Road tax, fuel duty - hmmm?

The news has of course been filled with the stories of the road tax hike and fuel duty increase. We've had hauliers petitioning, talking heads discussing what this means for the 'average' person, and ministers defending them; what we haven't had is an official announcement on any of this. I'll repeat that - none of this is official policy. This has caused me to pause for thought and wonder...

Consultant: "Okay the U-turn on the 10p..."
Minister: "Readjustment!"
C: "Sorry, the readjustment of the 10p tax band didn't bring you back as high in the polls as we'd hoped. It seems that people think you don't listen to them..."
M: "I do, see I'm listening to you now"
C: "Of course, but it's what people perceive and at the moment that's the fact you don't listen to them or understand the hassles they're going through. It's time to get them back on our side"
M: "How?"
C: "We'll leak news that you're going to raise road tax and fuel duty."
M: "Are you mad they'll crucify me"
C: "No no this won't be official policy. We'll let the news leak out, everyone will be up in arms, the papers and TV will slap it up as headline news and then... you come out and say it's not going to happen"
M: "They'll call it a U-turn, I can't do that"
C: "Remember it's not official policy. You come out and announce that it was indeed being looked at, but that you've decided that in this current economic climate it wouldn't be the right or fair thing to do. You show that you've listened to and understood the 'people' and everyone thinks what a nice guy you are."
M: "Hmmm I don't know"
C: "And as a bonus everyone will stop grumbling about the current rates of tax and duty because it could have got much worse"
M: "Excellent"