With world petroleum prices almost at $50 a barrel, with UK unleaded petrol and diesel at about 82p a litre, The Daily Mail reports "Protests warning over fuel prices"
'Ian Hay, a People's Fuel Lobby campaigner, said that unless something is done to stop fuel prices rising, the government could face protests similar to those which paralysed the country in 2000.
He said: "I would imagine if things carry on this way we will have to look at taking action.
"If fuel prices rise by another penny next week like it has been suggested, I think we'll definitely do something about it.
"Everyone in Britain objects to the price of fuel, and so I'm sure everyone will be willing to join in."
Hay, who took part in road blockades during the protests in 2000, said fuel duty, not the price of fuel itself, was the problem.
He said: "The price for a litre of fuel is only about 20p, but then they add on 47p of duty. Our fuel is about 18p dearer than the rest of Europe, but that's only because of the duty.
"Take other countries such as France, Holland and Belgium. Their duty is much lower, so I really don't know why our government doesn't take ours down. If the government took the fuel duty down more people would buy fuel and they would get more revenue."'
The prices in Holland do seem to be comparable to those in the UK, but it is clear that countries who import all their oil, having none of their own like the United Kingdom does, still seem to charge less tax on petrol and diesel.
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