RISHI Sunak must cut fuel duty to soften record pump prices which have rocketed due to the war in Ukraine, MPs insist.
Boris Johnson said the impact of sanctions on Brits’ wallets was worth it to defeat “repugnant” Vladimir Putin — but Tories want to see a reprieve for drivers.
It comes after petrol rose 4p a litre last week to hit £1.55 at the weekend — making a gallon more than £7.
Diesel is rising faster — up 6.5p a litre to £1.61, or £7.30 a gallon.
Experts reckon prices could keep going up as global instability and biting sanctions on Russia continue to push up the price of crude oil.
Chancellor Mr Sunak is under pressure to cut fuel duty by 5p in his mini-Budget on March 23.
Campaigners FairFuelUK say the extra £2billion VAT generated by soaring fuel prices over the last year “is more than enough to give drivers some respite”.
The plea was backed by some senior Tories last night.
Craig Mackinlay said: “It is unacceptable that at a time of rapid fuel price inflation the Chancellor cannot give some of the VAT windfall back to the people by means of a fuel duty cut. We need to keep Britain moving.”
Robert Halfon said the repeated rises were “unaffordable for families, white van men and women, hauliers and small businesses”.
Greg Smith added that “punitive” UK tax levels put prices “disproportionately higher” than many other countries.
He urged a “serious cut in fuel duty”. The RAC back the move.
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It came as Mr Johnson said sanctions against Russia would hit Brits in the pocket amid fears energy bills could spiral up to near £4,000 a year after gas prices soared to an all-time high.
The PM said a proposed boycott of Russian oil and gas was “very much on the table” even if it sent prices higher.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was in talks with European nations about turning off the taps to hurt President Putin.
Mr Johnson said: “There are going to be impacts. But it’s the right thing to do.
“We have to consider how we can all move away as fast as possible from dependence, reliance, on Russian hydrocarbons, Russian oil and gas. Everybody is doing that, everybody is on the same journey.”
Former minister Sir Alan Duncan warned of “economic collapse” if supplies are severed too quickly.
He said: “There is this auction of indignation, which all of us totally understand, against anything to do with Russia. So they ban this, ban that and ban everything — but in the end we’re going to end up banning our own supplies.”
Speculation that governments may slap sanctions on Moscow’s energy supplies sent oil to nearly $140 a barrel yesterday.
The price moderated to $120 when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz indicated he would not back the US idea.
