news mogaznews | Trump's taunt exposes a PM without a plan: 'Go get your own oil' line sparks questions over how Government will deal with global fuel crisis

Trump's taunt exposes a PM without a plan: 'Go get your own oil' line sparks questions over how Government will deal with global fuel crisis - as Keir Starmer to give update today

By: dailymail Posted On: April 01, 2026 View: 44

By DAVID CHURCHILL

Published: 21:04 EDT, 31 March 2026 | Updated: 03:51 EDT, 1 April 2026

Donald Trump told Britain to 'go get your own oil' yesterday, sparking questions about how the Government plans to deal with the global fuel crisis.

MPs accused Sir Keir Starmer of being a 'rabbit caught in the headlights' with no clear blueprint for the future.

As the Prime Minister called yet another meeting to discuss the issue, it emerged that Britain's last known shipment of jet fuel from the Middle East is due to arrive within 48 hours.

With Iran continuing to choke off the Strait of Hormuz as the war drags on, there are also concerns about supplies of diesel due to the UK's dependence on imports.

But as other nations set out emergency plans for dealing with potential shortages, ministers insisted Britain should carry on as normal.

Industry insiders said that, while the Government did not want the public to panic, there appeared to be 'no plan'.

Sir Keir is expected to provide an update on the cost of living amid concerns over the how much energy bills could rise as a result of the Middle East conflict.

He is due to speak at a press conference later on Wednesday morning after he vowed to 'protect the British people at home and abroad'.

It is thought the Prime Minister's Downing Street press conference will cover both the conflict and Government support for households as rising prices bite.

Donald Trump told Britain to 'go get your own oil' on Tuesday, sparking questions about how the Government plans to deal with the global fuel crisis

With Iran continuing to choke off the Strait of Hormuz as the war drags on, there are also concerns about supplies of diesel as the UK relies heavily on imports

In a post on his Truth Social network, the US president took another swipe at Britain yesterday

Since fighting began in Iran, oil prices have soared in response to Tehran's block on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Families with a 55-litre diesel car face paying more than £100 at the pump for the first time since December 2022.

Yesterday's Cobra meeting followed a gathering of oil, banking and shipping executives the day before.

One senior fuel industry source said: 'We could be weeks away from thinking about having to ration jet fuel and possibly diesel.

'The fact there's nothing more concrete in terms of being upfront about that makes it seem like there's no plan. You don't want to leave it too late. People need to plan.'

In a post on his Truth Social network, the US president took another swipe at Britain yesterday.

Mr Trump raged: 'All of those countries that can't get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the US, we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.

'You'll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated.

'The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!'

His secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, joined the taunting, mocking the 'big, bad Royal Navy' as he said Mr Trump had been 'clear' in his post 'that there are countries around the world who ought be prepared to step up' to re-open the Strait.

It came as the cost of filling up the average family car with diesel at the pumps surged past £100 for the first time since the war started, sparking fresh calls for Rachel Reeves to ditch the fuel duty hike coming later this year.

Several other countries have either cut petrol taxes or capped forecourt prices to help hard-pressed motorists. Last week, the Chancellor pledged support on bills 'for those that need it most' but with little detail and nothing coming immediately.

Yesterday it was predicted the energy price cap will surge by £288 a year for the average household from July.

Mr Trump sent global oil prices soaring again to $119 a barrel yesterday following his online rebuke of the PM and other allies, meaning pain at the pumps is likely to continue for weeks.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said Sir Keir was acting like a 'rabbit caught in the headlights'.

It commes as, less than an hour after Mr Trump's broadside, it was confirmed that the King will fly to the US for a state visit later this month.

Downing Street will hope Charles can woo Mr Trump by pushing him to de-escalate the conflict while softening his tone.

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MPs accused Sir Keir Starmer of being a 'rabbit caught in the headlights' with no clear blueprint for the future

But Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, who led a backlash from the Left against the visit, said: 'To send the King on a state visit to the US after Trump dismissed our Royal Navy as "toys" is a humiliation, and a sign of a government too weak to stand up to bullies.

'What appalling thing does Trump have to do next to make the Government see sense and cancel the visit?'

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also appeared to accuse the PM of being weak, saying: 'If Donald Trump says something that is against British national interests or is rude, I think we should absolutely push back on that.'

Posting again online, Mr Trump crowed that the 'historic' state visit, set to take place from April 27 to April 30, will include 'a beautiful banquet dinner', adding: 'I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect. It will be TERRIFIC!'

Ministers hope there will be some respite by the time Charles leaves for Washington and cost-of-living pressures will have eased.

European governments were yesterday told to consider cutting back on oil and gas use, especially in the transport sector, in preparation for 'prolonged disruption' to energy supplies.

The European Commission in Brussels said countries should consider 'voluntary demand-saving measures', including asking citizens to drive or fly less. Several Asian countries have brought in similar moves, while Australia has set out a four-point plan for fuel to be rationed and funnelled towards critical sectors such as emergency services if supplies continue to be squeezed.

By contrast, UK ministers have insisted there is no need for such a plan. Chief Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, said the Government was not encouraging personal rationing and that 'people should go about their lives as normal, knowing that the Government is taking action to bring energy bills down'.

Airlines UK, the body representing major carriers, insisted there are no problems with jet fuel supplies. A spokesman said: 'UK airlines are currently not seeing disruption to fuel supply and continue to engage with suppliers and Government to monitor the situation.'

