The British Fuel Crisis is already here.... -- <font size = "4">The Drunks Bar </font size "4">

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Date Posted: 14:42:58 06/01/01 Fri
Author: Leo P�tsch
Subject: The British Fuel Crisis is already here....

Last September, the UK was almost brought to a standstill by simple, sensible protestors, mostly taxi drivers, lorry drivers and farmers, who, like most of the country, were annoyed at the UK having the highest fuel prices in Europe. At about 1 US dollar per litre, it's not cheap. And 75 per cent of that is tax, the country in Europe with the highest petrol (Americans, that's 'gasoline' ;) ) taxes. The protestors simply stood in front of the fuel depots, and only allowed out those fuel tankers which were genuinely destined for the emergency services, etc.

Tony Blair over-reacted and threatened to send in the army to remove the protestors. Children and local families, ordinary people joined in with their support, and were involved in the simple protests outside the fuel depots.

The crisis ended when the fuel protestors withdrew, when it was revealed that far-right groups such as the Neo-Nazi British National Party began organising 'support' for the protests. Rather than be blamed for any possible violence, the farmers and drivers withdrew, and fuel services resumed. All Blair did later was to cut a measly two pence off the price of petrol.

Now, in the run up to the election, with only six days to go to the vote, low-key protests have begun again tonight. A hundred lorries are on their way to Milford Haven (a major fuel depot), and others are off and are targetting depots across the country in a co-ordinated effort.

Blair says the high taxes are used instead on fixing up the transport system so that we can all dump cars and take trains and buses instead, which seems quite a green idea. However, I work in the rail industry (when I'm not a student) and in the unlikely event that a train is on time, it is likely to be involved in a crash.

The trust in the rail and bus systems in this country is at its lowest, so although money HAS been given to the transport industries, where's the money for the transport system gone, Mr. Blair? Not to the National Health Services, where waiting lists for operations are longer than ever! A case in point is C. Phyllis (a mature student who is currently studying contemporary politics at university), who has waited for three years just for an appointment to see a consultant surgeon regarding growths on the tendons of his hands, and will probably wait even longer to actually get treatnment and onto the operating table.

Feh - America - you think you are messed up with your president? You should try living the UK!

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With Bush in office, we're catching up. (NT) -- Queer, 15:19:41 06/01/01 Fri