Tuesday 14th May 1957

Petrol rationing, which had been in force in Britain for five months following the Suez crisis, was abolished. Rationing was brought in after Egypt’s President Gamal Abdul Nasser took over the running of the Suez Canal from a Franco-British company in July 1956. He had been refused funds to build the Aswan High Dam because of his links with the USSR and nationalised the canal as a sign of Arab defiance against western powers. Rationing has cost the Ministry of Power about £20,000 a week to enforce.