If you’re a Granny who delivers pasties by mail, this week has not been the best for you. VAT on a Steak Bake, the intended removal of age related Personal Allowances and a massive hike in the price of a stamp have meant it’s been another PR nightmare for the government.
However, in a week where the cost of all life’s essentials rose, the British public didn’t panic buy books of first class or sausage rolls. No: we bought petrol.
According to City AM, we now have an ‘escalating fuel crisis’. This is despite no strikes being announced, no shortages of petrol and deliveries continuing as normal. Lord only knows what the situation would be if the tanker drivers did walk out. “FUEL APOCALYPSE!”, presumably.
Still, the Mayor doesn’t think that the Government are taking the situation seriously enough. In a letter to Eric Pickles [Really? Pickles is in charge of the fuel? Lord help us – Boriswatch Community Ed] Bozza said: “It is clear that the circumstances of Level 2 (Potential Fuel Emergency) have been reached and yet we are still at Level One (Situation Normal),†referring to the National Emergency Plan for Fuel.
Treating a LEVEL 2 PETROL SITUATION as a Level 1. Tsk.
According to City AM, ‘The Mayor, who sent a copy of the letter to home secretary Theresa May as well as other senior cabinet ministers, warned there would need to be appropriate policing of picket lines to keep fuel depots open and said the Met was prepared to help other forces so that “supply can be maintainedâ€.’
Apparently, City Hall have enough jerrycans in the basement to keep essential services such as police and the ambulance service running for up to two weeks in the event of a FUEL MELTDOWN although, apparently, Dial-a-Ride buses may be at risk. BUS CANCELLATION DISASTER. DIESEL ARMAGEDDON. BLACK CAB CATASTROPHE. [Have a lie down – Boriswatch Ed]