Swift measures required to offset big rises in electricity and gas charges

Calls for swift measures to be introduced to offset big rises in electricity and gas charges affecting UK home owners and tenants are being backed by a concerned MP.

Proposals highlighted by Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston, and Labour colleagues have been launched with the aim of saving families about £200 on their utility bills.

A package of measures introduced by Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves over the weekend also include a windfall tax on North Sea Oil and Gas to stop energy bills rising over the next year.

Labour have pointed to the Government’s failure to meet the vast potential of British renewable and nuclear energy, a failure to make more homes warmer and well-insulated and a failure to properly regulate our energy market, leading to dozens of energy companies going bust.

The result is rapidly rising prices and an energy crisis hitting millions, including many people in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency and other parts of west Cheshire.

To address the immediate crisis, said Mr Madders, Labour would bring in fully-funded measures now to reduce the expected price rise in April – saving most households around £200 or more – but targeted extra support to ordinary families, pensioners and the lowest earners, receiving up to £600 off bills and preventing all of the increase in energy bills currently expected.

They would pay for this with a one-off windfall tax on North Sea Oil and Gas producers who have profited from price rises.

Highlighting how crucial it is to keep energy bills lower in future, Labour have said they would:

• Reduce Britain’s reliance on imported gas by accelerating home-grown renewables and new nuclear
• Make sure 19 million homes are warm and well-insulated, saving households an average of £400 a year on bills 
• Regulate the market better, with a pledge to never again let energy companies play fast and loose with the rules.

Mr Madders said: “We want to stop bills going up. That’s why Labour would give families security by taking fully-funded measures to save most households around £200 or more, targeting extra support on top of that for the squeezed middle, pensioners and lowest earners.

“But we need more than a short-term fix. Labour’s plan to keep energy bills lower in future would see us accelerate home-grown renewables and new nuclear, retrofit 19 million homes to save households an average of £400 a year on their bills, and reform our broken energy system to stop energy companies playing fast and loose with the rules.”

Mr Madders added: “It is entirely right that the energy producers which are benefitting from this crisis are asked to pay their fair share. “We will reform our broken energy system so we deliver the green transition we need, energy security, and bills that are affordable.”

Pictured - Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston.