KEIR Starmer has been told Labour must own up to its “failure” to keep an election promise to cut energy bills by £300.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn confronted Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday – after Ofgem announced the price cap would rise by £111 in April.
He said: “Prior to the election the Labour Party promised to reduce energy bills by £300, yet on their watch energy bills are about to increase by almost £300.
NEW: Stephen Flynn has blasted the Prime Minister over rising energy costs despite Labour's General Election pledge to cut bills 🗣️ 'Has the Labour Party been caught lying to the public?' pic.twitter.com/Fq2UdAEr7Y
— The National (@ScotNational) February 26, 2025
“So may I ask, is the failure to keep that promise a consequence of government incompetency or have the Labour Party been caught lying to the public?”
Starmer said the Government was “very proud” to be pushing for “energy independence which will keep our bills lower”.
He added: “He knows very well what my position is. But I note that again he’s very quiet on the SNP record and I’ll tell you for why, just this week we’ve seen the attainment gap widening in Scotland. Pupils leaving schools with no qualifications rising, those from deprived areas going to work falling.
“Instead of playing the politics of grievance, they need to take responsibility for their own record.”
The annual energy bill for a household on a variable tariff – as opposed to a fixed deal – using a typical amount of gas and electricity will go up by 6.4% or an average £111 a year to £1,849 from April 1.
Regulator Ofgem said it increased the cap in response to a recent surge in wholesale prices.
The cap is set every three months and limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity, but not the total bill, so if you use more, you will pay more.
It affects 22 million homes in England, Wales and Scotland.
