Budget: Tiverton & Honiton Lib Dems slam “out of touch” plans to hike energy bills

Responding to the Spring Budget today, Richard Foord MP, Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton, has condemned the Government's plans to increase energy bills as "so out of touch they might as well be on a different planet."

It comes as Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that energy bills will remain at £2,500 for the next three months, meaning the typical household energy bill will be double what it was in April 2021. The Chancellor also scrapped the £400 discount on bills which all households received this winter and failed to U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals by 85%.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Chancellor to cut the Energy Price Guarantee by £500 per household, funded through a proper windfall tax on the record profits of oil and gas companies. This would mean average bills would drop to £1,971 a year, with the support in place until next April.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling extra targeted support for the least well-off households, including doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300.

Analysis from the Lib Dems based on official local electricity and gas consumption statistics show that households in Tiverton & Honiton would save an average of more than £300 each under the party's plans. This would mean total savings of nearly £30 million for local families.

Commenting Richard Foord, Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton said:

"The Conservatives government's choice to hike energy bills will come as a hammer blow to families in Devon already struggling with soaring mortgages and rents, shopping bills and tax rises.

"These plans will push more families into fuel poverty, while oil and gas companies making record profits are let off the hook.

"The Conservatives are so out of touch they might as well be on a different planet.

"In these tough times, local people deserve a proper plan to tackle this cost-of-living crisis. That means a proper windfall tax, a £500 cut to energy bills and investment in our local health services."