UK – Petrol duty freeze pre-empts motorists’ backlash

Excise duty on petrol is to be frozen for six months, in a pre-election move intended to avoid a backlash from unhappy motorists at the ballot box.

The chancellor said an inflation-linked rise of 1.22p on a litre of petrol would be deferred until September. He will press ahead in April with a £5 increase in annual vehicle tax, although smaller cars will escape in a nod to environmentalists.