Here is the passage from Ed Davey’s speech this morning setting out details of what the Lib Dems are calling their “emergency transport package”. (See 10.05am.)
He said:
That’s what we’re calling for today. Action. Now. To tackle the costs of Trump’s war and keep Britain moving.
And that means cutting the cost of trains and buses too. So we’re calling for a 10% cut in rail fares, saving a typical commuter in Winchester more than £50 a month.
And we’re calling for the cap on bus fares to be cut too. It used to be £2, before Labour put it up to 3. Our plan would cut it not just back to £2 but down to £1. £1 a bus ticket, wherever you need to go.
And on electric vehicles, our plan would make them cheaper to run. Starting by cutting VAT on public charging, coupled with a review to bring down unfair network costs that drivers ultimately have to pay too.
And then there’s petrol and diesel.
Especially important today, as people set off to join family and friends for the Easter weekend. 21 million trips – the busiest weekend on British roads in years.
Many families are sitting in queues at petrol stations right now, waiting to get their holidays started.
Paying more than they should to fill up for the journey …
We say the chancellor needs to go much further to keep Britain moving.
Cut fuel duty now – not by 1p, not by 5p, but by 10p per litre.
Cutting the cost of filling up a 55-litre tank by £6.60.
Giving families the help they desperately need, today.
Davey claimed that the government would be able to fund this with the extra revenue coming in as a result of higher fuel prices. But yesterday Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, said that the claim she was getting a windfall as a result of higher energy prices was “for the birds”.
