Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

London still out of fuel - because it doesn't vote Tory

204 replies

istherelifeafter40 · 01/10/2021 00:07

Where I live, South London, it is still impossible to get fuel. Most petrol stations are closed, the ones that are open have hours-long queues. The queueing cars are blocking the roads, it's a nightmare.

Every news outlet keeps saying the crisis is easing. I don't see any signs of that. It's pure gaslighting. I get it, media try not to report shortages in order not to cause shortages, but I'd like some actual information, not lies?

What I think is that the Tory government will prioritise, in terms of fixing the supply chain breakdowns, the areas of the country that vote Tory, and will abandon metropolitan areas that increasingly shift to the left in their voting patterns.

AIBU - Tory don't care about London - or Manchester (anyone?); it's not their base
YANBU - where there is fuel and where there isn't is completely random

OP posts:
muddyford · 01/10/2021 08:02

This area is Conservative and things are almost back to normal. You are looking for conspiracy where none exists.

SkiingIsHeaven · 01/10/2021 08:04

Another numb scull labour supporter trying to blame anything on the Tory's.

What is wrong with you?

It is raining here and I need to go out. Is that the Tory's fault that I will need to take an umbrella?

thepastisanothercountry · 01/10/2021 08:06

We are in one of the big cities in a Labour constituency (in fact almost all the MPs in city are Labour). DP has managed to get fuel quite easily a couple of days ago.

jessycake · 01/10/2021 08:09

We have no fuel where I live , I think population density play a large part

Dontgetyerknicksinatwist · 01/10/2021 08:10

I doubt they have time to resort to such petty tactics when they have so much to sort out. Also London is an important city to the economy so it would be a bit of an own goal for them not to bother about London.

Macncheeseballs · 01/10/2021 08:12

Surely cities like London are trying to get more people cycling

Chemenger · 01/10/2021 08:13

I’m in Scotland, that well known Tory heartland Smile. We had queues for a while last Friday, then people came to their senses. I filled up on Saturday as normal, drove straight on to a pump, no queue at all. Later in the day there were, if anything, fewer cars than usual in Sainsbury’s petrol station. On the Friday the police asked the Costco petrol station to close because the queue was blocking the road. After that there was no disruption.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 01/10/2021 08:14

I don't think it's anything to do with voting, but it certainly is annoying to be told the problem is over when it very clearly isn't where I live.

We have no petrol and long queues blocking the roads. It is not at all normal.

SoupDragon · 01/10/2021 08:14

There’s just a shit ton more people in London

This.

ilovesushi · 01/10/2021 08:19

I'm in the south in a rural area and lots of petrol stations are closed including the big supermarket ones. Those that are open have massive queues blocking the roads. Seen a number of cars abandoned on the road. I'm guessing because they ran out. What I am hearing in the media does not match what I am seeing in real life. Majority shut and those open unable to meet demand.

katemuff · 01/10/2021 08:21

You cannot be seriously stating London lacks government attention? WTF? Seriously. Go visit Middlesborough, Preston, Halifax and Rochdale and gain some fucking perspective.

extrastrongmints · 01/10/2021 08:22

They didn't have a plan for Brexit.
They didn't have a plan for covid.
They don't have a plan for climate change.
They did, however, have a plan for building a magic sky bridge to Ireland.

To attribute to them either the intellect or energy needed to devise and execute a working plan to redistribute fuel around the country to favour Tory constituencies is frankly far too kind. Looking at the current cabinet, it's clear more than half of them are too dim to read a map and any "plan" they produce is as cunning as those produced by Baldrick. Hanlon's razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

MRex · 01/10/2021 08:22

I'm in SW London, little queues at the petrol stations seem to have gone now. The only shortages I heard of at any point were diesel, I had no idea so many drove diesel still, that really should be addressed.

Unless you're over 80 or disabled OP, you could just get a bus, train or tram for a few days. It doesn't hurt. Better to leave fuel for those who need vans for work.

tigger1001 · 01/10/2021 08:25

@Starryskiesinthesky

I hate the Tory's but dont believe this. I am in Scotland, the most anti-Tory country and we are fine for fuel. My petrol light came on yesterday and I wondered if it would be a problem but no, just went in the nearest Sainsburys, no queues, filled up and off I went. Think it must just be regionally but also areas where folk all panic and go out and act selfishly cant help.
Agreed.

I'm in Scotland too and filled up yesterday. No queue, no restrictions on the amount that could be bought. The person in the garage said it was mental last Friday but pretty normal since. They have had their deliveries daily with no hint of disruption.

So certainly not a Tory thing.

Inastatus · 01/10/2021 08:25

Obviously it’s a Tory thing. I live in a very right-wing area and managed to get diesel yesterday so that just proves it 🤔

Pottedpalm · 01/10/2021 08:26

You are being utterly ridiculous.

ElizaDarcysDeeds · 01/10/2021 08:27

I think the map showing fuel shortages is interesting. London does have more population density but less car ownership per capita than many other cities in the UK.
I can't decide if it means Londoners are more prone to panic, to believing the media (because they tend to dominate it from a staff pov) or to being incredibly selfish hence panic buying.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 01/10/2021 08:29

@Spiindoctor

It's a bit weird that London is doing so bad when it has a decent public transport structure.
No tube where I am, and buses cancelled or diverted. No tram.

Londoners don't all live just off Piccadilly Circus, if course people drive, for the same reasons as people in other places drive!

Hdhdjejdj · 01/10/2021 08:34

There isn’t a city in the UK that the Tories hate more than Liverpool. It has petrol. London is rammed with Tories.

justasking111 · 01/10/2021 08:35

Reading statistics yesterday Scotland and Wales have fuel mostly . Tories are a rarity in both countries . It's down like all the other shortages to population density

CaptaNoctem · 01/10/2021 08:40

Labour area here.

Went past 2 petrol stations yesterday, both had fuel and no queues. The one in the village had a delivery on Tuesday, ran out Wednesday afternoon (queues of 3 or 4 cars) and was restocked yesterday.

Andante57 · 01/10/2021 08:41

@Sitchervice

This seems to be a baiting post... Is that a fish pole I see?
This
Lalliella · 01/10/2021 08:41

@SevenOldLadies

I’m in an ultra-Tory area and there’s no fuel here either.

I think you’re crediting the Government with too much ability to carry out a plan tbh.

Yep they couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery.
MolkosTeenageAngst · 01/10/2021 08:45

I’m in Manchester and have been able to get fuel, everyone I speak to locally has also managed to find it. I’m not in a Tory area.

TheDogsMother · 01/10/2021 08:47

I can't imagine this government ever being that organised. Where I live will probably be Tory until the end of time but fuel is incredibly hard to find.