Now latest data from the RAC shows the average price of a litre of diesel at UK forecourts has risen to 179.9p on Sunday, 28.5p more than petrol (151.4p), with the price difference at its highest level since at least 2003.<\/p>\n
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: \u201cIf oil prices remain at this level the impact on the forecourt could be felt for weeks, if not months.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer<\/a> launched Labour\u2019s local election campaign launch, warning that the backdrop to the elections was \u201cuncertain\u201d. Later, he will meet energy<\/a> bosses in Downing Street<\/a> to discuss emergency measures in response to the Middle East crisis.<\/p>\n <\/a>British troops will not be sent to Iran, says Sir Keir<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer has insisted British boots will not be placed on the ground in Iran.<\/p>\n Asked if he was considering deploying UK armed forces as the US musters its troops in the Middle East, Sir Keir told broadcasters: \u201cThis is not our war and we\u2019re not going to get drawn into it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we have done is taken defensive action: so we\u2019ve had our pilots up in the air since an hour or two after this war started, defending British lives, British interests and, of course, our allies in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n The UK will continue to defend its interests and allies, and work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Sir Keir said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we are not going to get dragged into this war,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Alex Ross30 March 2026 12:00<\/p>\n <\/a> Starmer to chair Cobra meeting following meeting with energy bosses <\/p>\n The prime minister is set to chair another Cobra meeting looking at the economic impacts of the Iran war this week, following a roundtable with energy bosses this afternoon.<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer will chair a Cobra meeting on Tuesday as the government grapples with the fallout of Donald Trump\u2019s war in the Middle East, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Asked about Monday\u2019s meeting, Sir Keir said: \u201cWe are bringing together the shipping sector, insurance and energy, because obviously that\u2019s a focus of concern.\u201cA lot of discussion about the Strait of Hormuz and what we can do to get the straits open, which is the single most effective way to bring energy prices down.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI will have a Cobra tomorrow, another Cobra, to look at the economic impacts of the war and making sure that everything that we need to have in place, everything is monitored and audited properly.\u201d <\/p>\n Athena Stavrou30 March 2026 11:47<\/p>\n <\/a>The price disparity between petrol and diesel<\/p>\n As we\u2019ve been reporting, data from the RAC has showed the price difference between petrol and diesel is at its highest since at least 2003.<\/p>\n Latest DVLA figures show there were 16.2 million diesel vehicles licensed in the UK as of the end of September last year.<\/p>\n This included the vast majority of light goods vehicles, such as vans.<\/p>\n Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: \u201cDiesel is the lifeblood of millions of small businesses, but today white van man is bleeding cash just to stay on the road.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether you drive or not, soaring diesel prices will take money out of your pocket, either at the pump or in the bills you pay for everything from calling out the plumber to getting a home delivery.<\/p>\n \u201cIf oil prices remain at this level the impact on the forecourt could be felt for weeks, if not months.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s bad news for everyone, not just drivers of the UK\u2019s 4.6 million diesel vans, the majority of which will be used for work purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex Ross30 March 2026 11:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Starmer blasts \u2018terrible judgement\u2019 of Tories and Greens<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer soughts to discredit his opponents on both the left and right on Monday, as he fights to win over voters ahead of crunch local elections.<\/p>\n Launching his party’s campaign ahead of the contest on May 7, the prime minister took aim at Kemi Badenoch\u2019s and Zack Polanski\u2019s approach to the outbreak of war in Iran.<\/p>\n He says Mrs Badenoch and Nigel Farage wanted to \u201cgo straight in with both feet\u201d, proving their \u201cterrible judgement\u201d.Turning to the Greens, he says a government ran by Mr Polanski would leave Britain \u201cweak and exposed\u201d.<\/p>\n Athena Stavrou30 March 2026 11:25<\/p>\n <\/a>People using Iran conflict to ‘whip up even more division’, says Starmer<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer talks up \u201cLabour values\u201d and hits out at those who would use the conflict in Iran to \u201cwhip up even more division\u201d in the UK.