Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has slammed the Government for failing to tackle soaring energy bills.
Gwynne’s intervention comes after Labour pledged to freeze the price cap and provide a Genuine Living Wage to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
Last Friday, the energy regulator Ofgem announced that it would be increasing the energy price cap. This means that an average family will pay £3,549 a year on their energy bills from October. It is anticipated that the price cap will continue to rise, with some analysts predicting they could hit £6000 for average families by next April.
Labour has called for Parliament to be recalled in order for the current price cap (currently at £1,971) to be frozen. Labour would pay for this in-part by raising more revenue from the oil and gas producers making record profits thanks to global wholesale prices. The party has also highlighted that by keeping energy bills down, the rate of inflation will reduce, leading to a reduction in Government debt payments and savings in the long-term.
The Conservative leadership contest is entering its final days, with neither candidate committed to matching Labour’s pledge. Today, Liz Truss – widely regarded as the frontrunner – cancelled a planned interview with the BBC, leading to accusations that she is ‘running scared’ of scrutiny.
Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:
“While Labour has been working hard to develop a fully-costed plan to protect people from astronomical price rises, the Tories have been fighting like rats in a sack. This leadership contest has effectively brought the Government to a standstill. The Prime Minister has been missing in action, and the Chancellor seems to be under the impression that it isn’t his job to protect the British people from ruinous price rises.
Every day I hear from constituents, right across Denton and Reddish, who are absolutely terrified about how they are going to afford to heat their homes and put food on the table. They deserve a Government that is working around the clock to give them the support they need.
Enough dither and delay, let’s freeze the price cap, guarantee working people a proper living wage, and actually get to grips with the scale of this cost of living crisis.”