Brown misses the point on fuel prices

Brown misses the point on fuel prices

SNP MSP for the South of Scotland Alasdair Morgan today (Friday) challenged Russell Brown MP to “come clean” over the real reasons for the region’s spiralling fuel prices. This week the Dumfries & Galloway MP announced that he is writing to the major fuel companies and supermarkets to enquire about the price gap between petrol and diesel.

Mr Morgan said:

“I am afraid Mr Brown’s “action” on fuel prices this week is worse than useless. Quite frankly the gap between petrol and diesel prices is academic as long as both continue to rise exponentially. Yet again Russell Brown is entirely ignoring the real point: the huge amount of tax Westminster takes off every pound we spend on fuel.

“Pressure is mounting on Labour at Westminster to take real meaningful action to address the serious problems the whole country faces as a result of spiralling fuel costs. That is as nothing however in comparison with the pressure that the current astronomical price of fuel is placing on families, businesses and the public sector across Dumfries & Galloway.

“We have seen demonstrations in Edinburgh, the matter has been raised in Holyrood and Westminster, Dumfries & Galloway Council is set to reveal a £500,000 black hole in its public transport budgets, caused by the cost of fuel going through the roof. Throughout all of this, where is Russell Brown?

“We hear plenty from him on matters which are the responsibility of the Scottish Government and therefore nothing to do with him in his role as an MP, but we have heard next to nothing from him on this issue, where responsibility lies fair and square with Westminster. All Labour can do on this issue is either fudge it or duck it entirely.

“The SNP in Holyrood and Westminster has developed suite of practical and sensible proposals to address the problems of high fuel prices, including a fuel price regulator and derogations for remote and depopulated areas. The Labour Party has said nothing.

“Russell Brown and his colleagues need to remember that everything that moves in this region does so by road. The family car is commonly not a luxury but an absolute necessity. He can’t carry on ducking this issue for ever: it’s time for him to take a stand on behalf of his constituents.”