I read a quote from an industry spokesman who pointed out that there's also VAT on the 1p duty making it a 1.175p increase altogether. He said garages didn't see why they should pay the VAT so were rounding up the increase to 2p.

But that totally ignores the point that they price petrol to 1/10th of a penny per litre, so they could easily go from (say) 116.9 to 118.1 rather than 118.9.

The price per litre doesn't have to end in .9

I'd love to know the legallity of charging VAT on fuel duty. VAT as its name implies is a tax on the value of an object, fuel duty obviously has no value - how can they charge VAT?

Fuel has been spotted at 121p for unleaded round Basingstoke. Mr Cameron reckons his lot will have floating fuel duty, when its cheaper tax will go up and when its dearer tax will come down. What price is needed to start the fuel protests again? Fuel seems to have gone up every time I fill up. It will be interesting to see if it goes down after Easter, my guess is it won't.

I filled up in Hemel Hempstead at my usual Shell station a week ago at 117.9 for diesel. On Friday came to Cambs., 121.9 everywhere. Went over to Norfolk today, mostly 122.9 along the A14 and A11 until a new Shell station near Wymondham at 117.9 - I swerved in so suddenly I nearly spilt my tea.

Hadn't occurred to me it's just the holiday rip-off.