Five tankers under police escort left an oil depot in southeast England on Tuesday night after Blair's statement. He said police had already removed most blockades and oil firms would urge drivers to drive through peaceful picket lines. Six of the UK's nine oil refineries are now blocked after the protests led by hauliers and farmers over high fuel taxes began at the weekend. There were long lines at petrol stations and panic buying as supplies ran shorter and shorter. Blair, who said he hoped services could be on the way to being back to normal by the end of Wednesday, said he was not unsympathetic about the cost of fuel, but said taxes were not to blame for the most recent rise in fuel prices.
Legitimate protest is one thing.
Petrol station operators said on Tuesday that supplies in Scotland would last only another 48 hours while the situation was worse in England, where stations had only enough fuel to last another day. Esso, Britain's largest oil company, said 52 percent of its stations had run dry because of the blockades, while other oil companies were reporting similar situations. Blair was granted emergency powers by the Queen on Tuesday to use troops and police to end the blockades if necessary. Gross mistake' British Midland and Britannia airlines told pilots to refuel abroad rather than at home, while in some areas rubbish went uncollected, while a division two football match was cancelled after stewards were unable to travel due to the fuel shortages. The government has to step in immediately.