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| Fuel panic: petrol prices rise as demand rockets - live coverage | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 11.24am: A Labour peer has called for Francis Maude to resign. This is from Toby Harris, a former chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority. | |
| This woman was following advice from Govt Minister Francis Maude & ends up with 40% burns. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan… Disgraceful. He shd resign. | |
| — Lord Toby Harris (@LordTobySays) March 30, 2012 | |
| 11.17am: The British Chambers of Commerce has said that panic buying petrol could harm the economy. This is from John Longworth, the BCC's director. | |
Employers are working flat out to keep their businesses afloat and deliver growth during challenging economic times. The last thing they need to contend with is a fuel strike, which could have a damaging effect on businesses across the UK ... People have already started panic buying, which will lead to further shortages and make the problem even worse. | |
| 11.05am: What's happening on the forecourts? My colleague Shiv Malik has sent me this. | |
| We had a number of tweeters yesterday reporting fights breaking out at forecourts. BBC Essex also had a caller describing the scene at one gas station, "people were just going the wrong way around the roundabout, blocking the way and then two vehicles just had a massive punch up, two guys got out and the police have just arrived." You can hear it here at 4:03. | |
| However this morning, after contacting a number of police constabularies, we found that not one of them has a log of being called to attend a forecourt fight. This includes forces from Kent and London to Merseyside, Greater Manchester and North Wales and even Essex police themselves, which is odd given the BBC caller's testimony. | |
| But there are still queues, apparently. This is from the Labour MP Chris Bryant. | |
| Panic buying in Porth has caused gridlock | |
| — Chris Bryant (@ChrisBryantMP) March 30, 2012 | |
| 10.55am: Here's what Unite's assistant general secretary Diana Holland on why Unite will not be calling a tanker drivers' strike over Easter. | 10.55am: Here's what Unite's assistant general secretary Diana Holland on why Unite will not be calling a tanker drivers' strike over Easter. |
| We will not be calling Easter strike action as we focus on substantive talks through Acas. We do still retain the right to call strike action for after the Easter, should those talks break down. | We will not be calling Easter strike action as we focus on substantive talks through Acas. We do still retain the right to call strike action for after the Easter, should those talks break down. |
| It should be stressed that what we are seeking is reasonable and no more than what is in place elsewhere in the industry. There have been minimum standards governing the offshore oil industry since 2000 covering health and safety, training, and terms and conditions. | It should be stressed that what we are seeking is reasonable and no more than what is in place elsewhere in the industry. There have been minimum standards governing the offshore oil industry since 2000 covering health and safety, training, and terms and conditions. |
| This is not a political dispute. It is an industrial dispute and the government's recent rhetoric will not help us achieve a negotiated settlement. They must set aside their political objectives and work with us, the employers, retailers and oil companies to achieve an outcome that is good for the industry and the country. | This is not a political dispute. It is an industrial dispute and the government's recent rhetoric will not help us achieve a negotiated settlement. They must set aside their political objectives and work with us, the employers, retailers and oil companies to achieve an outcome that is good for the industry and the country. |
| Holland gets the unenviable honour of a profile in the Daily Mail today (here, at the bottom of this article). The Mail focuses on her because, as well as being the Unite official in charge of the tanker drivers' dispute, she is also treasurer of the Labour party. | Holland gets the unenviable honour of a profile in the Daily Mail today (here, at the bottom of this article). The Mail focuses on her because, as well as being the Unite official in charge of the tanker drivers' dispute, she is also treasurer of the Labour party. |
| 10.46am: Downing Street have not got anything to say about the burning incident in York yet. But they will need a line soon. | 10.46am: Downing Street have not got anything to say about the burning incident in York yet. But they will need a line soon. |
| Here's what the Daily Mail's deputy political editor Tim Shipman is saying about it on Twitter. | Here's what the Daily Mail's deputy political editor Tim Shipman is saying about it on Twitter. |
| The snap lobby reaction is that it is difficult to see Maude surviving this woman ingiting herself transferring petrol. Details sketchy tho | The snap lobby reaction is that it is difficult to see Maude surviving this woman ingiting herself transferring petrol. Details sketchy tho |
| — Tim Shipman (Mail) (@ShippersUnbound) March 30, 2012 | — Tim Shipman (Mail) (@ShippersUnbound) March 30, 2012 |
| 10.40am: What is actually happening in the talks between Unite and the haulage companies? My colleague Dan Milmo has sent me this. | 10.40am: What is actually happening in the talks between Unite and the haulage companies? My colleague Dan Milmo has sent me this. |
