Dorset Police Close Petrol Stations

Well done Francis Maude and the coalition government, see what you have done!

"Dorset Police is advising members of the public not to panic buy fuel following reports of traffic congestion at petrol stations around the county.

Chief Inspector Nick Maton said: “There is no disruption to the fuel supply in the UK and members of the public should not panic buy.

“The actions of some motorists in queueing irresponsibly at petrol stations is causing danger to other road users.

“Police are taking action, requesting petrol stations to close temporarily in order to keep traffic flowing.

“Once the queues have dispersed, the petrol stations may re-open for short periods.”

"To clarify, Dorset Police is not closing all petrol stations in the county.

“Dorset Police will only be requesting the closure of the petrol stations worst affected by congestion in order to keep traffic flowing.

"Requests of this nature will be made direct from Dorset Police officers to designated petrol stations where necessary. "

Oh for the halcyon seventies, when we had shortages of sugar, potatoes and toilet rolls caused by panic buying!

Coming soon: Martial Law!

Don't Panic!

Congratulations to the coalition government for providing an object lesson in how to turn a drama into a crisis, by causing panic buying of petrol and a petrol shortage in the run up to a possible tanker drivers' strike.

Seemingly thanks to government advice, as people start queueing at petrol stations and some petrol stations start to ration supplies, UK petrol sales have risen by 43% within the space of a week.

Meanwhile Francis Maude's daft advice that people should fill jerrycans has been withdrawn. Roads minister Mike Penning said that Maude's advice had been "a mistake by the cabinet minister. He didn't understand the size of a jerrycan. He has apologised since".

Francis Maude Loves Jerrys II

Further to my earlier article today about Francis Maude suggesting that people store jerry cans of petrol in their garages and cars, Sky news reports that the firebrigade union are quite rightly telling him to withdraw this daft suggestion.

Francis Maude Loves Jerrys

The government, wounded by the poor response to its pasty taxing budget and the Cruddgate scandal, is seeking ways to divert the voter's attention.

What better way than to stir up fear of a petrol shortage, caused by the looming petrol tanker drivers' strike?

Therefore over the past few days government minister shave been upping the ante, and trying to cause fear and alarm in the general public; by training troops to drive petrol tankers, advising people to fill up, calling a Cobra meeting and now step forward Francis Maude who is advising people to keep a jerry can full of petrol at home.

Aside from the fact that encouraging panic buying is irresponsible, and will cause unnecessary shortages at the pumps, to advise people to store petrol in cans at their homes and in their cars is dangerous.

Does Maude not remember last summer's riots?

Does he really want there to be unguarded cans of petrol sloshing around the place?

What would the HSE say?

Cruddgate - A Question of Privacy

The government is currently refusing to disclose details of private meetings between David Cameron and Conservative party donors, following the Cruddgate debacle.


Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, has stated that demands for lists of visitors to Cameron's flat in Downing Street are unreasonable. The Tories are sticking to the line that Cameron's flat is used as his family home and the prime minister foots the bill, not the taxpayer, therefore these dinners etc are private.

That is fair enough IF the people who visit Cameron in his flat are visiting him as David Cameron "friend/acquaintance", rather than as David Cameron leader of the Tory party/Prime Minister.

It's not just what you do, but what your are seen to do and who you do it with that counts.

BTW, who paid for the renovation of the flat that Cameron and family occupy rent free?

Oh yes, that would be the taxpayers!