Today Labour are forcing Conservative MPs to choose between their Government’s continued inaction in tackling rising energy bills, or to support Labour’s fully-funded package to help families with rising bills.

Energy bills are expected to significantly rise in April- in part due to the Government’s failure to secure our domestic energy supply- and the Government has failed to deliver any practical steps to alleviate the crisis.

Conservative MPs have already voted against our Labour motion to cut VAT on fuel bills, despite promises made by many MPs- including the Prime Minister, during the Brexit campaign that they would support such a measure.

This motion, put forward by Labour in its opposition day debate, now gives Conservative MPs an opportunity to vote for a windfall tax to help fund a national package of support for households.

Oil and gas producing producers are expected to report “near record” income in 2021/22.

Labour is proposing that a windfall tax on these producers could help fund relief measures for families.

There is a growing consensus that windfall tax is a fair and appropriate way to raise the funds needed to help families with rising energy bills. A coalition of leading charities and campaign groups have already backed Labour’s proposal, and polling by Savanta ComRes found that three in four Conservative voters back the move.

But despite the clear evidence that the oil and gas producers are recording record profits, the government has so far ruled out a windfall tax, with Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi telling LBC Radio on January 9th that “oil and gas companies…are already struggling”.

Labour’s fully-costed package to keep energy bills low would be achieved through scrapping VAT off home energy bills for a whole year – alongside focused and targeted support through increasing and expanding the Warm Homes Discount to 9.3 million people.

This would help the average household with around £200 off bills, whilst also delivering targeted and focused support for those who need it most – including low earners, pensioners and the squeezed middle – with up to £600 in total off their bills.

12,883 people would benefit from these plans here in Cardiff Central alone.

In the face of rocketing energy bills, it is right that those who have profited during the crisis pay their fair share.

That is why the public agree with Labour’s proposal for a windfall tax on oil and gas producers to help fund a package of relief for working people. 

But this Conservative Government’s clear opposition to this measure tells you exactly whose side they are on – and it’s not the British people struggling with their energy bills.

It tells you everything you need to know about this Government that they believe we should prioritise oil and gas producers making huge windfall profits that they say are ‘struggling’, rather than the British people who face the true struggle to pay their energy bills.

The British people need a Government that will take on vested interests and put working people first.”