Walk past any petrol station in Preston East—or anywhere else in Britain—and the numbers on the price boards tell a story of economic mismanagement that no government should ever allow. Between the end of February and March 23, petrol prices have risen 14 pence per litre, a 10% increase. Diesel has climbed even more steeply: 29 pence per litre, a gut-wrenching 20% spike. These aren't modest adjustments. For families already struggling with mortgages, childcare, and grocery bills, these price jumps represent real money disappearing from household budgets every single week.

A Crisis Layered Upon A Crisis

Yet petrol and diesel are only part of the story. The energy regulator OFGEM has announced that from April 1, 2026, energy bills will rise a further 20% under the price cap. Consider what this means for a typical household: electricity and gas costs—basic utilities that no family can live without—jumping 20% at the stroke of a pen. For a pensioner living on a fixed income, for a single parent working two jobs, for a young couple trying to save for a deposit, this is catastrophic.

This isn't economic policy. This is economic negligence. A competent government should be managing the conditions that drive these prices, protecting working people from sudden shocks, and maintaining the confidence that tomorrow won't be worse than today. Labour has failed on all three counts.

Consumer Confidence Has Collapsed for Good Reason

We reported last week on the collapse of consumer confidence to its lowest level in over two years. This drop isn't mysterious or difficult to explain. Consumers aren't depressed by abstract economic concepts; they're alarmed by concrete, visible price rises that are taking food off their tables and warmth from their homes. When you're choosing between eating and heating, consumer confidence doesn't matter—you simply cut back and pray things improve.

This is the real impact of Labour's cost of living crisis. While the government announces various support schemes, means-tested allowances, and carefully targeted payments that the majority of working people don't qualify for, ordinary households have already cut their spending dramatically. They've stopped discretionary purchases. They've reduced energy use. They've tightened budgets to breaking point.

Where Are These Prices Coming From?

The government will blame global markets, international factors beyond their control, and factors no politician can influence. Some of that is always true. But markets respond to expectations, and expectations are shaped by policy. Britain's energy price rises are not happening in isolation—they're happening because Labour's approach to energy policy has sent a message loud and clear: investment in reliable, affordable energy is not a priority for this government.

Where are new power stations? Where is the serious investment in North Sea oil and gas production? Where is the streamlined permitting process for energy infrastructure? Instead, Labour has prioritized ideology over pragmatism, pushing policies that increase costs for energy companies without guaranteeing lower prices for consumers. The result is exactly what happens when you discourage investment while people still need affordable power: prices rise.

The Transport Squeeze

Rising fuel prices have cascading effects throughout the economy. Haulage companies pass on higher costs. Delivery charges increase. The logistics sector—vital to Britain's economy—faces higher operating expenses. Buses and taxis become more expensive to operate, forcing difficult choices between ticket price increases and service cuts. For people who depend on transport to earn a living, rising fuel prices aren't just an inconvenience—they're a direct hit to income.

Self-employed drivers, courier services, removals firms—anyone whose livelihood depends on fuel efficiency is being squeezed. Labour either doesn't understand this or doesn't care. The party that claims to represent working people has presided over a dramatic deterioration in the costs that working people face every single day.

A Failure of Economic Stewardship

This is what distinguishes Reform UK from the old parties. We don't believe government can control every price or shield people from all economic headwinds. But we absolutely believe government has a responsibility to create conditions where energy is affordable, where business can invest, and where working people have a realistic chance of getting ahead. Labour has done the opposite.

A Reform government would have supported reliable energy production. We would have removed unnecessary regulatory burdens on power generation. We would have encouraged investment in infrastructure. We would have pursued policies that increase supply and therefore moderate prices, rather than policies that restrict supply while hoping demand falls enough to clear the market anyway.

The Road Ahead

Three more years of this government would mean three more years of rising prices, falling confidence, and widening desperation among working families. The alternative—a government committed to pro-growth, pro-investment policies that prioritize affordable energy and competitive business conditions—isn't just an alternative approach. It's an economic necessity.

"When petrol costs rise 10% in six weeks and energy bills are set to jump 20% in days, no amount of government spin can hide the reality: this administration has failed to deliver the economic competence it promised."