PRIME Minister Gordon Brown made a whistlestop tour of Swindon today where he delivered a speech insisting that falling oil prices must be passed directly to energy customer in the wake of the latest economic turmoil.

As the cost of a barrel of crude hit its lowest level for 12 months, the Prime Minister insisted the decline had to be reflected at the petrol pumps and in fuel bills.

He also appealed to Opec leaders to be "statesmanlike" and not force oil prices back up by cutting production.

The premier, speaking at Steam in Swindon, explained the Government's response to the global financial crisisa and said recent volatility in oil prices had been unprecedented.

After reaching highs of about $150 a barrel, prices tumbled as low as $82 in early trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange today.

Mr Brown said: "We are determined that, when that happens, that fall is also passed on to people at the petrol pumps and to people who have got gas and electricity bills.

"We are determined that just as people act quickly to pass on the rise when the oil prices rises, they pass on the fall when the oil price falls."

Stressing that economic circumstances in Britain were being driven by world events, such as the credit crisis coming out of America, Mr Brown said he was pushing for greater "stability" in oil prices.

"I'm talking to the leaders of Opec who really are responsible for setting the oil price and telling them that they must not, as of them are planning to do, cut oil production now so that the price will go up again," he said.

"They must act in a statesmanlike way to help the rest of the world by making sure that we have a stable reduction in the oil price, so that families in Britain and other countries can get petrol at a lower price and gas and electricity bills moved to a better position."

The Prime Minister, speaking to members of the public in Swindon, was challenged about the level of the winter fuel allowance as energy bills soar.

"I'd like the winter allowance frankly to be higher," he said. "But we've got to balance the need to do other things such as increasing expenditure on the health service and meeting all our targets in the health service, with what we can do on direct benefits.

"To raise the winter allowance to £250, which will be paid in the next few weeks, and to £400 for the over-80s, shows our determination to do more to help."

Mr Brown also said he was confident that measures taken this week would help to stablise the banking system.

The Government is investigating the Icelandic situation, he said, and had asked for any UK money to be returned.

"We're doing everything in our power to make sure this money is returned," he said.

If you had one minute with Gordon Brown today, what question would you ask him? Tell us below - and the best questions will be published in tomorrow's paper.

Also see tomorrow's paper for a full report and pictures of Mr Brown's visit.

A video clip of Mr Brown in Swindon will be available by clicking here later this evening. For the full video, keep an eye on our website on Monday.