Petrol prices: Campaigners to call for major probe into market-fixing claims

14 Jul 2013
DailyMirror

They will deliver a petition of more than 30,000 signatures to the Office of Fair Trading demanding it investigates ­the allegations

Campaigners and MPs will tomorrow call for a major probe into claims oil firms rigged the markets to rip off drivers.

They will deliver a petition of more than 30,000 signatures to the Office of Fair Trading demanding it investigates ­allegations fuel giants and traders fixed prices for a decade. Petrol costs nearly doubled to 135p a litre during that time.

Officers raided BP and Shell’s London headquarters in May as part of a ­European Commission inquiry.

But Sunday Mirror ­motoring expert Quentin Willson, ­spokesman for the FairFuel UK campaign, said it was “embarrassing” that our ­authorities had so far done nothing.

Tory MP Robert Halfon will also put forward an early day motion in the­ ­Commons calling for a full investigation.

He said: “Rip-off oil prices are crushing the living standards of families and putting a huge brake on jobs and growth.”

The call comes amid warnings pump prices are set to rise again due to riots in Egypt driving up wholesale costs.