How the war is impacting flights across the world: What airlines are doing as jet fuel costs surge

A surge in jet fuel prices driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran has upended the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to raise fares and revise financial outlooks. Here is how airlines have been responding so far this month:

AEGEAN AIRLINES: The Greek airline expects suspended Middle East flights and a spike in fuel prices to have a 'notable impact' on its first-quarter results.

AIR FRANCE-KLM: The airline group said it planned to increase long-haul ticket prices to address surging fuel costs, with cabin fares set to rise by 50 euros (£43.60) per round trip.

AIR NEW ZEALAND: The airline was one of the first to announce broad increases to ticket prices on March 10. It also suspended its full-year earnings forecast due to fuel market volatility. The price increases for one-way economy fares are set at NZ$10 (£4.33) on domestic routes, NZ$20 (£8.66) on short-haul international services and NZ$90 (£38.98) on long-haul flights, with further price, network and schedule changes possible if fuel costs remain elevated.

AKASA AIR: India's Akasa Air said it was introducing a fuel surcharge ranging from 199-1,300 Indian rupees (£1.60 to £10.47) on domestic and international flights.

AMERICAN AIRLINES: The US carrier said it expected a $400million (£300million) increase in first-quarter expenses as fuel prices surge.

CATHAY PACIFIC: The Hong Kong airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on all routes from April 1, its second increase in about two weeks after a March 18 hike, and review them every two weeks. The carrier, which reviews fuel surcharges monthly, kept them steady last month at $72.90 (£54.90) for flights between Hong Kong and Europe or North America.

CEBU AIR: The Philippines-based airline said the sharp rise in fuel prices was a key concern and it would continue to review its pricing and network strategies to mitigate the impact.

EASYJET: EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said European consumers should expect higher ticket prices towards the end of summer, when existing fuel hedges come to an end.

GREATER BAY AIRLINES: Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines said it would raise fuel surcharges on most routes from April 1 due to higher fuel prices linked to the Iran war, while keeping charges unchanged on mainland China and Japan routes. Its surcharge for flights between Hong Kong and the Philippines will more than double, the carrier said.

FRONTIER AIRLINES: The US airline is reviewing its full-year forecast as fuel prices have increased significantly since it issued the outlook.

HONG KONG AIRLINES: The airline said it would raise fuel surcharges by up to 35 per cent from March 12, with the sharpest increase on flights between Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal, where charges would rise to HK$384 (£37) from HK$284 (£27).

IAG: British Airways owner IAG said on March 10 it did not plan to increase ticket prices immediately, as it has hedged much of its fuel for the short-to-medium-term.

INDIGO: India's biggest airline said it would introduce fuel charges on domestic and international flights from March 14, including a charge of 900 rupees (£7) for flights to the Middle East and a charge of 2,300 rupees (£19) for flights to Europe. The company is also lobbying the Indian government to cut fuel taxes, sources told Reuters.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS: The US-based low-cost carrier said it was increasing fees for optional services such as checked baggage as it experiences 'rising operating costs'. Baggage prices will rise by either $4 (£3) or $9 (£7), the company said.

PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: The carrier said it would raise domestic flight fares by $20 (£15) and international fares by up to $100 (£75), citing higher fuel surcharges.

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES: The airline said it had adequate fuel supply to support scheduled operations, but did not have visibility beyond May to June. Company president Richard Nuttall told CNBC the Philippines might eventually consider measures such as rationing how much fuel airlines can purchase, which a few countries have already implemented.

QANTAS AIRWAYS: The Australian airline, which had already said it would raise international fares, said on March 26 it would add flights to Rome, Paris and Singapore. It said it was monitoring fuel security, fuel prices and demand, and could make further changes.

SAS: The Scandinavian airline said it would cancel 1,000 flights in April because of high oil and jet fuel prices. For March, it said it had cancelled a 'couple hundred' flights. SAS, which had already increased flight prices, said that even if it tried to absorb the rising fuel costs, the price surge would still be a blow to the aviation industry.

SPRING AIRLINES: The budget Chinese airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights from April 5, with details to be announced later.

THAI AIRWAYS: The Thailand-based carrier said it would raise fares by 10-15 per cent to address rising fuel costs.

TURKISH AIRLINES, LUFTHANSA: SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, said it would impose a temporary fuel surcharge of 10 euros (£9)) per passenger from May 1 on routes between Turkey and mainland Europe. The surcharge will apply to bookings made on or after April 1 for departures on or after May 1.

UNITED AIRLINES: The US airline is cutting unprofitable flights over the next two quarters as it prepares for oil prices to remain above $100 until the end of 2027, chief executive Scott Kirby said. United has been able to raise fares without materially hurting bookings in response to the rapid increase in oil and jet fuel prices, chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said.

VIETJET: The Vietnamese budget airline said it had adjusted flight frequency on selected routes due to potential fuel shortages.

VIETNAM AIRLINES: The carrier plans to cancel 23 flights per week across domestic routes from April, Vietnam's aviation authority said, after the airline requested government assistance to remove an environmental tax on jet fuel.

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Virgin Australia said it was adjusting fares to reflect rising cost pressures across the aviation sector, which it said were being significantly exacerbated by the situation in the Middle East.

Iran Keir Starmer