My name is Paul Thorogood and I'm the candidate for the Cut Tax On Petrol And Diesel party and I'm standing in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election.

To the voters of Crewe and Nantwich: You are about to make history. Thursday's by-election is effectively the first referendum in the UK on whether the Government should Cut Tax On Petrol And Diesel.
1. Like me you are probably sick and tired of paying so much for petrol. The Government blames the high prices on the state of the world oil markets but the fact is that for every £1 spent at the fuel pump about 70p is tax. We pay the highest taxes on fuel in Europe. If the Government had the political will they could reduce the terrible burden now faced by low income families, OAPs, the disabled, anyone who needs their car to get to work and the British haulage industry.

2. Every time the voters of Crewe and Nantwich go to a petrol station to fill up their cars between now and the election they’ll be reminded about why I’m standing as a candidate.

3. A vote for me is a chance to bloody the nose of the Labour Party over the terrible way they are handling the economy – especially taxation and spending. The 10p tax band debacle just being another example.

4. I want VAT abolished on fuel as it is effectively a tax on a tax and I want the current tax on diesel (57p per litre) and petrol (about 50p per litre) halved so it is in line with the average fuel duty in Europe.

5. I often get asked how can the Government afford it? But you are asking the wrong question. What you should be asking is how can low-income families, OAPs and hauliers afford the prices being demanded at the pumps?

6. Another argument I often hear is if the Government doesn’t take revenue from fuel, they’ll need to take it from somewhere else. WRONG! This Government has wasted billions over the last ten years including £12.4billion on the infamous NHS computers that never worked , £2.35billion on tarting up the MoD's London HQ, £2.3billion on consultants to tell civil servants how to do their jobs and the £3.3billion the military presence in Iraq costs every year.


7. They’re about to waste £10billion on the identity card scheme and £30billion on the replacement of the Trident missile system. Also much has been swallowed up in bureaucracy, with costly and often pointless managers, boards and quangos creating and chasing artificial targets.


8. Blockades don't work. The ballot box does. Vote for PAUL THOROGOOD. The UK is counting on you - don't waste this chance. It's over to you...

Paul, you raise good points... but... I'm afraid with the country in freefall now is not the time for a protest vote on petrol but for real change.

Good luck for thursday mate (and watch out for that Dunwoody girl, she looks like she may have a bit of a temper to her!)

I disagree. If one of the main parties wins it won't change anything. I think most people are fed up with the main three parties because they are so out of touch with reality and they don't stick to their promises - even ones in their manifesto. People vote differently in by-elections and I think it is has been seriously under-estimated how well I could do on Thursday. Every time a voter fills their car up between now and then is a reminder of what I'm standing for.

Think you need something a little stronger than the price of fuel to wake people up.

Paul - how about you go buy a bicycle and really make a change instead of wasting both your time and our money on a pointless one-issue campaign.

Loser.

PAUL - NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE ALL WANT LOWER TAXES, BY STANDING AT THIS ELECTION ALL YOU ARE DOING IS TAKING VALUABLE VOTES (ALBEIT NOT MANY) FROM PARTIES WHICH COULD TOPPLE THE NEW LABOUR MONSTER. YUO COULD HAVE MADE YOUR POINT IN A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND LESS DISRUPTIVE WAY. I ALSO AGREE WITH THE 1ST REPLY, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO CONCENTRATE SOLELY ON FUEL TAX.

GOOD LUCK, I HOPE YOU DONT SUCCEED IN ALLOWING NEW LABOUR MONSTER TO CARRY ON BREATHING.

Paul,
Listen to Derek above: Buy a bike, try to read the global news from time to time, take your head out of your belly button and stop polluting our networks with such utter idiocy.

The single issue politics won't work any magic -

BUT, could it be time to form a 'drivers party ' private & commercial.?

potential strength 27m

The UK still lacks a national/co-ordinate

d transport policy which adversely affects all citizens.
KM