We need action on fuel prices | Burnley MP Oliver Ryan column

I want to start this week’s column by reminding you that this Saturday, 26th September, I’ll be hosting a Big Advice Drop In at Hapton Methodist Church on Whitefield Street, BB12 7JY. If you’ve got a concern, an issue you need help with, or simply want to come and have a chat, please do pop down. A local councillor will also be there if you have any specific local issues you’d like to raise.

 Now, onto something that I know is affecting many of us at the moment: fuel prices.

 We’ve all seen the prices at the pumps going up, and for many families that means another squeeze on already stretched household budgets. Petrol has now passed £1.70 a litre on average, while diesel is approaching £1.93.

So what’s causing it?

The uncomfortable truth is that much of what we’re seeing is being driven by events thousands of miles away. The ongoing conflict and instability in the Middle East has disrupted energy markets, with the Strait of Hormuz facing significant disruption. The Strait normally sees around one fifth of the world’s oil pass through it, so its closure is causing major disruption to global supplies.

It’s important we also don’t forget that it is because of American action in Iran, that the Straight of Hormuz is blocked and impassible to shipping. The alternative pipeline through Saudi Arabia which was carrying the remaining supplies was bombed twice last week by Iran-backed terrorist groups, leaving supplies at an all-time low.

That has pushed up the global price of oil, and those costs are now being felt here in Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield.

That might sound like something happening a long way from home, but the impact is very local. Whether you drive to work, take the children to school, run a business or rely on your car to get around, rising fuel prices hit people’s pockets.

And we all know that it isn’t just the price of filling up your car. When fuel prices rise, there can be knock-on effects across the economy too, from the cost of transporting goods to the price of running a business.

So, how do we fix it?

There isn’t a single solution. We need action both internationally and here at home.

Internationally, we need to work with our partners to de-escalate the conflict and restore stability and freedom of navigation. That is critical to getting global energy markets back on a more stable footing. Our Government will always prioritise deescalation - if it was up to Reform or the Tories we'd have joined the Americans on day one of bombing Iran!

But while international diplomacy is essential, people here cannot simply wait for events thousands of miles away to be resolved.

That’s why I’ve been lobbying the Chancellor ahead of the Autumn Budget on fuel prices. Residents across our constituency have been getting in touch with me about this constantly, and I want them to know that I’m listening and raising those concerns directly.

I know that for some people, using the car isn’t a choice. If you live in a part of our constituency where public transport links aren’t good enough, getting to work, taking children to school or attending appointments can mean getting behind the wheel.

That’s why I think it’s so important that we look at what more can be done to take the pressure off families and working people. We need to make sure that the Government is doing everything it reasonably can to protect household budgets from another rise in the cost of living.

Families and businesses are already under enough pressure. Filling up the car shouldn’t be another financial headache.

As ever, if you have any issues or questions please contact me at [email protected] or attend a drop in with a caseworker at my office, 5 Grimshaw Street, between 10am – 2pm from Monday – Thursday.