Yorkshire MPs warn new Chancellor Rishi Sunak against 'clobbering' voters with fuel duty rises

Yorkshire Tories have signed a letter to the new Chancellor warning him against raising fuel duty in the upcoming budget.
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Some 18 MPs from the Blue Collar Conservatism group, including Jason McCartney (Colne Valley), Mark Eastwood (Desbury), and Philip Davies (Shipley), wrote to the Chancellor to say that "clobbering" voters - including many who backed the Tories for the first time in December's general election - would "send the wrong message".

They appealed to him “as a Yorkshire MP” to continue a freeze on fuel duty rates which has been in place since 2010.

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The MPs told Richmond MP Rishi Sunak, who became Chancellor during the reshuffle two weeks ago: "If the decision was taken to raise taxes on fuel, hard-working people and businesses in blue collar communities - many of which lent us their support at the General Election for the first time in generations - will suffer.

File photo of a person using a petrol pump as Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have been warned by Tory MPs against raising fuel duty. Photo: Lewis Whyld/PA WireFile photo of a person using a petrol pump as Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have been warned by Tory MPs against raising fuel duty. Photo: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire
File photo of a person using a petrol pump as Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have been warned by Tory MPs against raising fuel duty. Photo: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire

"We appreciate that levelling up local transport in blue collar communities across the country is firmly at the top of the Prime Minister's agenda.

"As a Yorkshire MP, we know you will, too.

"But clobbering these communities with a tax rise in our first Budget would send the wrong message about this Government's priorities."

They said: "Any decision to scrap the fuel duty freeze must be seen for what it is: a tax rise which would hit our blue collar communities hardest.

"Increasing fuel duty would show these communities that this people's Government does not actually have, at its heart, the priorities of the people."