PM prioritises reopening Strait of Hormuz over immediate fuel duty cut as North Antrim MP presses for relief
- Love Ballymena
- Apr 13
- 4 min read
Monday in the House of Commons, North Antrim MP Jim Allister challenged the Prime Minister on announcing a cut to fuel duty to relieve pressure on drivers, farmers and businesses across the UK
Motorists, farmers and businesses across Northern Ireland facing soaring fuel costs were given no immediate promise of tax relief on Monday after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government’s main focus remains reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing global supply pressures.
The exchange came in the House of Commons on Monday 13 April, where North Antrim MP Jim Allister directly challenged the Prime Minister over whether ministers would cut fuel duty as prices continue to climb.
With diesel and petrol prices already biting hard across Northern Ireland and beyond, Mr Allister pressed Sir Keir on whether the Government would use the increased tax revenues generated by rising prices to ease the burden on consumers and industry.
Instead of signalling an immediate cut, the Prime Minister said the central priority was de-escalation in the Middle East and restoring safe passage through one of the world’s most strategically important oil routes.
Commons clash over rising fuel tax revenues
During the Commons exchange, Mr Allister said:
“Prime Minister knows that his government’s coffers have been swollen by hundreds of millions by the extra, particularly VAT tax take, on rising fuel prices.
“Would it therefore be unreasonable to expect a socialist government to practice some redistribution of wealth from government to hard-pressed vehicle users, farmers, businesses, who are being crippled by the price hike in fuel?
“And today, surely he can give some light to consumers by saying that instead of anticipating a restoration, an increase in fuel duty, he will announce a decrease in fuel duty?”
The North Antrim MP sharpened the focus of his question on fuel duty, the tax charged on petrol and diesel sold at forecourts, arguing that the Treasury is benefiting from rising prices while consumers shoulder the cost.
Prime Minister says focus is on global supply route
Responding from the despatch box, Sir Keir Starmer stopped short of offering any immediate tax reduction.
He told MPs:
“Well, we are looking at all contingencies. Important that we do so, and we will continue to do so mindful of the impact that he points out in his question.
“But there’s no, getting away from the fact that it is de-escalation and getting the Strait of Hormuz open that is the single most important thing that we need to focus on at the moment.”
The response places the Government’s immediate emphasis on international developments rather than domestic tax intervention.
For consumers hoping for a rapid cut in duty or VAT, the Prime Minister’s remarks indicate that ministers currently see the root cause of the price surge as global market disruption rather than a tax policy issue alone.
Why the Strait of Hormuz matters to fuel prices in Northern Ireland
The Strait of Hormuz, it is a narrow shipping route between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which a substantial share of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass.
Any threat to shipping through that channel can trigger immediate spikes in global wholesale oil prices.
Those increases are often rapidly reflected in UK forecourt prices, heating oil costs and business transport expenses.
Northern Ireland is particularly exposed because of its reliance on road transport and the high number of homes using oil-fired heating systems.
For Ballymena motorists, hauliers, agricultural contractors and families ordering heating oil, disruption thousands of miles away can quickly translate into higher local bills.
Sir Keir’s reference to “getting those Strait of Hormuz open” underlines the Government’s belief that stabilising supply routes is the fastest route to easing prices.
Pressure remains on Westminster over local costs
Monday in The House of Commons
The political exchange comes as fuel prices remain a growing pressure point for households and businesses across the region.
Farmers are among those most exposed, with diesel costs feeding directly into machinery use, crop operations and supply chain transport.
Commercial haulage firms, local tradespeople and delivery operators are also facing increased overheads that can pass through into wider consumer prices.
For everyday motorists, any further rise in fuel duty would intensify pressure on already stretched household budgets.
Mr Allister’s line of questioning also raises the political issue of whether the Treasury should use higher VAT receipts from inflated prices to offset the impact on consumers.
While no commitment was given on Monday, the Prime Minister’s acknowledgment that the Government is “looking at all contingencies” leaves the door open to further measures if market conditions worsen.
For now, however, Westminster’s priority appears to remain fixed on events in the Middle East and the reopening of one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
At a glance
Jim Allister challenged the Prime Minister in the Commons on Monday 13 April
He called for a decrease in fuel duty amid rising fuel prices
The MP said Government tax revenues had increased through higher VAT receipts
Sir Keir Starmer gave no immediate commitment to cut fuel duty
The Prime Minister said ministers are “looking at all contingencies”
He said the priority is de-escalation and reopening the Strait of Hormuz
The route is a key global oil shipping corridor
Any disruption there can quickly increase UK fuel prices
Northern Ireland households, farmers and businesses remain under pressure
