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What the papers say...
Page 20
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The protests may have run out of gas, but they got plenty of publicity.
Dominic Perry studies the reports of last week's fuel blockades.
Last week's fuel protests were seen by the majority of the national press as something of a damp squib. They focused on the absence of protesters at most refineries and the fact that deliveries to filling stations were unhindered.And in this light they can be viewed as nothing but a failure.
However, the protesters can claim some success in what happened prior to the demonstrations. In the days running up to the protest the mere prospect of a repeat of 2000 was enough to send motorists scurrying to the fuel pumps, provoking scenes of panic buying. This, if nothing else, raised the issue of fuel to the top of the news agenda and into the minds of politicians.
Here's what the national press has been saying about the protests:
Financial Times
Headline: 'Filling stations replenished as fuel protest flops'
The voice of big business was generally neutral in its tone, although its article was accompanied by a picture of fuel protester Andrew Spence clutching his brow. It said the protests had generally been small-scale affairs "that did little to stop oil tankers from arriving and leaving depots-.
It added: "Many of the sites where protesters were expected attracted more media than dem onstrators.It also quoted CBI director general Sir Digby Jones, who condemned the protests as "holding the country to ransom".
However, it concluded with a perceptive quote from Spence, who was defending himself from accusations of hyping the protests: "If we hadn't basically said that we would he returning to the refineries the media wouldn't have highlighted the issue as it has done."
The Independent
Headline: 'Panic buying at the pump as protests flop' The Indie devoted almost two I pages to the protests, concluding that they were largely ineffective. However, significantly, it went on to note: 'But garages across the country remained shut and without fuel after pre-protest jitters sent drivers queuing round the block for fuel earlier this week."
It then listed refineries where action had been taken, adding an unattributed quote from Purl led, Essex:"It's a big let down. We were hoping for a couple of hundred people." The public was generally sympathetic with the protesters' aims, if not their methods, it said.
The Sun
Headline: 'Empty feeling tankers roll on as petrol blockade protest fails' The truckers' favourite pulled no punches with its analysis of the protests.
"Petrol protests aimed at causing nationwide disruption simply ran out of gas yesterday.
-Fears of fuel blockades fizzled out when just handfuls of demonstrators picketed only a few oil refineries and depots."
It described disconsolate protester Andrew Spence who was spotted "slumped in alley after fewer than 20 joined his demo".
Daily Mirror
Headline: 'Protest? What protest? Demo flops... we told you not to panic' With a headline like that it's pretty clear where the Mirror was coming from, and in case any readers were still in two minds, its first sentence left them in no doubt: "Britain's fuel demo ran out of gas yesterday with barely two dozen protests nationwide."
It also took some space to congratulate itself for its foresight, adding: "Panic buying continued yesterday across the country despite the Mirror telling drivers on Monday that there was no need to stock up as there was no shortage of supply."
The Guardian
Headline: 'Business as usual at fuel depots leaves protesters red-faced' The Guardian was never going to come out on the side of the demonstratorsshown if nothing else by a less-than-flattering Steve Bell cartoon proclaiming "The fat blokes are coming again".
It focused on the protest at Putfleet: "Peter Knight, of British Hauliers, surveying the six placards at the Purfleet demonstration, said: 'We are disappointed. There's 15 of the biggest hauliers from Kent here. We've put ourselves out to make a peaceful protest. Where are all the Essex lads?! don't understand."
For good measure it described the -farce" as Mike Presneil from British Hauliers was removed from his car at Purfleet, which "inadvertently pulled his trousers down".
Presneil was subsequently taken to hospital complaining of a slipped disc. It was, according to The Guardian, "a final humiliation for the hauliers". •