The latest instalment of Andy Burnham’s ‘genius’ comms sees the PM take credit for a Google feature built on a scheme that was kicked off back in 2023. This morning Burnham tweeted that he knows people are worried about fuel prices, adding:
“I won’t accept that there’s nothing I can do to help… From today, you’ll be able to see petrol and diesel prices on Google Maps.”
Burnham had very little to do with it:
What Burnham did not mention is that around half the cost of petrol is tax his government imposes. At the current average price of 174.7p per litre, £23.49 of every £50 spent at the pump goes to the Treasury, made up of 52.95p a litre in duty plus 20% VAT on top. That is 47% of the bill…
The government has already hoovered up an extra £110 million in tax from higher fuel prices since 1 August. If prices stay where they are, the extra VAT take on fuel will reach £1.2 billion by next August. Labour also plans a 3p fuel duty rise on 1 January 2027, a further 2p on 1 March 2027, and an RPI uplift in April. If those go ahead, another £1.7 billion will be raised in the first seven months of 2027. That makes a total tax increase of £2.95 billion between August 2026 and August 2027 – thanks, Andy…
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”