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| Petrol strike threat: PM advises topping up | Petrol strike threat: PM advises topping up |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government has urged people to take "sensible precautions" in case a strike by fuel tanker drivers goes ahead. | The government has urged people to take "sensible precautions" in case a strike by fuel tanker drivers goes ahead. |
| PM David Cameron said motorists need not queue but should top up their tanks, and Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude advised storing petrol in a jerrycan in their garage. | PM David Cameron said motorists need not queue but should top up their tanks, and Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude advised storing petrol in a jerrycan in their garage. |
| The advice has prompted criticism with the Fire Brigades Union urging Mr Maude to withdraw his statement. | The advice has prompted criticism with the Fire Brigades Union urging Mr Maude to withdraw his statement. |
| Unite union drivers, who supply 90% of UK forecourts, have voted to strike. | Unite union drivers, who supply 90% of UK forecourts, have voted to strike. |
| Conciliation service Acas had said it would contact the five oil firms affected and Unite to agree a timetable for talks aimed at resolving their differences. | |
| Unite has said it "welcomed the prospect of meaningful talks" via the service. | |
| Assistant general secretary Diana Holland said the union was waiting for a formal invitation to participate in the talks, adding that it had "said all along that we want a negotiated settlement through meaningful talks". | |
| There are some reports of shortages of fuel at petrol stations, with Esso saying it had seen increased demand in some areas while Shell reported it was "business as normal". | There are some reports of shortages of fuel at petrol stations, with Esso saying it had seen increased demand in some areas while Shell reported it was "business as normal". |
| In a statement Esso said: "Some sites may temporarily be out of one or two types of fuel." | In a statement Esso said: "Some sites may temporarily be out of one or two types of fuel." |
| Mr Cameron, who is currently chairing a meeting of the civil contingencies committee Cobra, earlier said: "There is no imminent strike. The unions would have to give seven days' notice of any strike so there is no need to queue to buy petrol. | Mr Cameron, who is currently chairing a meeting of the civil contingencies committee Cobra, earlier said: "There is no imminent strike. The unions would have to give seven days' notice of any strike so there is no need to queue to buy petrol. |
| "If there is an opportunity to top up your tank if a strike is potentially on the way, then it is a sensible thing if you are able to do that." | "If there is an opportunity to top up your tank if a strike is potentially on the way, then it is a sensible thing if you are able to do that." |
| Mr Maude advised: "The greater extent to which people have fuel in their vehicles - maybe a little bit in the garage as well in a jerrycan - the longer we can keep things going." | Mr Maude advised: "The greater extent to which people have fuel in their vehicles - maybe a little bit in the garage as well in a jerrycan - the longer we can keep things going." |
| But Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack criticised the advice, saying: "There is a real danger the public will start storing fuel in inappropriate ways if the government is encouraging panic-buying and storage. This advice is wrong and must be withdrawn." | But Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack criticised the advice, saying: "There is a real danger the public will start storing fuel in inappropriate ways if the government is encouraging panic-buying and storage. This advice is wrong and must be withdrawn." |
| You could call it the Corporal Jones challenge. | You could call it the Corporal Jones challenge. |
| How does the government say "don't panic" about potential fuel shortages, without leading people to panic? | How does the government say "don't panic" about potential fuel shortages, without leading people to panic? |
| It's very tricky. We've had an insight into the balancing act it involves. | It's very tricky. We've had an insight into the balancing act it involves. |
| The newspapers reported the prime minister would chair a Cobra meeting on the fuel dispute. Cobra is often described as the government's national emergencies committee. | The newspapers reported the prime minister would chair a Cobra meeting on the fuel dispute. Cobra is often described as the government's national emergencies committee. |
| A Downing Street source certainly didn't steer us away from suggesting as much too. But that word "emergency" is a strong one. | A Downing Street source certainly didn't steer us away from suggesting as much too. But that word "emergency" is a strong one. |
| By mid-morning, Downing Street was saying that, whilst the meeting would happen in Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, the place that gives its initials to the word Cobra, it wouldn't be a Cobra meeting. | By mid-morning, Downing Street was saying that, whilst the meeting would happen in Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, the place that gives its initials to the word Cobra, it wouldn't be a Cobra meeting. |
| Then David Cameron told reporters that, in fact, it would be a Cobra meeting. But we shouldn't panic. | Then David Cameron told reporters that, in fact, it would be a Cobra meeting. But we shouldn't panic. |
| Mr Maude told the BBC's Radio 4 World at One programme: "There are legal limits on what you can store and I'm sure the fire service will communicate those. | Mr Maude told the BBC's Radio 4 World at One programme: "There are legal limits on what you can store and I'm sure the fire service will communicate those. |
| "What people have in mind, there are sensible low-key things that can be done and if they choose to do it - it's up to them." | "What people have in mind, there are sensible low-key things that can be done and if they choose to do it - it's up to them." |
