Conservatives: 346 Labour MPs vote for Boiler Tax

Today, 346 Labour MPs have just voted to give the Labour government powers to impose extra costs on families who install new gas boilers.

On Monday, the government threw its support behind the Clean Heat Market Mechanism (CHMM), which gives the Secretary of State the power to fine boiler manufacturers for not selling enough heat pumps – costs that manufacturers will inevitably pass on to customers installing gas boilers.

Though Labour tried to sneak it through, the Conservatives today demanded a vote of the whole House, so that this Boiler Tax could face full scrutiny and Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs would have to decide whether to vote against imposing this new tax on their constituents.

However, 346 Labour MPs voted through the measure – confirming that Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's obsession with rushing to net zero is more important to them than delivering cheap and secure power for the British public.

Additionally, the Liberal Democrats voted with Labour during the vote, showcasing once again that they are not capable of standing up for the British public as a credible party of opposition.

Thanks to Labour, these new powers will mean companies will face increased fines in the coming years, which will inevitably be passed onto consumers - pricing people out of gas boilers in order to meet heat pump targets.

The Conservatives scrapped this measure last year but Labour' decision to introduce it is part of their wider hit to family finances. From their reckless National Insurance hike, to their Grocery Tax and Family Flight Tax, it is clear that Labour are willing to heap costs on to ordinary families in the name of net zero. Millions of homes in this country are not suitable for a heat pump, but they will have no choice but to pay Ed Miliband's Boiler Tax.

This comes after the Labour Government have set out energy plans which will send energy bills soaring, and have scrapped the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners in poverty despite promising the to cut voters' energy bills by £300 during the general election.

Claire Coutinho MP, Shadow Energy Secretary, said:

“Ed Miliband has shown repeatedly that he is willing to heap costs on ordinary families in the name of Net Zero. By introducing the Boiler Tax, he will have the power to meddle with the price of gas boilers and cause real hardship for struggling families.

“It also leaves the door open for eco-activists to increase boiler prices through the courts, which is fundamentally undemocratic. It should be for consumers to decide what works best for them, rather than being priced out of products by politicians.

“But despite all of this, Labour have still forced through the Boiler Tax - showing that Ed Miliband will always put ideology over protecting family finances."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• 346 Labour MPs voted for the Boiler Tax, as well as 51 Liberal Democrat MPs (Parliament UK, Draft Clean Heat Market Mechanism Regulations 2024, 15 January 2025, link)

Labour's net zero taxes are making life more expensive for families:

• Labour's boiler tax could hike the price of a new boiler. Ahead of a potential boiler tax, boilermakers warned they would have to put up the price of their products to cover the cost of the penalties (The Daily Telegraph, 16 November 2024, link).

• Labour's holiday tax could increase a family holiday by hundreds of pounds. The introduction of the ‘Sustainable Aviation Fuel' mandate is forecast to add more than 20 per cent to the cost of flying (The Daily Telegraph, 4^th January 2025, link).

• Labour's £1.4 billion grocery tax risks hiking up the cost of a weekly shop. The Extended Producer Responsibility scheme – a green levy on packaging waste – is estimated to bring in £1.4 billion from retail sales in the first year, according to government estimates. If passed onto shopping bills families could face a £58 hike a year (The Daily Telegraph, 21 December 2024, link).

The Prime Minister unilaterally signed the UK up to higher emission reduction targets, with no plan to get there, or protect family finances:

• Keir Starmer announced an 81 per cent emission reduction target at COP29. Keir Starmer committing to cutting emissions by 81 per cent by 2025 at COP29, without a plan to get there (BBC News, 11 November 2024, link).