| Behind the scenes of the dispute, the Unite trade union and the haulier companies are still holding talks about talks. Banish the image ofsmoke-filled rooms from your minds. It appears to involve documents being shuttled back and forth from Acas as both sides thrash out an agenda for talks that will, with hope, begin next week. There are expectations that they will agree to discuss common standards on health & safety, training and pensions - as well as a national forum that will meet regularly to discuss them. | Behind the scenes of the dispute, the Unite trade union and the haulier companies are still holding talks about talks. Banish the image ofsmoke-filled rooms from your minds. It appears to involve documents being shuttled back and forth from Acas as both sides thrash out an agenda for talks that will, with hope, begin next week. There are expectations that they will agree to discuss common standards on health & safety, training and pensions - as well as a national forum that will meet regularly to discuss them. |
| Unite is adamant that these have to be serious talks that have the backing of the hauliers' customers. Its officials feel there is no point in agreeing standards that are then undercut by the likes of Tesco, Shell and Esso whenever they issue new fuel transport tenders. | Unite is adamant that these have to be serious talks that have the backing of the hauliers' customers. Its officials feel there is no point in agreeing standards that are then undercut by the likes of Tesco, Shell and Esso whenever they issue new fuel transport tenders. |
| 10.37am: The Press Association has just snapped this. | 10.37am: The Press Association has just snapped this. |
| Unite has ruled out strike action by tanker drivers over Easter to focus on talks, the union said today. | Unite has ruled out strike action by tanker drivers over Easter to focus on talks, the union said today. |
| 10.20am: Today the petrol crisis has turned particularly ugly for the government. Two days after Francis Maude urged motorists to stockpile petrol in containers - "a bit of extra fuel in a jerry can in the garage is a sensible precaution to take," he said - a woman has been seriously burnt decanting petrol from one container to another in a house in York. | 10.20am: Today the petrol crisis has turned particularly ugly for the government. Two days after Francis Maude urged motorists to stockpile petrol in containers - "a bit of extra fuel in a jerry can in the garage is a sensible precaution to take," he said - a woman has been seriously burnt decanting petrol from one container to another in a house in York. |
| Here's the full statement from North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service. | Here's the full statement from North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service. |
| North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) attended a domestic property fire in York yesterday involving a female occupier who was in her kitchen and whilst de-canting petrol from one container to another the petrol ignited and set fire to her clothing. The casualty was treated by ambulance personnel and was taken to Pinderfields Hospital with 40% burns to her whole body. | North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) attended a domestic property fire in York yesterday involving a female occupier who was in her kitchen and whilst de-canting petrol from one container to another the petrol ignited and set fire to her clothing. The casualty was treated by ambulance personnel and was taken to Pinderfields Hospital with 40% burns to her whole body. |
| Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish a small fire in the kitchen and removed the remaining petrol. | Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish a small fire in the kitchen and removed the remaining petrol. |
| Peter Hudson spokesman for NYFRS said, "Members of the public should take extreme care when handling and storing petrol and be aware of the risks associated with incorrect use and storage of fuel. In domestic situations fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases. Any storage place should be well away from living areas and be secured to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson. | Peter Hudson spokesman for NYFRS said, "Members of the public should take extreme care when handling and storing petrol and be aware of the risks associated with incorrect use and storage of fuel. In domestic situations fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases. Any storage place should be well away from living areas and be secured to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson. |
| He continued, "Never bring petrol in side your home. If you do smell petrol fumes in a garage or out building ventilate the area and make sure nobody smokes or turns electrical switches on or off. The slightest spark could cause an explosion." | He continued, "Never bring petrol in side your home. If you do smell petrol fumes in a garage or out building ventilate the area and make sure nobody smokes or turns electrical switches on or off. The slightest spark could cause an explosion." |
At this stage we don't know anything more. It is conceivable that this had nothing to do with Maude and the fuel strike panic - perhaps the woman just needed petrol for a lawnmower? - but ministers must be worried that a week that was already dreadful for the govenrment has just got much worse. | At this stage we don't know anything more. It is conceivable that this had nothing to do with Maude and the fuel strike panic - perhaps the woman just needed petrol for a lawnmower? - but ministers must be worried that a week that was already dreadful for the govenrment has just got much worse. |
| The news broke as panic buying continued. Ed Davey, the energy secretary, is meeting haulage companies later today to discuss contingency plans in case the tanker drivers's strike does go ahead. I'll be covering all the developments live. | The news broke as panic buying continued. Ed Davey, the energy secretary, is meeting haulage companies later today to discuss contingency plans in case the tanker drivers's strike does go ahead. I'll be covering all the developments live. |
| If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. |