| He said people were reacting sensibly and where there were opportunities to fill up fuel they were doing so. | He said people were reacting sensibly and where there were opportunities to fill up fuel they were doing so. |
| As he headed into the Cobra meeting, his colleague Transport Minister Mike Penning defended the comments and said that people had stored petrol at home for many years. | As he headed into the Cobra meeting, his colleague Transport Minister Mike Penning defended the comments and said that people had stored petrol at home for many years. |
| Speaking also on the World at One, Brian Madderson, from the Retail Motor Industry Federation, said the government and the public had to keep "a cool head". | Speaking also on the World at One, Brian Madderson, from the Retail Motor Industry Federation, said the government and the public had to keep "a cool head". |
| He said: "This government appears intent on creating a crisis out of a serious concern." | He said: "This government appears intent on creating a crisis out of a serious concern." |
| "Yesterday we polled a good proportion of our members right across the UK and petrol was 45% up compared to a normal Tuesday and diesel was 20% up." | "Yesterday we polled a good proportion of our members right across the UK and petrol was 45% up compared to a normal Tuesday and diesel was 20% up." |
| At the Cobra meeting, Mr Cameron is to be briefed on measures to minimise the possible impact of any strike, including using military drivers, the possibility of recruiting foreign tanker drivers and setting up fuel stockpiles. | At the Cobra meeting, Mr Cameron is to be briefed on measures to minimise the possible impact of any strike, including using military drivers, the possibility of recruiting foreign tanker drivers and setting up fuel stockpiles. |
| Ministers and officials are expected to also discuss the impact a strike would have on the emergency services, other vital services and supermarket deliveries. | |
| There are plans to put military personnel through an eight-day training course to enable them to take the place of striking drivers behind the wheel of commercial tankers. | There are plans to put military personnel through an eight-day training course to enable them to take the place of striking drivers behind the wheel of commercial tankers. |
| The BBC has learned that more than 80 "highly qualified" drivers from the Royal Air Force will begin initial training by one oil haulage firm on Wednesday. | The BBC has learned that more than 80 "highly qualified" drivers from the Royal Air Force will begin initial training by one oil haulage firm on Wednesday. |
| Mr Cameron said there was "absolutely no justification" for a strike and earlier Chancellor George Osborne and Energy Secretary Ed Davey warned it could damage economic recovery. | Mr Cameron said there was "absolutely no justification" for a strike and earlier Chancellor George Osborne and Energy Secretary Ed Davey warned it could damage economic recovery. |
| Labour have already described the government's advice as the "height of irresponsibility" for giving the impression people should panic-buy. Although Downing Street has dismissed this suggestion. | |
| Labour leader Ed Miliband said "it was in the interests" of the public for all sides to meet and negotiate. | |
| Geoff Dunning, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, told the BBC: "I don't know whether there is a real difference between what people call panic-buying and prudent precautions. | Geoff Dunning, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, told the BBC: "I don't know whether there is a real difference between what people call panic-buying and prudent precautions. |
| 'Huge queues' | 'Huge queues' |
| "As far as the haulage industry is concerned, if you're running a truck, you're using a full tank of fuel on a daily basis, so you cannot panic-buy. You've just got to keep filling the vehicle up, keep doing the job and keep the wheels moving." | "As far as the haulage industry is concerned, if you're running a truck, you're using a full tank of fuel on a daily basis, so you cannot panic-buy. You've just got to keep filling the vehicle up, keep doing the job and keep the wheels moving." |
| The AA's Edmund King said there was enough fuel for everyone but the situation would get worse if people panicked. | |
| "It's vital that people do not turn a rumour into a crisis. Drivers should follow their normal buying patterns," he said. | |
| People have contacted the BBC to report shortages at some stations near to them. | People have contacted the BBC to report shortages at some stations near to them. |
| Simon Lane, from Leicester, said his local garage in Groby ran out of diesel and unleaded petrol after "panic buying" involving "huge queues". | Simon Lane, from Leicester, said his local garage in Groby ran out of diesel and unleaded petrol after "panic buying" involving "huge queues". |
| Jim Wardle, from Chesterfield, said he saw a man fill up his Range Rover then buy the last six petrol cans and fill them while complaining about people voting to strike. | Jim Wardle, from Chesterfield, said he saw a man fill up his Range Rover then buy the last six petrol cans and fill them while complaining about people voting to strike. |
| Unite, the UK's biggest union, had earlier said it wanted minimum standards covering pay, hours, holiday and redundancy. | |
| Workers involved in the dispute over terms, conditions and safety standards have already voted to walk out. | Workers involved in the dispute over terms, conditions and safety standards have already voted to walk out. |
| On Wednesday Ms Holland added: "The minimum standards we are seeking are no different from those covering other parts of the oil industry. | |
| "We trust that the employers, and the supply chain, including oil majors, will engage with us and that the government will do everything in their power to help us avoid industrial action." | |
| The union represents about 2,000 drivers who deliver fuel to Shell and Esso garages, as well as supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury's. | The union represents about 2,000 drivers who deliver fuel to Shell and Esso garages, as well as supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury's. |
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