Fuel shortage?

[markjay]

"It's a good day to bury bad news"... surely we didn't do that one, did we?

 

[Bellow]

This is always the ultimate question in such situations - is the government sinister or incompetence?

In this particular case, I would personally vote for the latter, but others may differ....

They have 'previous' when it comes to dealing with unions.
We learn from history or repeat the mistakes.

Remember the above when talk returns to Iran having WMD.

 

[Colin_b]

I've been abroad on holiday, so as usual ignore the news. Got back to Manchester, and followed the advice and attempted to panic.

I was frustrated, though, not a sign of shortage or panic buying.

I feel let down. As a nation we can do better.

 

[Harrythedog]

For what it is worth:


Everything else comes down to; 'I am a contractor and time off is something I am not paid for' - tough luck, that was your decision and I am sure that the tax/income benefits are significant over PAYE employed.

I don't think there is much of an excuse of: I am a full time employee who commutes extreme distance for work and my boss expects me to be in work: well, your boss is a f*cktard and this is beyond your control.


Otherwise it is Work from home or bicycle (as usual)

Are you the president of the "I'm all right Jack" brigade?

Some people need their vehicles to earn a living and haven't the luxury of being able to work from home.

 

[st4]

I love panick buying. Yesterday I filled the car in Tounge, again in Aviemore, and put more in Pitlochary. Better in my tank than someone elses.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Notice how no one is talking about the budget anymore? Or anything political, for that matter.

Depends who you listen to. What I'm hearing is that this is a massive own goal for the government, coming hard on the heels of Pastygate and the other (perceived) anomalies in the Budget. The general perception seems to be that they've simply poured oil on troubled waters...

The first port of call of any government when it comes to adverse opinion is to give everyone something else to moan about.

In this case, the thing they seem to be moaning about is... the government. If this was a (mis)calculated move then it has backfired spectacularly.

 

[This is Pete]

Depends who you listen to. What I'm hearing is that this is a massive own goal for the government, coming hard on the heels of Pastygate and the other (perceived) anomalies in the Budget. The general perception seems to be that they've simply poured oil on troubled waters...

I'm mainly listening to BBC Radio 2. The only things I've heard over the past few days is the government talking trying to formulate "contingency" plans for any possible strike. I'm cynical enough to beleive that the spin doctors were aware of just what would happen and are happy to take advantage of the panic buying to defer discussion on any other matter. At the end of the debacle, they can stand back and defend their announcments by saying they would have been remiss not to warn of impending fuel shortages.

 

[MOCAŠ]

I'm mainly listening to BBC Radio 2. The only things I've heard over the past few days is the government talking trying to formulate "contingency" plans for any possible strike. I'm cynical enough to beleive that the spin doctors were aware of just what would happen and are happy to take advantage of the panic buying to defer discussion on any other matter. At the end of the debacle, they can stand back and defend their announcments by saying they would have been remiss not to warn of impending fuel shortages.

Can't win, can they? Short of a news blackout, there was no way to prevent the proposed industrial action from being reported. That being the case, if the government had not been seen to be making provisions for that eventuality, that in itself would have probably sparked panic buying and stock-piling.

This is all about how (some) people have reacted - the government can't control that.

 

[This is Pete]

The press and news agencies are more to blame, I feel. Panic petrol buying is easy meat for them. All they have to do is repeat the "top up your tanks & jerry cans" soundbites ad nausem and then put their reporters outside the nearest petrol station and ask drivers why they're panic buying.

Then they blame the government for inciting panic buying.

 

[Bellow]

Depends who you listen to. What I'm hearing is that this is a massive own goal for the government, coming hard on the heels of Pastygate and the other (perceived) anomalies in the Budget. The general perception seems to be that they've simply poured oil on troubled waters...



In this case, the thing they seem to be moaning about is... the government. If this was a (mis)calculated move then it has backfired spectacularly.

Not at all. Just view the numbers here blaming Unite. But it was the government who advised fill up your car and jerricans - not Unite, or anyone else.
Us squabbling among ourselves is just what they want.

I'm mainly listening to BBC Radio 2. The only things I've heard over the past few days is the government talking trying to formulate "contingency" plans for any possible strike. I'm cynical enough to beleive that the spin doctors were aware of just what would happen and are happy to take advantage of the panic buying to defer discussion on any other matter.

I'm in total agreement with your comments. They didn't create this mess by accident!

At the end of the debacle, they can stand back and defend their announcments by saying they would have been remiss not to warn of impending fuel shortages.

