Labour is today forcing Conservative MPs to choose between their
Government’s continued inaction in tackling rising energy bills
or to support Labour’s fully-funded package to help families with
rising bills.
While the Conservatives continue to argue among themselves over
whether to save the Prime Minister’s job, their chaos and
incompetence is paralysing the country.
Tuesday's opposition day debates will show only Labour has a plan
to tackle the cost of living crisis and grown the economy.
Energy bills are expected to significantly rise in April- in part
due to the Government’s failure to secure our domestic energy
supply - and the Government has failed to deliver any
practical steps to alleviate the crisis.
Conservative MPs have already voted against Labour’s motion to
cut VAT on fuel bills, despite promises made by many MPs-
including the Prime Minister, during the Brexit campaign that
they would support such a measure.
This motion, put forward by Labour in its opposition day debate,
now gives Conservative MPs an opportunity to vote for a windfall
tax to help fund a national package of support for
households.
Oil and gas producing companies are expected to
report “near record" income in
2021/22.
Labour is proposing that a windfall tax on these companies could
help fund relief measures for families.
There is a growing consensus that windfall tax is a fair and
appropriate way to raise the funds needed to help families with
rising energy bills. A coalition of leading
charities and campaign groups have already backed
Labour’s proposal, and polling by Savanta
ComRes found that three in four Conservative voters back
the move.
But despite the clear evidence that the oil and gas companies are
recording record profits, the government has so
far ruled out a windfall tax, with Education Secretary telling LBC Radio on January
9th that “oil and gas companies…are already
struggling”.
Labour’s fully-costed package to keep energy bills low would be
achieved through scrapping VAT off home energy bills for a whole
year – alongside focused and targeted support through increasing
and expanding the Warm Homes Discount to 9.3 million
people.
This would help the average household with around £200 off bills,
whilst also delivering targeted and focused support for those who
need it most – including low earners, pensioners and the squeezed
middle – with up to £600 in total off their bills.
Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero
said:
“In the face of rocketing energy bills, it is right that those
who have profited during the crisis pay their fair share.
That is why the public agree with Labour’s proposal for a
windfall tax on oil and gas companies to help fund a package of
relief for working people.
But this Conservative Government’s clear opposition to this
measure tells you exactly whose side they are on – and it’s not
the British people struggling with their energy bills.
It tells you everything you need to know about this Government
that they believe we should prioritise oil and gas companies
making huge windfall profits that they say are ‘struggling’,
rather than the British people who face the true struggle to pay
their energy bills.
The British people need a Government that will take on vested
interests and put working people first.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
Labour’s Opposition
Day Motion
That this House notes the cost-of-living crisis hitting
families across the country and that the energy price cap is
predicted to rise by 50 per cent from April; recognises that
rocketing energy prices are hitting businesses as well as
household budgets; calls for the government to introduce a
windfall tax on the profits of North Sea Oil and Gas companies;
and further calls on the government to use the windfall tax to
help fund a package of support for families and businesses facing
the energy price crisis.
