Rip Off Britain

Britain is under siege from greedy rip off merchants. Big business and government seem hell bent on bleeding dry the people of this country. Many countries around the world are faced with the same predicament.

Tax Tax and more Tax this seems to be order of the day and it is the people who can least afford it who have to pay the most. By this I mean the poorest as in all countries.

In 2011 how can this be the case. why does the UK have the highest fuel duty in Europe?

Why do we have to pay 20% VAT on purchases again one of the highest, if not the highest in Europe? Only this week Labour back benchers were asking for the Government to reduce the rate of VAT as at least a temporary measure in order to get the ailing economy moving again.

Not only do the people of Britain have to deal with business and government ripping them off but they have to watch out for banks and individuals alike. Utilitycompanies are among the biggest rip off merchants and always seem to have an answer when asked why they are constantly increasing prices despite the fact that wholesale prices keep going down. The usual excuse is that they have set a price with suppliers months or even years in advance so they lock into a price in advance. Therefore customers are locked into the price. If you believe that you will believe anything.

Do you remember the fuel blockades at oil refineries during the middle to late 90's when farmers and haulage contractors blockaded the fuel terminals in a bid to cripple the government into submission and lower the fuel duty on petrol and diesel? This was when fuel was only just approaching the £1.00 a litre mark. Now look at it. In many areas a litre of fuel is at the £1.50 mark. Where are the blockades now I ask you ?

Where are the farmers and haulage contractors now ? Unlike the French they have been beaten and slapped down by the bullies in Parliament. Forced to submit and give up what they passionately believe is wrong and typical of what happens in Britain today. The country should stand firm and say NO! and stand by their beliefs until they get the result that they so desperately crave.

Things cannot be allowed to continue in this way. How many individuals must be forced into fuel poverty because of greedy governments and oil producers. Again the same is true of the oil industry as that of the utility companies. When oil prices are on a downward trend the petrol companies put up their prices on the forecourts and oil companies increase their wholesale price to match. The result of this is higher pump prices and consumers with less money in their pockets at the end of the day. Car usage will in the future become a luxury and not a necessity as it should be. Less journeys are already being made by car and people are thinking twice about using their vehicle for anything other than absolutely necessary journeys.

If it was a choice between eating and making a car journey which would you choose.

The next four years are predicted to be the toughest in history whilst the government get to grips with the massive deficit in terms of borrowing. In the meantime local councils are being squeezed and are forced to shed staff to bring budgets under control. Emergency services also face a bleak picture and they too are set to lose personnel because of cutbacks.

Where is it all going to end for everyday people in Britain? Which members of the population will suffer most because of the cutbacks? You guessed it, the vulnerable and the needy.

You may well ask what can be done about it. As usual the people of this country have either to get off their backsides and do something to help themselves, or face a very uncertain future if they think they can sit it out until the government and the rip off merchants fleece them even more than is already happening. Nobody else will do it for you. It is every man for himself and always has been. But spare a thought for the less able in society. They need our help to make the country Great again.

This is only one man's opinion.

Do you have an opinion about what we can do about it as individuals?

Let me know by sending me a message or e-mail me if you have the same views on the subject.

Maybe I am wrong but I believe it is time for positive action. Write to your MP if you feel you need to. They are elected representatives of the people and should listen to the views of the people. We must do something, however small, before things get any worse and we are completely beaten into submission. If it is wrong we must say so otherwise the powers that be will just keep on going until they suck the life out of all of us.

It is time for positive action now, however small. Just do something.