The UK car industry suffered yet another blow in November, as sales of new vehicles fell for the eighth month in a row.

Economic uncertainty continued to affect the industry’s performance in the run-up to Christmas, with a sharp fall in demand for diesel cars and a 33 percent drop in business registration.

Sales slumped by 11.2 percent during the month to 163,541 vehicles, putting the industry in danger of recording its first drop in annual sales since 2011

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders, blamed a higher tax on diesel cars as a major reason for the drop: “An eighth month of decline in the new car market is a major concern, with falling business and consumer confidence exacerbated by ongoing anti-diesel messages from government.

“Penalising the latest, cleanest diesels is counterproductive and will have detrimental environmental and economic consequences.”