THE UK Labour Government can’t be allowed to "pass the buck on their broken energy bill promises," the SNP have warned.
It comes after confirmation that UK Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, wrote to energy regulator Ofgem, urging them to act as Treasury estimates forecast energy bills could be set to soar by over £100 a year in April – the third rise since Labour came to power.
During the election, Labour pledged it would cut household energy bills by £300, but instead, customers have seen bills rise by £170 since last July.
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%, as predicted by energy companies and the Treasury, bills could go up by a further £109.
This would mean a £279 total increase since Labour came to power.
Last month, in his first major broadcast interview, GB energy boss Juergen Maier could not say when the Labour government's £300 energy bill pledge would be met.
When questioned by Sky, "you surely have an idea in your head of when that central pledge to the people, of reducing their bills by £300, will come into action?" Maier said "it's not in the remit of Great British Energy".
SNP Westminster economy spokesperson Dave Doogan MP said: “This is a blatant and cynical attempt by the UK Labour Government to pass the buck on their broken energy bill promises. Ofgem undoubtedly have a significant role in bringing down bills but the ultimate responsibility rests with the Labour party.
“Instead of writing letters, Ed Miliband and the Labour Party need to start living up to their promises. It was the Labour Party who promised that they would cut energy bills by £300 – it wasn’t Ofgem. Instead of washing their hands of responsibility, the Labour government needs to step in, stop further rises and tell voters when their energy bills will be cut by the £300 they promised.
Doogan (above) added: "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 is one more example of the price Scotland pays because of Westminster control over our energy.
"Public trust in Westminster is already at rock bottom due to the Labour government's litany of broken promises. Pensioners have had their winter fuel payments slashed, WASPI women have been denied compensation, and thousands of Scottish children are being pushed into poverty by the Labour government's two child benefit cap.
“If energy bills soar again by over £100 a year in April, that list of broken promises will grow even longer, and the only thing Labour will have delivered is a renewed cost of living crisis.”
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: “Every family and business has paid the price of rising energy bills, which are a direct result of Britain’s vulnerability to volatile global gas markets.
“By failing to invest at scale over many years in the clean, secure, homegrown power our country needs, we have been left exposed to the consequences of events beyond our borders.
“The only way to bring down bills for good is by making Britain a clean energy superpower, which will ensure our energy security, protect consumers, create jobs and tackle the climate crisis.”
