The ePetition on fuel prices is softened but wins support of 81 Tory MPs

By Tim Montgomerie
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81 is not David Cameron's favourite number and there'll be a few raised eyebrows that 81 backbench Tories have signed up to Robert Halfon MP's motion which calls for the Government to bring more relief to motorists who are paying such high fuel prices. The motion is worded in a very mild way and this has helped it to attract normally very on message Conservatives such as Andrew Griffiths, Paul Uppal and Nadhim Zahawi. More than 100 MPs have signed in total, from all parties.

Interestingly the motion that the Commons will debate is not the motion that nearly 110,000 people signed. For example the original petition's plea to "scrap the planned 4p fuel duty increases" is replaced with the much softer "call on the Government to consider the effect that increased taxes on fuel will have on the economy". The ePetition's desire to "set up a Commission to look at market competitiveness, and radical ways of cutting fuel taxes in the longer term" has completely vanished. I understand, however, that this change in wording has been agreed by FairFuelUK in order to maximise support.

THE NEW 81 

1. Peter Aldous
2. Steve Baker
3. Harriett Baldwin
4. Mr John Baron  
5. Guto Bebb
6. Andrew Bingham
7. Bob Blackman
8. Nicola Blackwood
9. Mr Peter Bone
10. Karen Bradley
11. Mr Graham Brad
12. Andrew Bridgen
13. Steve Brine
14. Fiona Bruce
15. Mr Robert Buckland
16. Dan Byles
17. Damian Collins
18. Mr David Davis
19. Nick de Bois
20. Caroline Dinenage
21. Nadine Dorries
22. Jackie Doyle-Price
23. Charlie Elphicke
24. Graham Evans
25. Mike Freer
26. Mark Garnier
27. John Glen
28. Mrs Helen Grant
29. Mr James Gray
30. Andrew Griffiths
31. Robert Halfon
32. Rebecca Harris
33. Simon Hart
34. Gordon Henderson
35. Damian Hinds
36. George Hollingbery
37. Mr Philip Hollobone
38. Kris Hopkins
39. Mr Stewart Jackson
40. Mr Marcus Jones
41. Chris Kelly  
42. Simon Kirby
43. Pauline Latham
44. Jeremy Lefroy   
45. Brandon Lewis
46. Jonathan Lord
47. Jason McCartney
48. Miss Anne McIntosh
49. Patrick Mercer
50. Paul Maynard
51. Nigel Mills
52. Penny Mordaunt
53. Anne Marie Morris  
54. James Morris
55. David Morris
56. Stephen Mosley  
57. Sheryll Murray  
58. Sarah Newton
59. Caroline Nokes  
60. Mr David Nuttall  
61. Mr Matthew Offord
62. Priti Patel
63. Mark Pawsey
64. Andrew Percy  
65. Mark Pritchard
66. Amber Rudd
67. Laura Sandys
68. Henry Smith
69. Nicholas Soames
70. Mr Mark Spencer
71. Andrew Stephenson
72. Mr Graham Stuart
73. Justin Tomlinson  
74. Paul Uppal
75. Martin Vickers
76. Mr Robin Walker
77. James Wharton
78. Heather Wheeler
79. Chris White  
80. Dr Sarah Wollaston
81. Nadhim Zahawi