And that was the exact line trotted out by the (backbench Tory Anna Soubrey- no cabinet minister would agree to appear) on last nights Question Time.

 

[Bellow]

Can't win, can they? Short of a news blackout, there was no way to prevent the proposed industrial action from being reported. That being the case, if the government had not been seen to be making provisions for that eventuality, that in itself would have probably sparked panic buying and stock-piling.

Not before a strike that requires 7 days prior notification they wouldn't.

This is all about how (some) people have reacted - the government can't control that.

Have you forgotten Cameron's former career in PR. He certainly hasn't.

The press and news agencies are more to blame, I feel. Panic petrol buying is easy meat for them. All they have to do is repeat the "top up your tanks & jerry cans" soundbites ad nausem and then put their reporters outside the nearest petrol station and ask drivers why they're panic buying.

Then they blame the government for inciting panic buying.

They only repeated what the government wanted them to. A supressed press is unthinkable in this country.

 

[MD5]

I have two cars SORNd at the moment, both booked in at PCS on Monday, about 60 miles away, and neither have fuel. Just been to the Post Office to tax them both, and when I saw the queue, I thought they'd started selling Jerry cans. It turns out people are now panic buying stamps before they go up - at the end of next month!

Dorset seems to have excelled itself in the panic buying mentality, so finding fuel on Sunday should be fun!

 

[Harrythedog]

Could the Tanker drivers of 2012 be the Tory's Miners of the 80's?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Could the Tanker drivers of 2012 be the Tory's Miners of the 80's?

No.

That was a strike about jobs & communities, this is a strike about a pretty small dispute that's been jumped on by the Tories for some strange reason when both parties were still negotiating!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Bellow, tanker drivers threaten to strike on a regular basis. At 45k a year they've got naff all to complain about. Unite are in the wrong here.

They don't transport cuddly bears about.

And what does it matter what they earn? This dispute is more about working conditions.

 

[Harrythedog]

No.

That was a strike about jobs & communities, this is a strike about a pretty small dispute that's been jumped on by the Tories for some strange reason when both parties were still negotiating!

Yes but the country's in a mess (like the 80's), the Govt won't boost the economy giving £b's to the banks instead so they could be looking for a scapegoat to cover their backs for the next 12 months.

In the 80's they provoked a strike (wasn't hard with Scargill around) with the miners to deliberately destroy them and we saw what the fuel blockade briefly did to Blair's Govt and the country so there are comparisons thaty could suggest a bit of chest beating.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Yes but the country's in a mess (like the 80's), the Govt won't boost the economy giving £b's to the banks instead so they could be looking for a scapegoat to cover their backs for the next 12 months.

In the 80's they provoked a strike (wasn't hard with Scargill around) with the miners to deliberately destroy them and we saw what the fuel blockade briefly did to Blair's Govt and the country so there are comparisons thaty could suggest a bit of chest beating.

Yes, I get your thinking.

Cameron seems to have the demeanour of someone spoiling for a fight (with anyone) and I've thought that since quite early in his tenure as Prime Minister.

It's quite amusing to see the Tories getting a bashing this week though, they normally try and use the Lib Dems as a human shield...

 

[trapperjohn]

I think you would call the current state "Blue on Blue" in military terms

 

[markjay]

Why would the government conspire here?


To increase its duty and tax intake - no, because cars are actually being used less, as people stock up on fuel and avoid unnecessary journeys (incidentally, driving through London yesterday and today was a breeze).


To divert public attention - perhaps, but there isn't any real 'biggie' on the table is there? The budget has been done to death, the negative growth figures are certainly nothing new... the only outstanding news recently is George Galloway's landslide victory (aka the 'Bradford Spring') - but that's mainly bad news for Labour.


To twist Unite's arm - perhaps again, by creating a fuel shortage they hope to alienate the public against the unions. But the strike isn't really a government issue, is it... it's private sector (albeit a vital industry), so not directly the government's problem.



There is another possibility... and it is that once governments get used to conspire and deceive, they do this out of habit and for no obvious reason...

 

[Sp!ke]

W

To divert public attention - perhaps, but there isn't any real 'biggie' on the table is there? The budget has been done to death, the negative growth figures are certainly nothing new... the only outstanding news recently is George Galloway's landslide victory (aka the 'Bradford Spring') - but that's mainly bad news for Labour.

You see its working exactly as planned.


You missed out the one about the conseravtives taking £250,000 bungs in return for providing an audience with the PM.