Elliot Morley, the Environment Minister (most people will be asking themselves: Who ?) seems to be trying to deflect criticism of Government tax policy from the Chancellor onto himself and reminding the electorate to ask themselves, just exactly what are we paying the bureaucracy of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to do for us, and what precisely have they actually achieved ?
"Environment Minister Elliot Morley has given his full support to a letter written by green groups - Transport 2000, Green Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace UK, WWF-UK and RSPB - expressing their concern about the rationale behind threatened fuel protests.
Addressing his comments to protestors likely to attend the rally planned at Cardiff tomorrow Mr Morley said:
"A simplistic knee jerk reaction to short term petrol supply problems is not the answer. It's deplorable some people see this as a bandwagon to jump on and ignore the long-term consequences of their actions.
It is deplorable that a Government Minister comes out with a knee jerk reaction when people who are on the economic knife edge are being adversly affected by crude broadbrush Government short term taxation policies.
Would the Minister even bother to communicate with the public on this issue were it not for the threatened peaceful protests ?
"There are sound environmental reasons for levying fuel taxes.
These fuel taxes are not ring fenced to actually fund any sustainable energy and transport policies, they are simply wasted by the Treasury on general public spending, with only a small fraction of them being spent on token projects.
"It's right that the people who use the most fuel and pollute the atmosphere the most should pay for the damage they are causing.
"On average over the last ten years the overall cost of motoring has if anything fallen in real terms - that's a point that seems to have been forgotten.
So is the Government taking the credit or the blame for this reduction in the cost of motoring ?
"The current supply and demand problems illustrate the need to face facts: we must move to a low carbon economy, support energy efficiency measures and increase renewables and alternative energy sources.
"The demonstrators should think carefully about the world situation before heading out with their placards tomorrow. Part of the price increases are driven by nervousness in the markets - threats of disruption won't help.
Is Elliot Morley seriously suggesting that any peaceful protests in the UK are going to have the same effect as Al-Quaeda terrorist attacks in Saudia Arabia or the growing Chinese economy on the world price of oil ?
Or will these price increases be the result of local UK speculation and profiteering by the oil industry and the UK Government ?
"Energy supply is a long-term issue that deserves more careful consideration.
"The Chancellor has implemented a careful balance of encouraging fuel efficiency while not undermining the economy and the approach he outlined in his statement last night in which he said he would look at the proposed rise in fuel duty in the light of world market prices is sensible and pragmatic.
Given the Government's lack of progress on sustainable energy and transport policies, the balance is wrong and the damage to the economy is now too high.
"We should not lose sight of the object of sustainability and the wise use of finite resources.""
So what exactly has DEFRA or the Treasury achieved in quantitative terms during the the last year regarding these political slogans ?
Farmers for Action are not pleased by the statement by Environment Minister Elliot Morley on the fuel crisis:
"Chairman David Handley “Our present government blatantly encourages food imports via the giant supermarket chains and aviation fuel ranks No 1 in air pollution. Following 9-11, when all aircraft were grounded in the US, the average day time temperature rose by 1 degree centigrade due entirely to reduced pollution from aircraft.
Mr Morley obviously produces his own food and hence does not need to rely on the haulage industry to bring it to his door. He needs to get a reality check and as Environment Minister he surely now should be working with both the agricultural and environment sectors to develop and drive forward alternative fuels so that we can all live the clean lifestyle he purports to represent"."