Do you think he should resign..........

Oh, that's Francis Maude btw!

No of course not! Whatever happened to personal responsibility? It amazes me how ignorant some adults are these days about the dangers associated with electricity, chemicals and fire.
For example, one of my neighbours, a woman in her thirties, had no idea that water and electricity don't mix!

Regardless of what this woman did, he should resign for advising people to break the law and store more than the permitted amount of petrol in their home. Causing panic buying is one way to prevent the public feeling any sympathy with the proposed strike.
He is a buffoon.

I don't think he actually did that, Greatnan, having watched the news report showing what he said.

It's not a resigning matter but I do think that he was daft to suggest that drivers stock-up on petrol.

It's unfortunate that the poor woman didn't realize that petrol vapours are flammable.

She's quite seriously burned - hope she makes a good recovery.

I am sure I heard him mention 'jerry cans' to be kept in the garage.

Petrol in jerry cans has been a no-no for so long now that a whole generation has grown up not knowing how to do it safely.

It's just any excuse to get one over on the other lot.

Pathetic in this instance.

I am sorry for the woman. But that's not the point.

What is the point then, Jingle?
Telling people not to panic buy is a pretty sure way of making sure that they do just that, then when the fuel runs out the hope is that the public will sympathise with the petrol companies and not the drivers.
Advising people to break the law by storing excess fuel dangerously is little short of criminal.
I don't know what you mean by 'the other lot' but surely if somebody in your favoured party does something manifestly stupid you do not support them blindly?
I hold no brief for any of them, by the way, as I think they are all a self-serving bunch of hypocrites with a few honourable exceptions.

It's not illegal to store up to 20 litres of fuel in a proper container in your garage. That's the maximum allowed.

So do you think his advice was wise then?

That's not the point. He wasn't advising people to break the law, is all I'm saying.

And I, in common with many fire service heads, am saying that it was a silly thing to say.
I googled 'storing petrol at home' and got the legal amounts and they are insignificant given the fuel tank capacity of most cars.
His own party have done a pretty quick job of distancing themselves from him so they obviously agree with me and the fire services.

Charles Moore in yesterday's Telegraph quotes Francis Maude as suggesting storing: “a bit of extra fuel with a jerry can in the garage”. The whole article is rather interesting, coming from an admittedly right-wing commentator.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9176237/Even-Im-starting-to-wonder-what-do-this-lot-know-about-anything.html

There has been a lot of conflicting advice about how much petrol you can legally store in your garage but this was in the Telegraph, so itmust be correct:
"According to the London Fire Brigade, it is legal to store up to 20 litres of petrol in two 10-litre metal containers, or 10 litres in two five-litre plastic containers".

www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/9172391/Fuel-strike-minister-Francis-Maude-attacked-for-dangerous-advice-to-store-petrol.html

Whilst I feel sorry for the injuries that the lady received after decanting petrol,would any of us pour petrol into a glass jug as dinner was cooking on a gas hob in the same room ? I think not and this is a lady from what seems to be a very well educated family so surely she must have realised the dangers,I do think Francis Maude has made a big error but he cannot be held responsible I don't think for this ladies very bad error of judgemant.

20 litres would more than half-fill the tank of my Fiesta!
And it would enable me to get to work and back for about a fortnight.

I agree that the woman should not have been decanting petrol whilst the gas hob was , surely thats a no brainer , can francis maude be blamed I don"t really think so

One more " bit " though , I hope she has a speedy recovery

There was also a piece in the DT asking readers if they were encouraged by a Government Minister to jump off Beachy Head, would they stop and think about it before doing so. It's all about common sense which seems to be in very short supply both in the Government, the Opposition and the general public. The public, have been 'nannied' to the extent that some seem unable to think or act for themselves and the Media should take the greatest slice of blame. That's what I think

The point Greatnan, is whether he should resign or not. Not whether I feel sorry for the woman.

And by 'the other lot' I obviously meant the Labour politicians calling for FM to resign.

And I agree with you Gally.

And Greatnan, they're not necessarily my "favoured party".

I'm not really talking politics here. Just this particular incident.

I have obviously not blamed him for the woman's accident - I don't think he should have encouraged people to start buying more petrol than normal as you don't need a great brain to work out that that would empty the storage tanks and hence create shortage and panic.
I don't care what party he represents - as I have said, all the three main UK parties are the same as far as I am concerned.