Fury as fuel retailers ‘use General Election as a distraction to keep petrol and diesel prices high’

FUEL retailers are using the General Election as a distraction to keep prices high, campaigners have warned.

Britain now has the most expensive diesel costs in Europe, figures reveal.

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Fury as fuel retailers are ‘using General Election as a distraction to keep petrol and diesel prices high’[/caption]

And motoring organisation the RAC says pump prices are “far higher than they should be”, because wholesale fuel costs have been tumbling since April.

The average price of a litre of petrol is 146.3p, which is “5p more expensive than it should be”, the group said.

Northern Ireland is charging 141.1p.

Meanwhile diesel has hit an average 151.5p — the costliest in the continent for seven weeks and well above Northern Ireland’s 141.9p.

RAC figures show retailers’ margins — the differences between what they paid for fuel and the price they charge — are 14p per litre for petrol and 16p for diesel.

Until the election was called, ministers were pressuring retailers to pass on lower wholesale costs to consumers by giving the watchdog more powers.

But RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Drivers across the UK — with the exception of those in Northern Ireland — are losing several pounds every time they fill up. There’s no good reason for retailers not cutting prices. We can only think they’re hoping no one will notice due to the distraction of the General Election.”

The Sun’s Keep It Down campaign has secured fuel duty freezes for the past 14 years.

And last week, Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting all-but confirmed Labour would continue to hold rates if elected.