs for everyone. These pressures are being felt by households and businesses alike, not just in rural areas but across our whole community.
As a result of higher prices, the Treasury has raked in over £200 million in additional VAT. So, in the Chamber yesterday, I urged the Prime Minister to use that windfall to provide immediate help for households struggling with rising costs.
When the conflict first erupted, I worked with parliamentary colleagues, particularly those in rural areas, to press the Government to roll out direct support for households off the gas-grid. While Ministers eventually announced around £50 million for low income families with skyrocketing heating oil costs, there is no clear end in sight and costs remain unsustainably high for millions of people across the country.
That is why the Prime Minister must listen to Liberal Democrat calls for an emergency transport package: knocking 10p off fuel duty, introducing a £1 cap on bus fares, and slashing train fares by 10% for three months. This would provide crucial relief for households in the next few months and be kept under review if the conflict continues.
Concerningly, after erratic negotiating by megaphone and changing his position from one day to the next, Trump’s latest move to blockade the Strait of Hormuz risks fuelling further escalation. At this crucial stage, diplomacy must prevail, and the Prime Minister must continue to work together with our reliable allies to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East while rolling out additional support that Britons need at home.
