There seems to be a growing pattern in British politics over the last couple of years: the wrong decisions consistently being taken at the worst possible time.

Whether it is the result of poor judgement or simply incompetence, the effect is the same. Ordinary people and local businesses are left carrying the cost.

We saw it locally last year, when the Liberal Democrats chose to hike parking charges in Farnham just as the most disruptive phase of the multi-million-pound infrastructure programme got underway. A bad decision, made at precisely the wrong moment.

Now we are, again, seeing the same play out nationally.

Labour is pressing ahead with fuel duty increases in the middle of a period of global instability, with conflict in the Middle East already driving volatility in oil markets and pushing up prices at the pump at the fastest rate since 2022. Again, the wrong decision at the worst possible time.

For many in semi-rural and rural communities like ours, driving is essential. I welcome the improvements secured to local bus services last year, but the immediate reality is that most people still rely on their cars every day. When fuel costs rise, there is no easy alternative.

Yet motorists are being squeezed from every direction. Fuel duty is rising. Parking charges are up. And these increases are coming in quick succession, compounding the pressure on household budgets.

By March next year, Labour’s changes will add around 5p per litre to fuel prices, with further inflation-linked rises already planned. For a family with two cars, that is an extra £156 a year in fuel duty alone. This is a meaningful increase in the cost of everyday life.

All of this points to a deeper problem: a lack of joined-up thinking. Decisions are being taken in isolation, without proper regard for timing or cumulative impact. It is frustrating. It is a failure of leadership.

The same lack of clarity is evident in energy policy. At a time when energy security has never been more important, Labour appears unwilling to make use of one of our most immediate and reliable assets: the North Sea.

The Conservatives take a different approach. We believe Government should act in step with the pressures families are facing. That means recognising when to ease the burden, not increase it.

Our plan is clear and deliverable. We would remove VAT from energy bills for three years, scrap carbon taxes and reverse green levies, while unlocking North Sea production to generate billions in additional revenue.

Taken together, these measures could cut the average household energy bill by around £200.

At a time of rising costs and global uncertainty, people are not asking for grand gestures. They are asking for common sense. For decisions that reflect the real world they are living in.

Right now, that sense of timing and understanding is missing. And it is ordinary families who are paying the price.