Tag: US and Israel attack on Iran

Record monthly fuel price increases in March

Petrol and diesel increase by record monthly amounts

  • Diesel goes up by 40p in a month – 18p more than the previous record set four years ago
  • 20p monthly hike in the average price of petrol surpasses June 2022 record of 16.6p
  • Full tanks of petrol and diesel go up by £11 and £22 in March

The average prices of petrol and diesel both increased by record monthly amounts in March on the back of the conflict in Iran, analysis of RAC Fuel Watch data reveals.*

A litre of unleaded rose by 20p from 132.83p on 1 March to 152.83p by the end, surpassing the previous all-time biggest monthly jump of 16.6p seen at the end of June 2022 when petrol went up from 174.84p to 191.43p.

The increase in the average price of diesel was even more dramatic, going up 40p in March to 182.77p from 142.38p – almost doubling the previous record rise of 22p seen in March 2022 where the price went from 155.23p to 177.29p at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the record rises seen in March, average fuel prices are still some way off the all-time highs of summer 2022 when petrol peaked at an average of 191.5p (3 July) and diesel at 199p a litre (25 June).

The sudden hikes have added £11 to the cost of filling a 55-litre family car, which now stands at nearly £84 (£84.06), and £22 for the diesel equivalent, with a tank topping £100 (£100.52)

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “March has been truly unprecedented – fuel prices have never risen this fast in a single month. But while this is the biggest pence-per-litre increase ever in a month, it’s not as great in real terms as those seen during the 1973 oil crisis when the price of a barrel quadrupled.

“The increases drivers have had to endure in March 2026 far exceed those seen in the early days of the war in Ukraine. 

“While the monthly rise in a litre of petrol is bad enough, the jump in the cost of diesel is even harder to swallow at 40p a litre – 18p more than the previous monthly record. With long-term RAC research showing eight-in-10 people are dependent on their vehicles, these costs must really be taking their toll on both households as well as businesses.

“Ahead of the Easter getaway, which is expected to be the busiest on the roads since 2022 with nearly 21m leisure journeys planned, we urge drivers to fill up as usual and to use the myRAC app to find the cheapest forecourts near them.”

Drivers looking to save money on their fill-ups should take advantage of the fuel finder feature in the free myRAC app. The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play, and drivers don’t need to be RAC members to use it. Up to 10 searches a day can be made over a two, five or 10-mile radius, with each giving the five cheapest prices. 

The RAC Fuel Watch web page has more information about the average price of petrol and diesel at the big four supermarkets and at motorway services.

It also features graphs showing average prices since 2000 as well as a daily financial breakdown of the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel.

Domestic implications of Middle East conflict for Scotland

Resilience Room meets to discuss impacts on goods and services

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) met last night (Tuesday 31st March) to consider the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on Scotland’s people and businesses.

The meeting included discussion on the potential impacts on the supply and price of various goods and services, including energy, food and fuel.

It was chaired by First Minister John Swinney and attended by the Deputy First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice & Home Affairs, the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands and the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans.

The First Minister said: “The impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on people and businesses in Scotland is becoming more significant by the day.

“As concerns continue to grow across our communities and sectors, I convened SGoRR to assess the situation in detail and to consider what further engagement, support, or actions may be required from the Scottish Government, our partners and others in the days and weeks ahead.”

Government set to crack down on companies exploiting Middle East crisis to unfairly hike prices

  • Working people will be protected from unfair price rises with new plans set out by the government today to detect and crack down on companies if they exploit the crisis in the Middle East.
  • Ministers are concerned that some companies could exploit the crisis to carry out price gouging – when a company puts prices up to an unfair and unjustifiably high level during a crisis, knowing that customer have little choice but to pay.
  • To deal with this unfair practice, a new anti-profiteering framework is being brought in by the Government and regulators like the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to clamp down on price gouging if it takes place.
  • As part of that, the government will not hesitate to introduce new time-limited, targeted powers for the CMA and other key regulators if that is needed, and the exact powers are being worked through at pace.
  • The move will further strengthen our world-class competition and consumer protection regime, which is already protecting households, and comes as the CMA have stepped up their monitoring of fuel prices and accelerated their review of fuel margins made by businesses since the conflict began.
  • The announcement follows the Chancellor and Energy Secretary’s meeting with petrol retailers to discuss what more can be done to support motorists with the cost of living, and the Chancellor is expected to meet with supermarkets and banks to discuss how they can support consumers in the coming days.

A Government spokesperson said: “We are fighting your corner to keep the cost of living down in these uncertain times. We will not allow companies to exploit this crisis to hike their prices to unjustifiable levels.

“Whether at the fuel pump filling up your car or at the till paying for your groceries, we are working with regulators to make sure the price you pay is a fair one.”

The Chancellor will deliver more details later today.

‘We strongly condemn Iranian strikes across the region’: UK statement at the UN Security Council

(NO CONDEMNATION OF US or ISRAELI ATTACK, OF COURSE)

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on The Middle East:

Colleagues, this is a fragile moment for the Middle East.  

The United Kingdom played no role in the strikes against Iran.  

But we are under no illusion about the nature of the Iranian regime.  

The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people simply for exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms.  

Iran has repeatedly ignored calls to find a durable and acceptable solution to the nuclear issue, while continuing to destabilise the region through their support to proxies and partners.  

We strongly condemn Iranian strikes across the region, including the attacks on a hotel in Dubai, the attack on Kuwait’s civilian airport, and attacks on civilian targets in Bahrain.  

We extend our support and solidarity to all our partners – many of which are not parties to the conflict.  

Regional stability remains a priority.  

As my Prime Minister stated, UK forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people and regional partners, as the United Kingdom has done before, and in line with international law. 

Reports of strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure are deeply alarming. The protection of civilians and full respect for international law is critical. 

Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.  

That is why we, alongside our French and German partners, have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution. 

We have always been clear that only a diplomatic solution can fully and sustainably address these threats.  

We want to see the swiftest possible resolution that ensures security and stability for the region.  

Iran must refrain from further strikes, and its appalling behaviour, to allow a path back to diplomacy.   

We will continue to work with our partners to this end – in support of peace and security, and the protection of civilian life across the region.