Just been looking at the chart on this page - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15730087

It compares the price of fuel against crude.

Looking half way through 2008, the price of crude was about $135 a barrell and the price of a litre of unleaded was £1.20.

Compare that with today and the price of a barrell of crude is nearer $100 and the price of a litre is around £1.30!

Just shows how much we're being royally reamed by tax and other "hidden" costs!  Got - 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

And we're due another rise......

Blame the last lot of idiots.... 
We buy forum member cars - PM for a quote. http://www.garyelliott.co.uk/prestige_cars/

It isn't just the base price of crude that drives high pump prices - is actually more driven by refining costs and market prices for processed oil derivatives.

Don't forget that the government also help themselves from almost 50% from the pump price, plus all of the corporation and stealth taxes from the Oil Companies themselves and all of the distribution networks.

Oil companies might make big profits, but I still think there's only one thieving b*stard in this country and its the one that takes 40% of my my wages every month, but yet seems to gve me feck all!! At leat i get my bins emptied and roads cleaned with the tax i pay to the local council!!

I wish i could earn enough to be taxed 40% but agree its a royal rip off in this country.

Another reason i stick to using BioD

Do wonder what P&O would say if a tanker turned up at port full of diesel from north africa.

Remember being in Sabbah a few years back and it worked out at just under 9p/Litre there

Yep, current price in Venezuela is less than 2p/litre!!! Saudi Arabias is about 70p / gallon and Dubai is about £1.30 per gallon.

These oil producing nations subsidise their domestic transport costs, stimulating their economy and allowing normal people to get from A to B and still afford to feed themselves.

Our oil producing nation just takes, takes, takes and takes. Then takes some more...then whinges because there's no money left in the pot, blames us for not giving enough and then takes some more.

The gravy train needs to stop. Bring back natural selection and survival of the fittest!!

The graph is interesting and also worth noting that the pound dropped from USD2.2 down to USD1.4 which doesn't help because oil is quoted and paid for in USD!

However, the government take 59% (for diesel) of the pump price because VAT is charged on top of the duty and product price.

It's like the ruse (read "con the majority of the general public who believe the headline data quoted") that they use with NI on top of income tax - you are actually paying 40% + 1% National Insurance (no upper limit) + 9% employees National Insurance (upper limit applies) - so much closer to 50% for many, even though the "headline rate" is "only" 40% ...