Gordon Brown yesterday gave his strongest signal yet he is going to abandon the 2p-a-litre increase in fuel duty within weeks, as oil prices hit yet another record high. It is likely he will announce before the Glasgow East byelection due on July 24 that the planned increase will be frozen. It is possible for the government to do this even if parliament is not in session. The hint came as a barrel of Brent crude topped $146 for the first time. Pressed on the 2p duty increase due to take effect on October 1, the prime minister said that often such rises had not gone ahead: "You'll find that in most years since 2000 the duty has actually been frozen." Any such decision was for the chancellor, Alistair Darling, he qualified himself, but added: "It is clearly a matter that will be looked at very, very carefully over the next few...
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