Recall parliament early to tackle soaring energy bills, Labour urges PM
Labour has urged Boris Johnson to recall parliament next week so the government can offer more help to struggling households before the announcement of the new energy price cap.
The opposition has written to the prime minister and both Tory leadership candidates warning that it is a “crucial deadline” for government action to tackle soaring energy bills, after inflation topped 10% for the first time in 40 years.
Ofgem will announce the new level at which energy bills will be capped next Friday, with forecasts predicting an increase to £3,582, or 82% above the current cap.
Annual energy bills are expected to hit £4,500 a year from January, and £5,456 from April, with warnings that households across the country face serious hardship without government intervention.
Labour this week unveiled a £29bn plan to freeze the cap at the current level of £1,971 for six months from October, which would save the average household £1,000, piling pressure on the next prime minister to follow suit.
Thangam Debbonaire, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, has now written to the prime minister, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, urging them to recall parliament two weeks early and to freeze the price cap before winter.
“Across Britain, people are having to make unthinkable choices about how to pay their bills, causing endless worry for households and businesses,” she said.
“In seven days, Ofgem will announce the rise of the energy price cap. Against the backdrop of a rise in inflation to 10.1%, this won’t just send households into a further spiral of worry, pushing them to cut back even further ahead of the winter. But it will create another shock for our economy.
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