PM again rebuffs calls for windfall tax on energy companies; Starmer calls for more onshore wind

During Prime Minister's Question Time today...

Responding to complaints from Sir Keir Starmer about the lack of government action over rising fuel prices, the Prime Minister said he would be setting out an energy-independence plan in the course of the next few days.

Starmer complained about the profits of the BP and Shell, who he said had more money than they knew what to do with. He repeated his call for a windfall tax. Mr Johnson replied that would simply see the oil companies put their prices up yet higher and make it difficult for them to divest from dependence on Russian oil and gas, "which they were doing very responsibly." The country needed a long-term independent and sustainable energy supply policy.

Starmer retorted: "Protecting energy companies' profits and not people; doesn't that say it all?" Long-term energy security relied on nuclear energy and renewables, but the Conservatives had effectively banned new onshore wind. He called on the Prime Minister to relax planning laws. 

The Prime Minister said it was thanks to the massive investment in renewables that the UK produced more wind power than virtually any country in the world.