UK News 12-09-2000 Petrol Could Run Out By Tonight who: Tony Blair what: Says he will not allow fuel protestors to dictate policy where: LOUGHBOROUGH when: Yesterday snippet: "Most of Britain could run out of petrol by TONIGHT," warns The Sun today. "We are within 24 hours of having a critical situation," said Ray Holloway, director of the Petrol Retailers Association last night. "Panic buying has doubled sales in the region in and around London. The North West is completely dry and we suspect all major urban centres will be cleaned out by Tuesday". "Rejecting calls from petrol retailers for a reduction in fuel duty, Downing Street made clear that additional forces were necessary to protect delivery drivers from intimidation and keep supplies running to station forecourts," reports The Guardian. "We cannot, and will not, alter Government policy on petrol through blockades and pickets," said Tony Blair yesterday. "That`s not the way to make policy in Britain and, as far as I`m concerned, it never will be." At Balmoral The Queen attended a meeting of the Privy Council to give her consent to the use of "contingency powers" to ensure the even distribution of fuel across the country, says The Times. "It was decided that troops are not needed at present but ministers said later that they remained an option if the situation worsened." Meanwhile, elsewhere in The Times a correspondent reports that police were called in to settle an argument at The Pear Tree garage in Derby where owner Paul Gizzonio was charging £11 per gallon for fuel. "I am not breaking any rules," he said. [... more]

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