Seems like Ole Blighty is headed for the dumpster. I think we will see another gas crisis here. Gas back up to $1.60 in So. Utah.
This might be one October Surprise Clinton wouldn't want.
Lots of interesting related links at this site.
Panic as the pumps run dry
MORE than a quarter of petrol stations ran dry yesterday as they were overwhelmed by supply problems caused by blockades of oil refineries and a wave of panic buying.
The Cabinet's civil contingencies committee met to discuss the fuel price protest crisis, but decided that no immediate action was needed. As motorists joined lengthening queues at filling stations, Tony Blair said that ensuring the free passage of fuel tankers was a police matter. But the police said that most of the demonstrators picketing refineries and causing disruption on roads were not doing anything unlawful.
Government plans were being drawn up to send in police reinforcements to break the picketing of refineries and depots that has halted normal distribution of fuel for four days. The Prime Minister, who came face to face with protesters' anger during a trip to the Midlands, made clear that the Government was determined to defeat the biggest challenge to its authority.
He said it would not be held to ransom by the French-style protests at soaring diesel and petrol prices. It would not change its policy because of blockades and pickets. Mr Blair said: "That is not the way to make policy in Britain and as far as I am concerned it never will be."
Ministers are keenly aware that they could risk the first serious confrontation between the police and pickets since the miners' strike and demonstrations at Wapping in the Eighties. Downing Street stressed that, while Mr Blair understood the concern about petrol prices, he was sending a clear message to all sides in the dispute.
A spokesman said: "Whatever powers police feel they need to take they have the Prime Minister's support." The three largest oil companies, BP, Shell and Esso, reported last night that supplies were exhausted at about 1,250 of their 4,200 retail outlets. The operation of about half of their refineries and depots had effectively been halted by the protests.
Shortages were worst in the North-West and South-West, but all regions were affected. Sainsbury's said that a fifth of its garages had run out of stocks. All the big retailers said they hoped to move stocks from elsewhere in the country over the next day or two to enable at least some of the closed stations to reopen.
John Reid, Scottish Secretary, blamed panic buying for the crisis. Queues formed at hundreds of forecourts despite some increases in prices, with some retailers being accused of profiteering. It was clear in Whitehall that ministers had been taken by surprise by the spread of the hauliers' protests, supported in some areas by farmers and taxi drivers, and the rush to fill up at the pumps.
Whitehall sources said the Government view was that the refinery blockades had succeeded in stopping deliveries because there were not enough police. But that was at odds with the opinion of the police, who said that the protesters were demonstrating "peacefully and within their rights" without doing anything that would justify arrest.
At Shell's Stanlow refinery, near Ellesmere Port, where the protests began last Thursday, Cheshire police said that entry and exit to the premises were not being blocked by the demonstrators. The decision not to send tankers out had been taken by the company. Shell confirmed that it was sticking to the decision out of concern for the safety of its drivers.
BP said it had been guided by police advice in adopting the same policy at its refineries at Grangemouth, near Edinburgh, and Coryton, Essex. The Transport and General Workers Union advised its members not to take lorries on to the road if they feared for their safety.
Mr Blair tasted public anger during visits to Loughborough, Leics, and Hull, the constituency of John Prescott, his Deputy Prime Minister. In Hull two protesters tried to block Mr Blair's car as he left the City Hall, banging on his Jaguar as other demonstrators shouted: "Shame on you! Shame on you!"
Mounted police cantered down a side road to disperse the small protest as Mr Blair's car sped away. The Prime Minister had planned to have a meal with Mr Prescott to celebrate the Deputy Prime Minister's 30 years as an MP. But as traffic was held up for an hour and protesters gathered outside the Chinese restaurant where they intended to dine, they decided to cancel the engagement.
William Hague, the Tory leader, described the fuel shortages as a "crisis made in Downing Street". He added: "This is an intolerable situation and I do not think the Government has begun to understand how serious it is for people around the country."
This might be one October Surprise Clinton wouldn't want.
Lots of interesting related links at this site.
Panic as the pumps run dry
MORE than a quarter of petrol stations ran dry yesterday as they were overwhelmed by supply problems caused by blockades of oil refineries and a wave of panic buying.
The Cabinet's civil contingencies committee met to discuss the fuel price protest crisis, but decided that no immediate action was needed. As motorists joined lengthening queues at filling stations, Tony Blair said that ensuring the free passage of fuel tankers was a police matter. But the police said that most of the demonstrators picketing refineries and causing disruption on roads were not doing anything unlawful.
Government plans were being drawn up to send in police reinforcements to break the picketing of refineries and depots that has halted normal distribution of fuel for four days. The Prime Minister, who came face to face with protesters' anger during a trip to the Midlands, made clear that the Government was determined to defeat the biggest challenge to its authority.
He said it would not be held to ransom by the French-style protests at soaring diesel and petrol prices. It would not change its policy because of blockades and pickets. Mr Blair said: "That is not the way to make policy in Britain and as far as I am concerned it never will be."
Ministers are keenly aware that they could risk the first serious confrontation between the police and pickets since the miners' strike and demonstrations at Wapping in the Eighties. Downing Street stressed that, while Mr Blair understood the concern about petrol prices, he was sending a clear message to all sides in the dispute.
A spokesman said: "Whatever powers police feel they need to take they have the Prime Minister's support." The three largest oil companies, BP, Shell and Esso, reported last night that supplies were exhausted at about 1,250 of their 4,200 retail outlets. The operation of about half of their refineries and depots had effectively been halted by the protests.
Shortages were worst in the North-West and South-West, but all regions were affected. Sainsbury's said that a fifth of its garages had run out of stocks. All the big retailers said they hoped to move stocks from elsewhere in the country over the next day or two to enable at least some of the closed stations to reopen.
John Reid, Scottish Secretary, blamed panic buying for the crisis. Queues formed at hundreds of forecourts despite some increases in prices, with some retailers being accused of profiteering. It was clear in Whitehall that ministers had been taken by surprise by the spread of the hauliers' protests, supported in some areas by farmers and taxi drivers, and the rush to fill up at the pumps.
Whitehall sources said the Government view was that the refinery blockades had succeeded in stopping deliveries because there were not enough police. But that was at odds with the opinion of the police, who said that the protesters were demonstrating "peacefully and within their rights" without doing anything that would justify arrest.
At Shell's Stanlow refinery, near Ellesmere Port, where the protests began last Thursday, Cheshire police said that entry and exit to the premises were not being blocked by the demonstrators. The decision not to send tankers out had been taken by the company. Shell confirmed that it was sticking to the decision out of concern for the safety of its drivers.
BP said it had been guided by police advice in adopting the same policy at its refineries at Grangemouth, near Edinburgh, and Coryton, Essex. The Transport and General Workers Union advised its members not to take lorries on to the road if they feared for their safety.
Mr Blair tasted public anger during visits to Loughborough, Leics, and Hull, the constituency of John Prescott, his Deputy Prime Minister. In Hull two protesters tried to block Mr Blair's car as he left the City Hall, banging on his Jaguar as other demonstrators shouted: "Shame on you! Shame on you!"
Mounted police cantered down a side road to disperse the small protest as Mr Blair's car sped away. The Prime Minister had planned to have a meal with Mr Prescott to celebrate the Deputy Prime Minister's 30 years as an MP. But as traffic was held up for an hour and protesters gathered outside the Chinese restaurant where they intended to dine, they decided to cancel the engagement.
William Hague, the Tory leader, described the fuel shortages as a "crisis made in Downing Street". He added: "This is an intolerable situation and I do not think the Government has begun to understand how serious it is for people around the country."