A SENIOR Tory has called for the UK Parliament to reconvene to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
John Redwood said after that the Queen’s funeral MPs should meet to discuss the energy crisis facing households and businesses across the UK.
Political activity was suspended following the Queen’s death on Thursday and comes before Parliament’s conference recess that starts on September 22 and finishes on October 17.
But with the energy prices increasing to an average of £2500 a year per household on October 1, the Wokingham in Berkshire MP has called for Parliament to return before then.
Redwood tweeted: “After mourning a much-loved Queen and the state funeral Parliament should meet.
“The current plan for a long conference recess means a delayed return on October 17th.
"We need to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and energy shortage before then.”
The calls came just before the UK Government announced it will hold an emergency budget next week to address the economic crisis.
Downing Street confirmed that Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng will hold a "fiscal event" despite the Queen causing political activity to stop.
The House of Commons is currently in recess following the Queen's death and is set to go into conference recess again on September 22.
This means next week will be the only opportunity for MPs to act.
The next increase in Ofgem’s price cap will come into effect on October 1, with the operator previously saying yearly energy bills for the average household would reach around £3500.
Last week, Prime Minister Liz Truss set out plans for an energy guarantee which would effectively limit the price cap to £2500.
But charities warned this would still have a devastating impact on families, and see their energy bills rise by about £600 over current levels.
Truss announced the strategy on Thursday in the hours before the Queen’s death.
Paid for with tens of billions of pounds of borrowing, it guarantees that for two years bills for the average home will not increase past £2500, saving typical households around £1000.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “The public should be reassured that the energy price guarantee will be in place for households from October 1, as planned.
“We’re implementing that guarantee initially through private contracts with suppliers rather than through legislation so this mourning period doesn’t impact that introduction.
“We’re working urgently now on the wider aspects of the policy to ensure it can be delivered. As it stands we do not believe the mourning period would impact on delivery of the policy.”
