Robert Jenrick has issued a fresh demand to Rachel Reeves to implement an emergency VAT cut on fuel, declaring that “people are suffering” as a result of the Iran war.
Speaking to GB News from a petrol station in Nottinghamshire, the Reform UK’s treasury spokesman urged the Chancellor to “stop being a bystander” and “take action”.
Joined at the petrol station by fellow Reform MP Lee Anderson, Mr Jenrick told GB News national reporter Jack Carson that they have been speaking with motorists, and they all agree that they are “finding life tough” with the surging price of fuel.
Mr Jenrick said: “People are suffering right across the country, and Lee Anderson and I have spent the morning here talking to punters.
“We’ve met care workers who are doing visits across the county, we’ve met mums and dads who have driven long distances to take their kids to school, farmers, HGV drivers, white van men – everyone is finding life tough at the moment.”
Delivering a “clear message” to Ms Reeves, Mr Jenrick called on the Chancellor to “do her job” and implement a VAT relief for Britons to ease the rising costs of fuelling their motors.
He declared: “Our message to Rachel Reeves is very clear. You are the Chancellor, you’re not a bystander, do something now to help people with the cost of living.
“Do an emergency cut in VAT on petrol and diesel. Save people 13p a litre on unleaded, 16p on diesel.”
Robert Jenrick has called on Rachel Reeves to implement an emergency VAT cut on fuel
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PA / GB NEWS
The Reform UK MP also warned Ms Reeves not to push ahead with her planned increase in fuel duty in September, which will further hammer Britons at the petrol pump.
He told GB News: “Do not go ahead with the increase on fuel duty that’s coming down the line in September.
“Only someone as out of touch as Rachel Reeves would go ahead with that right now, when everyone wants to see some action on the cost of living.”
Asked by GB News how long he is demanding the Chancellor implement the relief for, Mr Jenrick explained that three months of VAT cuts will “lighten the load” as the conflict continues in the Middle East.
Reform UK has called on the Government to halve VAT on fuel prices | PA
Mr Jenrick explained: “We’ve said do it for three months, and then let’s see where we are at the end of that. And that will be similar to what countries all over the world are doing right now.
“Australia, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, other governments are doing something, but ours is doing absolutely nothing.”
The Reform MP accused the Chancellor of “raking it in” at the expense of suffering Britons, making “tens of millions of pounds” in extra tax.
He fumed: “Rachel Reeves is actually raking in at the moment. She’s making tens of millions of pounds in extra tax because of the cost of energy, whether it’s people paying their bills at home or filling up at the forecourt.
Mr Jenrick told GB News that Ms Reeves is ‘raking it in’ in extra tax paid for by struggling Britons
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GB NEWS
“And instead of using a bit of that to lighten the load on people like those we’ve met this morning, she’s just stashing it away. In fact, she’s wasting it on benefits, on net zero subsidies, on all the things that we shouldn’t be doing as a country.
“Use that money to help people who are finding life very tough at the moment.”
Criticising Ms Reeves for not helping Britons with the cost of fuel, Mr Jenrick said the Chancellor should “be in Westminster”, not “swanning off around the world”.
He concluded: “Rachel Reeves is spending all her time in meetings and summits and swanning off around the world, but what is she actually doing? I don’t care if she’s in Washington, I want her to be in Westminster.
“I wanted to be here in Nottingham, and the people I’ve been speaking to want to see a Chancellor who is on their side, who understands how tough life is, and actually taking decisions that help them. At the moment, she’s doing nothing. Absolutely nothing.”