Ed Miliband responds to the energy price crisis

"A basic duty of government is to ensure secure, affordable energy supplies for businesses and consumers. It is a fundamental failure of long-term government planning over the last decade that we are so exposed and vulnerable as a country and it is families and businesses that are paying the price.

"The Government must take all necessary steps to ensure stability for customers and do everything in its powers to mitigate the effects of this crisis on businesses and consumers.

"Yet it is making the squeeze on household finances worse by putting up taxes for working people and cutting Universal Credit.”