Tony Blair abandoned a planned trip to Moscow this weekend in order to remain in the country as the fuel protestors' deadline to cut petrol taxes approaches.

Oil suppliers say that demand for fuel is increasing as drivers stockpile fuel. Next week's pre-Budget report is not expected to meet the protestors' demands for a 15 pence cut in the price of a litre of fuel. Tony Blair has promised to take a hard line on fuel protestors who attempt to block motorways and city centres. The news comes amid claims that Special Branch has been spying on the organisers of the protests.

Giving evidence to the Trade and Industry select committee, Malcolm Brinded, the chairman of Shell UK, told MPs that the government's contingency plans could not guarantee fuel supplies. In an interview with The Mirror yesterday, Tony Blair admitted that petrol prices were "too high".