Selby Times - March 2026

Like everyone else in the Selby area, I’ve been incredibly concerned by the unfolding conflict in Iran this past month. My thoughts have been with all of those impacted, including those British service personnel called into action for defensive measures, civilians facing airstrikes and the horrors of war, and British citizens in the region. I thought I would use my column this month to reflect on the position the British Government has taken, and to reaffirm my support for those facing financial hardship due to price spikes in heating oil and LPG markets.

In the Selby area, those living in rural villages are reliant on heating oil and gas to keep their homes warm. Around 8,500 households in Selby are not on the gas grid, so a few days after the conflict started, I wrote to the Energy Minister to ask the Government to take measures to support Selby residents who are vulnerable to these price shocks. Since then, the Government has announced a support package for people in hardship because of the higher costs of heating oil. The funds will be distributed through local authorities, so I’ve reached out to North Yorkshire Council to make sure Selby gets its fair share of support, and to support them in distributing the funds to as many vulnerable people as possible.

Locally, people understand that unexpected crises like this one are hard for companies to manage, but I share their anger at some companies’ behaviour. I’ve heard stories of orders being cancelled at very short notice, with residents told to reorder at prices three or four times higher than the original price. Practices like these, as well as some of the naked profiteering we’ve seen, are nothing short of scandalous. The Government has instructed the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate where these practices are taking place, and we’re taking action to make sure those who’ve used this crisis to profit can face legal action moving forward.

Critically, this crisis has highlighted that those on alternative fuels fall outside Ofgem’s energy price cap, a cap which ensures that prices for those on regular energy tariffs won’t increase until June at the earliest. That means they don’t have the same protections as those using gas or electricity. I’ve been making this point to colleagues in the Government, and I’m pleased that we’ve seen a commitment to reviewing regulation in the heating oils market, and I’ll be pushing to make sure consumers in our area have better protections as part of this.

I’m also very concerned about rising prices at petrol stations. Both of the Government’s Budgets which I’ve supported in my time as Selby’s MP have kept fuel duty frozen – I supported them because I know how much people rely on their cars in our local area. That freeze is due to come to an end in September, so I’m pleased that the Chancellor has committed to keeping this under review given the volatility of current events. In the meantime, I’d encourage you to make use of the new ‘Fuel Finder’ online system which maps the cheapest prices in our area.

Turning to Britain’s approach to the wider conflict in the Middle East, the Prime Minister’s current focus is on de-escalation and protecting our troops, bases, and British citizens in the region. So far, the UK has only conducted defensive operations, and the PM has been clear: we will not be drawn into the wider war. Any British involvement is being determined in line with three core principles:

First, our involvement is defensive, which means acting to strengthen our collective defence. This is why additional military capability has moved to the region, including Typhoon fighter jets, F-35s and counter-drone teams.

Second, we want to ensure that we are co-ordinated with our allies. We don’t work alone, so we are leading and co-ordinating with our NATO allies and other partners to ensure a collective response.

Finally, our actions must be legal. Every decision about the UK’s involvement in this conflict needs a legal basis. This allows our military to operate with the fullest confidence, and is the best way to protect British people, bases and our allies.

I’m very pleased that the Prime Minister is taking this level-headed approach, learning the lessons of past mistakes like the war in Iraq and showing leadership on the global stage. The same cannot be said for Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, who announced with great enthusiasm that we should’ve joined the original, offensive US strikes, only to change their mind a week later. The reality is that you can’t row back on a decision like that, and I’ve always been clear that a decision to send our armed forces into conflict would be the most important decision I could ever take as an MP. It is a choice that no responsible politician should take lightly – and I think all leaders in British politics should reflect on the enormous sacrifice our armed forces make before arguing they should be placed further into harm’s way.

I hope that this update has been useful in setting out our response to the conflict in Iran. I sincerely hope that my column next month can focus on my work locally, but I thought it was right to update you on what I know will be a major concern. As ever, my team and I are here to support anyone with issues they’re having locally, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch via keir.mather.mp@parliament.uk or 01757 247 990 if you need my support.