The Ban On Diesel/Petrol Cars Pipe Dream

The Government will commit to banning the sale of all new diesel and petrol cars by 2040 in a bid to encourage people to switch to electric and hybrid vehicles.

This of course is nothing more than a pipe dream. More to the point there are easy ways around such bans, eg sell the new car as "second hand".

Do Panic!

Last month I wrote:

"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."

Well now it appears that the government, contrary to popular belief, really did have a plan.

Yes, really!

The plan was not to help us drive during a tanker strike, but to save the country from recession by manipulating the statistics.

The panic buying of petrol has in fact saved the UK from recession:

"Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed a 1.8% month-on-month increase in retail sales volumes and a 3.3% year-on-year rise. The increase was above economist forecasts, and were partly helped by a 4.9% increase in petrol purchases."

Huzaah!

Well done the coalition government for saving us from the recession, and for showing us all that you really do know how to manipulate people!

Diversions

The government, having caused a petrol shortage by encouraging panic buying, is now telling everyone that they no longer need to stock up on petrol.

Why did they create this fuss in the first place?

Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin has the answer:

"My feeling is this was to try to take people's minds off donors, the Budget and pasties - and the Government added to the heat on this.

But really there should not have been any move to encourage people to buy more than they normally buy without consulting the industry first. I think that was the mistake."

When policies fail, politicians seek diversions!

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?