January fuel duty rise to go ahead

An attempt by Labour MPs to delay the planned three-pence-per-litre (ppl) fuel duty increase in January has failed. Labour had hoped to delay the increase until April 2013, but was defeated in the Commons by 282 votes to 234.

The party said that “it would be wrong” for the increase to take effect sooner, arguing that it would stretch already hard-pressed families.

However, the Treasury said that the current price of fuel was “now 10-pence-per-litre lower than under the previous Government’s plans.”

A number of Conservative MPs were also fighting against the increase, but refused to vote with Labour until the Chancellor George Osborne makes his autumn statement.

Conservative MP Robert Halfon, a prominent campaigner on fuel duty, said: “I believe it is perfectly sensible and right to wait for the autumn statement, given the government's record, given that they cut fuel duty last year and given that they have stopped two fuel duty rises.”

The increase was originally scheduled for August but the Chancellor announced in June that it would be postponed until January 2013.