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Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock     (uk-is-not-facing-diesel-shortage-despite-fears-of-trump-export-ban-minister-says.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       The UK is in talks with other European countries over the potential release of emergency diesel stockpiles. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock       (https://www.theguardian.com/business/energy-industry) Energy industry     UK is not facing diesel shortage despite fears of Trump export ban, minister says   In effort to avoid panic at pumps, Keir Mather insists supply of fuel to Britain is ‘inherently resilient’ (https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/oct/02/french-bond-sell-off-euro-crisis-cuts-tax-rises-eurozone-inflation-us-jobs-report-latest-news-updates) Business live – latest updates            (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/marksweney) Mark Sweney   Fri 2 Oct 2026 05.09 EDT   (mailto:?subject=UK is not facing diesel shortage despite fears of Trump export ban, minister says&body=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/02/uk-is-not-facing-diesel-shortage-despite-fears-of-trump-export-ban-minister-says?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          The government has moved to avert panic at the pumps, insisting that the UK is not facing a diesel shortage after (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) Donald Trump threatened to cut off US supplies of the fuel. The transport minister Keir Mather said on Friday that the UK has a wide range of sources of the fuel and is (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/01/britain-talks-european-allies-eu-emergency-diesel-stockpiles-reserves) in talks with other European countries over the potential release of emergency diesel stockpiles.  “I want to reassure people that they can still go to the pump and fill up with diesel because the supply we have to the UK is inherently resilient,” he said, speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. “The flows of diesel into the UK come from a variety of sources, and that is resilient. The government’s obligation now is to work really closely with our partners [in Europe] and officials in the US administration to re-stress how important it is to have flows of diesel into the UK.” The UK relies on the US for about 30% of its diesel, with the vast majority coming from mainland Europe, and has reserve supplies for 42 days. Earlier this week it emerged that the UK’s biggest refinery, Fawley in Hampshire, is set to shut down for up to 10 weeks for planned maintenance. The UK had 18 refineries in the 1980s but now has only four. On Thursday the UK (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/01/britain-talks-european-allies-eu-emergency-diesel-stockpiles-reserves) opened talks with European allies over releasing emergency diesel supplies, after the Trump administration told Germany and France to release their stockpiles to help ease soaring prices or face a US supply ban. The average (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/sep/28/price-of-diesel-on-uk-forecourts-reaches-all-time-high) price of a litre of diesel in the UK hit an all-time high on Wednesday of 199.72p, according to the motoring body the RAC. “Although prices have gone up at the pump, the government is aware of that, and the freeze in fuel duty is still in place,” Mather said. “People shouldn’t be concerned about shortages because of the inherent resilience that is built into that system.” The government has extended the 5p cut in fuel duty until the end of the year. Earlier this week the RAC called on the government to (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/sep/28/price-of-diesel-on-uk-forecourts-reaches-all-time-high) extend the freeze into spring.  “We need to give people support where we can,” Mather said on GMB. “The government is not powerless. That is why we have a fuel duty freeze in place at the moment. The chancellor will set out the future of that at the budget, but is very aware of the impact that [high prices] are having on people.” (uk-is-not-facing-diesel-shortage-despite-fears-of-trump-export-ban-minister-says.html#EmailSignup-skip-link-10) skip past newsletter promotion     Free newsletter | Every weekday    Sign up to Business Today  Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning  ()   Enter your email  ()   Sign up      after newsletter promotion   On Friday, Dan Jørgensen, the EU commissioner for energy, said Europe was discussing the issue of whether to release emergency reserves of diesel with all members of the International Energy Agency, not only the US. “This ‌is one of the ​opportunities that we have; we ⁠have used it before, ​and ​it is ​likely ​that ‌we ​would use ​it again,” he told Euronews.         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(https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2026%2Foct%2F02%2Fuk-is-not-facing-diesel-shortage-despite-fears-of-trump-export-ban-minister-says&type=article&internalpagecode=business/2026/oct/02/uk-is-not-facing-diesel-shortage-despite-fears-of-trump-export-ban-minister-says) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content                  More on this story                      More on this story                     (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/01/britain-talks-european-allies-eu-emergency-diesel-stockpiles-reserves)    ()      Britain in talks with European allies over release of emergency diesel stockpiles amid Trump pressure   (Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 12:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 17h ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/sep/28/price-of-diesel-on-uk-forecourts-reaches-all-time-high)    ()      Price of diesel on UK forecourts reaches all-time high   (Monday, September 28, 2026 at 06:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 4d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/24/eu-trump-diesel-export-ban-fuel-prices-europe)    ()      EU says Trump’s plan to ban US diesel exports would ‘negatively impact both sides’   (Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 10:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 24 Sept 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/04/fuel-price-surge-diesel-farmers-uk-us)    ()      ‘Astronomical’ fuel price surge hits farmers in UK and US   (Friday, September 4, 2026 at 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 4 Sept 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/aug/28/uk-petrol-prices-highest-level-almost-four-years-bank-holiday-getaway)    ()      UK petrol prices hit highest level in almost four years as bank holiday getaway looms   (Friday, August 28, 2026 at 07:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 28 Aug 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/18/uk-retailers-too-slow-pass-on-fuel-price-falls-cma)    ()      UK retailers too slow to pass on fuel price falls, watchdog says   (Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 07:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 18 Aug 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/31/uk-petrol-price-hits-iran-war-high-adding-to-pressure-on-households)    ()      UK petrol price hits Iran war high, adding to pressure on households   (Friday, July 31, 2026 at 10:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 31 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/24/retail-sales-rise-british-motorists-petrol-diesel)    ()      Retail sales rise in Great Britain after Iran war prompted ‘panic at the pumps’   (Friday, April 24, 2026 at 10:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 24 Apr 2026                        Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe   (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  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