Fuel duty cut on the cards as threat of general election looms

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the freeze on fuel duty for another year, he announced at this afternoon's Budget.

Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to slash fuel duty for the first time in nearly a decade as part of a potential emergency budget in the autumn.

The emergency budget could be drawn up as soon as next month as speculation mounts that Johnson will call a general election in October, the Sunday Times reported.

Read more: Fuel duty frozen for ninth year in a row

The cut to fuel duty is one of many policy pledges put forward by Johnson since he became Prime Minister in July.

So far he has pledged to increase police numbers by 20,000 and has promised a £1.8bn cash boost for the NHS.

Campaigners reacted positively to the fuel duty announcement.

Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK said the cut would “help the world’s already highest taxed drivers to increase their consumer spending”.  

“It will reduce inflation, prices in the shop, increase tax revenue to the Treasury and massively support hard pressed hauliers during this time of Brexit upheaval,” he added.

Richard Burnett, the chief executive of the Road Haulage Association said: “The penny, quite literally, is beginning to drop.”

“For years UK hauliers have been operating at a disadvantage to our European counterparts. A cut in fuel duty will go some way to levelling the playing field with the rest of Europe. This is vital to help stimulate the economy during these challenging times.”

An Opinium poll released yesterday evening found that the Tories now have a six-point lead over Labour, with the former taking 32 per cent of the vote.

Read more: Theresa May will freeze fuel duty as Conservatives look to limit cost of living

Over a quarter of those surveyed found that a no-deal Brexit would be detrimental to their personal finances. If the UK does leave without a deal, 29 per cent would consider Johnson responsible, compared with 24 per cent who would blame Brussels.

A YouGov survey today also found that almost two thirds of the British public think the Prime Minister would bear some responsibility for a no-deal Brexit.