Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell has accused his Labour counterparts Elaine Murray MSP and Russell Brown MP of hypocrisy over fuel duty claims. The local MP believes the pair have deliberately set out to politicise one of the most important issues affecting the region after failing to support his efforts to campaign for a reduction locally. Mr Mundell admitted that he was deeply disappointed that Dumfries and Galloway had not seen the benefits of measures introduced by the UK Government in a scheme that could have cut 5p a litre off petrol prices in the area, primarily owing to European Commission regulations. However, Mr Mundell has pledged to continue his campaign to tackle high prices no matter how much personal criticism he receives.
Hitting back at recent personal attacks from the local Labour Party Mr Mundell said: “Labour politicians locally have no right to lecture me on petrol prices after standing by and allowing year after year of fuel duty price hikes under the last Government. The reality is that petrol is already 13p per litre cheaper than it would have been under Labour plans thanks to the longest fuel duty freeze in almost 20 years. However, more needs to be done and I recognise that the continued high prices locally are a real issue and that is why I have been pushing for Dumfries and Galloway to be considered as part of this scheme. The really disappointing thing for me is that neither Elaine Murray MSP nor Russell Brown MP were prepared to put politics aside and offer public support for our region when it came to the hard task of pushing for this measure.”
Mr Mundell added: “It is all very well to criticise from the side-lines after the horse has bolted but I believe local people deserve better than that. Whilst I fully accept that on this occasion my lobbying within Government has been unsuccessful what I will not accept is this continued need to politicise issues like this locally where not just politicians but the whole community is in agreement. Instead what we need to focus on working together to give Dumfries and Galloway the strongest possible voice both at Westminster and at Holyrood.”