<\/p>\n He touts the government\u2019s policies as showing it is an administration that \u201cbears down on the cost of living\u201d.<\/p>\n He says: \u201cSome will use, sadly, the conflict in Iran to whip up even more division in our country and our society.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can believe it, they barely need a reason. We saw Nick Timothy at it last week complaining about Muslims praying in public.<\/p>\n \u201cWe see so many examples, but people will use this to try and tear the country further apart.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really important that we assert our Labour values here, as we go into campaign, our Labour values about how we bring people together, how we understand the importance of place and the pride that people put in the place that they come from.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex Ross30 March 2026 11:20<\/p>\n <\/a>‘We’d be left so weak’ under Polanski, says Starmer<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer criticises the Green Party and its leader Zack Polanski as he says Britain would be \u201cweak and exposed\u201d if he, Nigel Farage or Kemi Badenoch was in government.<\/p>\n He says: \u201cThen you\u2019ve got Polanski. He thinks that with a war on two fronts, now is the time to give up our Nato membership, now is the time to start negotiating with Putin over our nuclear deterrent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d be left so weak and so exposed if any of those individuals were in government, and it\u2019s really important therefore that we stick to our principles, stick to our values and show the leadership that\u2019s needed in a time like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex Ross30 March 2026 11:15<\/p>\n <\/a>Starmer says UK would be ‘in a war with no plan’ if Tories or Reform were in charge<\/p>\n The UK would \u201cbe in a war with no plan\u201d if the Conservative or Reform UK leaders were in charge, Sir Keir Starmer claims<\/p>\n Referring to the conflict in the Middle East, he says: \u201cThis is not our war and we are not going to be dragged into it.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course, we will defend British lives and British interests in the region, will stand by our allies in the Gulf region, but we\u2019re not going to get dragged in.\u201d<\/p>\n Sir Keir also says: \u201cWhat a contrast if you took Kemi Badenoch or Nigel Farage. What did they want to do?<\/p>\n \u201cThey wanted to go straight in with both feet into the war without thinking through the consequences.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, they\u2019re in opposition, maybe that doesn\u2019t matter very much, but it\u2019s terrible judgment, because taking your country to war is the single most important decision a prime minister can ever take, and if they had been in Government, we\u2019d be in a war with no plan.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex Ross30 March 2026 11:03<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer warns May\u2019s local elections are set to take place against an \u201cuncertain\u201d backdrop.<\/p>\n Sir Keir says MPs and election candidates were \u201cfighting for Labour votes, for Labour values and Labour pride in whatever place you come from across the country, so important as we build a Britain for all\u201d.<\/p>\n He continues: \u201cThe backdrop to these elections is uncertain.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re facing a war on two fronts \u2013 the Ukraine war, now four-and-a-bit years in, and let\u2019s salute the bravery of Ukrainians over so many years, both on the front line and the civilians as they fight for the values that matter.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now the other front, the other war, which is the Iran war, which I know is causing huge concern.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople look at their screens and they\u2019re worried when they see explosions, infrastructure blown up, the rhetoric that goes with it, worried about whether this is going to escalate even further.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex Ross30 March 2026 11:01<\/p>\n![\"Yvette](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5348e28fefce602a2bcd5f2d2f821740Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzczNDgwMzEy-2.83857928.jpg\")
Yvette Cooper meeting soldiers during her visit to a British military base in Saudi Arabia earlier this month (Stefan Rousseau\/PA) (PA Wire)<\/p>\n![\"RAC\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RAC.jpeg\")
RAC (RAC)<\/p>\n![\"Sir](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Prime-Minister-Keir-Starmer-Launches-Labours-Local-Elections-Campaign-In-The-West-Midlands-4ig8bb3a..jpeg\")
Sir Keir Starmer speaks in Wolverhampton (Getty Images)<\/p>\n
![\"Starmer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Prime-Minister-Keir-Starmer-Launches-Labours-Local-Elections-Campaign-In-The-West-Midlands-f37ar20h..jpeg\")
Starmer at the launch of Labour\u2019s local eleciton campaign in Wolverhampton (Getty Images)<\/p>\n