No new measures to help with cost of living after crisis talks between Boris Johnson and energy bosses | Politics News

Boris Johnson has doubled down on his insistence that his successor need to “make significant financial decisions” after negotiations with energy bosses ended with no new measures to reduce the cost of living crisis.

Speaking after the meeting, the Prime Minister said he would continue to urge the energy sector to ease the financial pressures that are struggling families.

But he repeated his stance that it was for his successor in Number 10, Liz Truss or Rishi Sunakto “make important financial decisions,” a Treasury spokesman said.

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Mr Johnson has come under pressure to use the rest of his time in office to introduce a new package of measures to deal with the rising cost of living.

He has been accused of “disappearance” and running a “zombie government” as the country was heading into recession, with energy bills forecast to reach £4,200 in January.

On Monday, he declined calls from Gordon Brown hold daily emergency COBRA meetings to prevent people from getting “cold and hungry” this October, when the energy price cap rises.

The former Labor prime minister said new backing could not wait until a new Prime Minister was chosen on September 5.

However, A spokesman for Mr Johnson said that “by convention, this prime minister did not make major fiscal interventions during this period”.

In a tweet after today’s meeting, Mr Johnson said he knew people were worried about “difficult winter ahead”.

He said there was already a package of support, which included a £400 discount for all households.

Prime Minister Nadhim Zahawi and energy companies have agreed to “close cooperation” in the coming weeks to ensure that the public, including vulnerable customers, is supported, the finance ministry said. when costs increase.

But Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey said: “It is appalling that the Conservatives have yet to announce any further support for families and pensioners facing their toughest winter. for many decades.

“The most fundamental element of this chaos is that the people who can really help, Truss and (Rishi) Sunak, are more interested in talking to their party than taking the action our country needs. .”

Gordon Brown ‘doesn’t lead Labour’s policy’

The roundtable comes as Labor prepares to announce its own package of measures to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Sir Keir Starmer is due to visit Edinburgh tomorrow, where he is expected to talk about some elements of the party’s proposals to help those with rising energy bills, before a full announcement next week next.

Labor has faced criticism for attacking Boris Johnson for going on holiday amid the worsening economic crisis, although Sir Keir is also away from home.

Earlier, on Sky News, a Labor commentator denied Gordon Brown was leading party policy in Sir Keir’s absence after the former Prime Minister called for energy companies to be temporarily nationalised, in his third major intervention this week.

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Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed said Labor would put forward a package of proposals “in the next few days”.

Asked if Gordon Brown would “lead the Labor party”, he said: “No, Labor will put together a package of proposals at full cost on how we are going to help the British people. Next week. is when we’re going to take that forward.”

Labor has called on ministers to remove what it calls a “gap” in the wind tax on oil and gas profits.

In May, the government announced that it would impose a tax on “extraordinary profits” of the oil and gas sector. This includes a tax break that the government says is intended to encourage investment.

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But Mr Reed said they did nothing as he called on the government to come up with solutions to the current cost of living crisis rather than watch the Tory leadership candidates “fight like rats in a sack”. .

Earlier this week, the leader of the Lib Dem, Ed Davey, called for the removal of the energy price ceiling this October and for the cost to be covered through a wind tax.

And today, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also came under pressure as she said the increase in the energy price ceiling should not continue and accused the British Government of “lack of action” on the matter.