Jamiroquai star Jay Kay has condemned British authorities for planning to hike up the cost of fuel, insisting the troubled economy will never recover if prices continue to soar.
The motor-loving singer, who owns a fleet of more than 30 cars, fears U.K. drivers will be hit hard unless government officials call off plans to increase fuel duty.
He tells Britain's The Sun, "It is beyond a joke now... How is the economy supposed to recover when people can't afford to fill the tank? How haulage firms remain in business is beyond me.
"I spend a lot of time in Scotland and they are being crippled up there. They have longer distances to travel and it costs £1.43 a litre. It is a disgrace.
"Public transport isn't an option and even then, ticket prices will have to rise too because of fuel duty. It's the same in any rural community around the country."
But Kay refuses to leave his native country just because fuel costs are at a record high.
He adds, "People say to me, 'If you hate the prices so much, why don't you live abroad?' Well, I'm British. I'm proud to be British and I love this country. I'm going nowhere.
"I employ eight people full-time and I pay all my taxes. In comparison to other countries we are being ripped off. It's as simple as that."