potatoes. Potato rationing started. Mid-year: A transport and dock strike, which among other effects caused much loss of imported meat left to rot on the docks, until the Army broke the strike. The basic petrol ration was stopped. 1948 1 June: The Motor Spirit (Regulation) Act 1948 was passed, ordering a red dye to be to put into some petrol, and that red petrol was only allowed to be used in commercial vehicles. A private car driver could lose their driving licence for a year if red petrol was found in their car. A petrol station could be shut down if it sold red petrol to a private car driver. See List of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1940–1959: 1948. June: The basic petrol ration was restored, but only allowed about 90 miles per month. Bread came off ration. 1949 May 1949: Clothes rationing ended. According to one author, this was because attempts to enforce it were defeated by continual massive illegality (black market, unofficial trade in loose clothing coupons (many forged), bulk thefts of unissued clothes ration books). June, July and August 1949: The basic petrol ration was temporarily increased to allow about 180 miles per month. 1950 23 February 1950: 1950 general election fought largely on the issue of rationing. The Conservative Party campaigned on a manifesto of ending rationing as quickly as possible. The Labour Party argued for the continuation of rationing indefinitely. Labour was returned, but with its majority badly slashed to 5 seats. March 1950: The Ministry of Fuel and Power announced that the petrol ration would again be doubled for the months of June, July and August. April 1950: The Ministry of Fuel and Power announced that the petrol ration would be doubled for 12 months from 1 June. 26 May 1950: Petrol rationing ended. 1951 25 October 1951: 1951 United Kingdom general election. The Conservatives came back into power. 1953 4 February 1953: Confectionery (sweets and chocolate) rationing ended."Immediately after the surprise announcement yesterday by the Minister of Food that sweets rationing "will end today", an Evening News reporter went out to buy himself half-pound box of chocolates." Sweets. All you want, and no bother. Shields Daily News. Thursday, 5 February 1953. Page 4, col. 4. September 1953: Sugar rationing ended. 1954 4 July 1954: Meat and all other food rationing ended in Britain. Although rationing formally ended in 1954,