Labour response to Ofgem’s energy price cap announcement + other responses

A Labour Party spokesperson, responding to Ofgem's energy price cap announcement, said:

“Energy bills soared under the Conservatives because they tied our country to the fossil fuel rollercoaster and working people are still paying the price. From banning onshore wind to failing to deliver new nuclear, their reckless decisions left Britain exposed to wholesale gas prices that are still 75% higher than before Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

“That's why Nigel Farage's unpatriotic war on clean energy would be a total disaster for families, businesses and our economy. His destructive plans would push bills higher, kill nearly a million jobs and scrap billions of pounds of vital investment across the country that will strengthen our energy security.

“This Labour Government's Plan for Change is protecting consumers with three million more families getting £150 off their bills through the Warm Home Discount, a total of six million in all, as we continue to invest in clean homegrown power to bring energy bills down for good.”

Ends


Notes:

Despite 14 years in power, the Conservatives failed to protect Britain's energy security:

• The Conservatives blocked the cheapest form of new energy - onshore wind. Their effective moratorium on onshore wind, slashing of subsidies, and scrapping the zero-carbon homes standard was estimated to have made energy bills nearly £2.5bn higher over the past decade.
• By blocking hundreds of solar projects that had planning permission and were ready to go, the Conservatives destroyed the market for another of the cheapest forms of new energy.
• The Conservatives failed to get Britain's homes insulated, overseeing a 20-fold cut in installations over the last decade, leaving Britain with the draughtiest homes in Europe.
• The Tories took the disastrous decision to close crucial UK gas storage facilities in 2017. They refused to listen to warnings, giving the closure the green light, and washing their hands of responsibility.
• Labour identified 10 sites for new nuclear power in 2009, however the Tories sat on their hands for 14 years, and as a result not one new nuclear station was completed on their watch.

Reform's unpatriotic 'war on clean energy jobs' would be a disaster for Britain:

• Reform have actively tried to discourage businesses from investing in clean energy in the UK - leaving bills higher for families, threatening hundreds of thousands of good jobs across the country and putting our energy security at risk.
• This ‘war on clean energy jobs' would immediately threaten over 950,000 good jobs in thriving industries across the country - including 100,700 in Scotland, 70,500 in Yorkshire and the Humber, and 67,450 jobs in the East Midlands.
• CBI jobs figures by region: 

·       London: 153,700 jobs 

·       South East: 123,900 jobs 

·       Scotland: 100,700 jobs 

·       North West: 96,800 jobs 

·       West Midlands: 83,000 jobs 

·       East of England: 83,400 jobs 

·       South West: 79,000 jobs 

·       Yorkshire and the Humber: 70,500 jobs 

·       East Midlands: 67,450 jobs 

·       North East: 31,800 jobs 

·       Wales: 37,800 jobs 

·       Northern Ireland: 23,100 jobs

Greenpeace reaction to Ofgem price cap increase

Commenting on Ofgem's latest price cap announcement, which will rise by 2% from October, Greenpeace UK's climate campaigner, Lily-Rose Ellis, said: 

“This price cap increase is another kick in the teeth for households and businesses across the country. British energy bills have seen more ups and downs than a playground yo-yo in the 90s, and this volatility will only continue until we shift our energy system away from climate-wrecking fossil fuels and onto homegrown renewable power.

“At the very least, we must stop expensive gas from setting electricity prices — a system that drives up bills and prevents cheaper wind and solar from cutting and stabilising costs.”

Liberal Democrats - Energy price cap: Government must cancel rise and take up plan to halve bills

Responding to Ofgem announcing that the energy price cap will rise by 2%, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“The last thing struggling families and pensioners need is higher energy bills this winter. The Government should cancel this rise and take up our plan to halve energy bills instead.

“Ministers should be cutting bills by making sure energy firms pass on the benefits of cheap renewables, not putting up bills yet again.

“Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage would only make things even worse by shackling us to expensive, dirty fossil fuels, pushing us into the arms of Vladimir Putin.”

ENDS

Notes To Editors:

The Liberal Democrats' plan to halve energy bills can be found here.