IF you’re driving home for Christmas, Government Minister Mark Spencer has some festive advice: shop around for the cheapest petrol.
Well, thanks for nothing. Hard-pressed motorists know to do this already.
The issue — as the minister ought to know — is that so few forecourts are passing on the reductions in the wholesale price of fuel, that it costs a fortune driving around just to find one.
Around 34million car journeys are expected to be made today and tomorrow, thanks in part to the rail chaos inflicted by the hardline unions.
And motorists face their most expensive getaway ever.
Analysis by the RAC suggests petrol should be 15p a litre cheaper than it is, on average.
But, as usual, pump prices that went up like a rocket when wholesale prices rose, are coming down like a feather.
Instead of stating the bleeding obvious, Mr Spencer and his government colleagues should bring in an independent PumpWatch regulator — and finally end this rip-off.
IF things were not bad enough for strike-hit rail travellers, their already expensive train fares are to go up by nearly six per cent in March.
True, it could have been worse.
The Government has at least capped the increase at below the current rate of inflation and delayed it by a couple of months.
But ministers insist the still-punishing rise is needed for the financial stability of the railways, so it will go ahead regardless of the appalling service currently on offer.
And that’s after the £31BILLION thrown at the industry to keep it afloat — and rail workers in jobs — through the Covid pandemic.
Might this latest round of punishment being handed to travellers make the unions think again about their unrealistic pay demands?
And their refusal to change outdated practices which are holding the railways back?
Or will they continue to behave like the public is there to serve them — and not the other way around?
THIS Christmas, spare a thought for six-year-old Georgia Kirchin, and her parents and big sister.
Georgia is living “day by day” with a life-threatening health condition.
And time is running out to help her.
Mum Jodie says: “Georgia just wants to have a new heart so she can have a normal life and play with her friends.”
It rather puts other worries into perspective.
Tragedy as boy, 4, dies at Center Parcs after being pulled out of the water
Follow Santa & his reindeer as Christmas Eve kicks off – where are they now?
Strictly legend set to leave show after 7 years in major blow to BBC hit
King Charles throws disgraced Prince Andrew out of Buckingham Palace
©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. “The Sun”, “Sun”, “Sun Online” are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers’ Limited’s Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. View our online Press Pack. For other inquiries, Contact Us. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO)
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/
