07Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Scrap ‘grossly unfair’ postcode lottery for energy bills

Scrap ‘grossly unfair’ postcode lottery for energy bills

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have today called for the scrapping of the regional differences in electricity and gas bills, which sees some households paying £124 more for their gas and electricity just because of where they live. Party leader Ed Davey said Boris Johnson's failure to scrap the differences showed he isn’t serious about “levelling up the country.” The UK is broken up into fourteen different pricing regions where it costs different amounts to get electricity and gas to people’s homes. This leads to people in the North of Scotland, Wales and South West England paying more for their gas and electricity bills than other parts of the country. Analysis by the Liberal Democrats based on those who use a high amount of energy - shows that households in North Wales…
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02Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Energy rebate: Weak, flimsy and already weeks overdue

Energy rebate: Weak, flimsy and already weeks overdue

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports the Government is planning to announce an "energy rebate" to reduce household bills, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said: "This Government plan is just not up to scratch. It is weak, flimsy and already weeks overdue. People are drowning in energy bills right now. This plan would be wiped out straight away anyway by Boris Johnson's unfair tax hikes now just weeks away. "Boris Johnson is only looking out for himself despite too many households making the heartbreaking choice between heating and eating. "This plan leaves taxpayers footing the bill whilst oil barons profit off spiralling prices. The Liberal Democrat windfall tax proposal would make oil and gas companies pay the tab and save households more money. It is time for the Government to go back…
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17Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Public most likely to blame oil and gas companies for rising prices as majority back windfall tax

Public most likely to blame oil and gas companies for rising prices as majority back windfall tax

Parliamentary news
– New polling finds 71% of those asked supported a windfall tax on oil and gas companies. Almost 8 in 10 (78%) people blame oil and gas companies for rising energy prices, according to a new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats. More people blame oil and gas companies for price rises compared to the Government (69%), household energy providers (65%) and OFGEM (58%). The polling also shows approaching three in four (71%) support a tax on profits of oil and gas companies to increase support for households struggling to afford rising prices. This support for a tax on oil and gas company profits rises amongst those who voted Conservative at the last election (75%). Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey was the first politician to call…
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06Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems demand “Robin Hood tax” on oil and gas super-profits

Lib Dems demand “Robin Hood tax” on oil and gas super-profits

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey has called for a “Robin Hood” tax on the super-profits of oil and gas firms to raise money to support millions of families facing soaring energy costs. The proposed one-off levy would raise an estimated £5 billion from companies that are making record profits from soaring energy prices. This would be used to support vulnerable families facing a crippling 50% increase to their energy bills. Earlier this week it emerged that Russian energy giant Gazprom’s trading arm, based in London, has cashed in a £179 million dividend. Meanwhile, the boss of BP has described his company as a 'cash machine' after soaring oil and gas prices boosted its profits to £2.4 billion in the third quarter of 2021 alone. Ed Davey,…
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27Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Britain’s £100 million Christmas energy bill bombshell

Britain’s £100 million Christmas energy bill bombshell

Parliamentary news
Households in the UK will pay a whopping £100 million more than they did last year for their energy - and that’s only during the seven days between Christmas and New Year. New analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows that due to the increase in the energy price cap UK households face dramatically higher bills this Christmas with more rises to follow next year. Worse, if you add the extra £3.75 a week for the whole year, families will be paying an extra £195 a year. Yet there’s even worse to come as energy bills are to increase again this Spring, when the price cap is revised up again by at least a further £400 a year. The Liberal Democrats are calling for the Warm Homes Discount to be doubled…
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30Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats welcome continued progress on electricity bill

Borough news, Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrats are delighted to see the Local Electricity Bill continue to gain momentum in Parliament, as the issue once more comes up for discussion (30 November). Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillors put forward a motion to Council (July 2020) favouring the Local Electricity Bill, which received cross-party support and was agreed. Now the bill will feature as part of the ‘Empowering Community Energy Schemes’ Adjournment debate in Parliament on Tuesday 30th November at 2.30pm. Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE also used the opportunity of the recent COP26 climate change conference to write to newly appointed Energy Minister Greg Hands MP asking for the government’s support for the measure. “It is great to see Parliament once more debating this bill”, said councillor Sykes. “The Local Electricity Bill will…
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06Aug 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Energy price cap: Government choice not to delay is “outrageous”

Energy price cap: Government choice not to delay is “outrageous”

Parliamentary news
Following the news that the energy price cap will increase by up to £139 a year, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said: “This price cap increase will plunge thousands of low income households across the country into more uncertainty. At a time where Covid-19 has already done so much damage, for the government not to delay this is outrageous. “If the Tories actually cared about keeping the costs of energy low they would not have scrapped their home insulation programme earlier this year. Their failure to upgrade homes has left those on low incomes at the mercy of energy suppliers who have increased their bills. “Liberal Democrats are calling for a long-term home insulation programme to cut energy bills and reforming the price cap to properly target those…
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25Mar 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead call for moratorium on VAT on energy bills in the face of coronavirus crisis

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone has secured cross party support for his letter to the Chancellor calling for a moratorium on VAT on energy bills through the coronavirus crisis.  The letter comes in the wake of figures from Uswitch forecasting that households could see bills increase as much as £195 as  a result of spending more time at home due to government restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.  Jamie Stone, Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross said: “Right across the UK people are desperately worried about how they will make ends meet in the face of this crisis. Many already find themselves out of work, on reduced pay or having to rely on Universal Credit. Ensuring people using prepaid meters are not cut off is a first step,…
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