Government attacked on fuel dispute

The Government is facing increasing criticism over its handling of the fuel drivers dispute amid signs of panic buying by motorists and a controversial call to fill up jerry cans with petrol.

Petrol station operators said the Government appeared "intent on creating a crisis" which could see forecourts run dry within days, as some garages start rationing fuel.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude landed himself in trouble after suggesting that drivers should fill up any spare jerry cans with petrol and keep them in garages even though motoring organisations and energy firms have urged people not to panic buy.

The Fire Brigades Union said the advice should be withdrawn because of the threat of fire, warning it would "massively increase" fire and explosion risk.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/panewsfeeds/government-attacked-on-fuel-dispute-7594766.html

The governments rush to involve itself in an industrial dispute to which it is not actually a party gathers apace. Todays announcement was even more bizarre when it is considered that the employers and the unions are still negotiating at ACAS so a strike is by no means a foregone conclusion. While it is understandable that the state should make arrangements to ensure emergency fuel supplies are available to hospitals and other essential services its ramping up of the volume of rhetoric over the dispute is disturbing and puzzling. It almost seems that they are willing the talks to breakdown and for the petrol stations to run dry.