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Rachel Reeves has just upset thousands of motorists. Drivers want car tax updates now - but Reeves isn't listening. The Chancellor has just hiked Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) car tax bills in April, with costs now as much as £200 more for petrol and diesel drivers. This comes after certain motorists were hammered with double first-year tax rises last spring. Drivers must be thinking "when will it end!".

Ahead of price rises this spring, thousands of motorists took a stand and called on the Treasury to take action. A new Parliament petition demanded that Reeves introduce a 50% VED reduction for cars aged 20-39, expanding thecurrent 40-year exemption on vehicles.

Campaigners suggested quite rightly that keeping existing cars on the road would actually be more eco-friendly and greener than just building new cars. They suggested that this "disposable" car culture needed to end.

Thousands of motorists backed the concept, with over 50,000 individuals signing on the dotted line calling for Reeves to take action. The poll easily passed the 10,000 signature threshold to get a proper response from the government.

Did Reeves announce that the plan would at least be given proper consideration by officials? No, she metaphorically shoved her fingers in her ears.

Responding to the survey, the Treasury shut down the argument in the blink of an eye. When Labour needed a quick PR win, it was clear that it wouldn't come from tax changes. Officials confirmed that there were no plans to reduce VED liabilities for vehicles between 20 and 39 years.

As if throwing a bone to angry motorists, the Treasury pointed out the £2 billion pledged for local authorities to repair, renew and fix potholes on their roads.

Money for potholes is all well and good and will be welcomed by many, but the 50,000 signing up to tax change wanted one thing: tax changes. These are motorists already struggling to stay on the roads with the cost-of-living crisis and want their duly elected ministers to help.

The petition is set to run until August 6, with another 48,000 or so signatures needed to ensure the argument is considered for the debate in the House of Commons.

Reeves will need to face the music. Will Labour finally put together a U-turn that people can finally get behind? I very much doubt they will.