People in energy rich Scotland are being forced to “pay through the nose” for Westminster’s failures, with a 10% rise to the energy price cap set to push annual household bills up by £149.
It comes just weeks after Labour-imposed austerity ended the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners across the UK, and mean annual energy bills will rise to £1717 – before another expected rise to the cap in January.
The SNP MP for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey, Graham Leadbitter, said the rise would be “confusing and frustrating” for people in Scotland, particularly in communities like his constituency in the north of Scotland which generates an abundance of energy.
Commenting, Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey MP, Graham Leadbitter said:
“Scotland is an energy rich country and yet people here are being made to pay through the nose for Westminster’s failures.
“The announcement is confusing and frustrating in equal measure for Scots, particularly here in northern Scotland, who were promised an end to the cost of living crisis and who can see an abundance of energy produced in their own back gardens every day.
“It was a policy failure of previous UK governments that led to people in Scotland being made to pay enormous energy bills – a policy failure Labour seem intent on copying.
“Keir Starmer promised change – this is far from it.
“Despite watching from opposition as the Tories presided over one of the worst cost of living crises in living memory, Labour have no plan beyond implementing more austerity.
“Instead of taking on board the SNP’s demands to reintroduce the £400 energy bill rebate they’ve ended the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners who’ll now struggle more through a cold winter.
“Labour can, and should, be different from the Tories, but so far they’ve refused to show a willingness to be.”
