SNP urges Keir Starmer to ‘step in’ as energy bills rise for third time since Labour took office

The SNP has urged Sir Keir Starmer to “step in” after energy bills rise for the third time since Labour took office.

It comes after Money Saving Expert's Martin Lewis warned the public to brace for “bad news”, warning the price cap is set to go up.

He wrote: “EDF now predicted Ofgem will increase it by 3.3 per cent rise, British Gas predicts 5 per cent, Eon Next predicts 5.7 per cent. We're only a couple of weeks from the end of the assessment period. So that means this is getting pretty firm. It's now nearly unthinkable that it'll drop, it's going to rise, the big question is how much.”

During the election, the Labour Party promised voters that it would cut household energy bills by £300, but GB Energy is not yet fully in place to do so.

Bills have risen by £170 since the Labour government came to power and are now predicted to rise again. The energy price cap rose by £149 in October and a further £21 in January. If the price cap rises again by as much as 6 per cent, as predicted by energy companies, bills could go up by a further £109 meaning a £279 total increase.

Dave Doogan MP has written to the Prime Minister

Writing to the Prime Minister, SNP Economy spokesperson Dave Doogan MP said: “I urge you to step in and stop energy bills rising for the third time on the Labour government's watch. If you fail, and these predictions come to pass, the total increase in energy bills under the Labour Party could be a staggering £279 - almost the polar opposite of what you promised.

"Scotland is an energy-rich country. Yet, under the Labour government, families are being forced to pay among the highest electricity prices in Europe. It's shameful.

"As you know, there are growing warnings about the rising cost of living and the poor state of the UK economy under the Labour government. There are significant fears the UK faces stagflation - a toxic combination of higher prices, rising unemployment and stagnant economic growth.

"I urge you to do the right thing, and honour your word, by outlining how you will prevent energy bills rising and, instead, reduce them like you promised you would.”

It follows GB energy boss Juergen Maier being unable to say when the Labour government's £300 energy bill pledge would be met.

The department for energy security and net zero has been approached for comment.

In a separate development, redundancy letters are understood to have been sent to staff at the Grangemouth refinery as closure looms.

It was announced last year that the facility would close and transition into being an import terminal as owners Petroineos reported massive losses.

The shift is expected to keep around 65 of the roughly 500 jobs on the site and redundancy letters have begun being handed to staff.

It is understood only a small number of redundancies are mandatory.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of trade union Unite, said the closure is a “national disgrace” and a “needless act of industrial vandalism”.

She said: “There is a clear plan for the future of Grangemouth in place. Yet the UK and Scottish governments are missing in action.”