BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt slammed Ed Miliband for not being very “helpful” when told about Brits who are worried about rising energy bills this morning.
The energy security secretary was on the broadcast round promoting the government’s new pledge to spend £21.7 billion over the next 25 years on carbon capture, with its first projects to be up an running by 2028.
The news comes as Ofgem’s energy price cap rates came in this week with gas and electricity prices rising by 10% in England, Scotland and Wales, adding around £12 to weekly bills.
So the BBC’s Stayt began by reminding Miliband: “People’s bills are going up.
“My understanding is that when you were trying to became an administration, you were outlining that you were going to bring people’s bills down.”
Miliband replied: “Yeah, and you know why bills went up, Charlie, on October 1? Because we’re in the grip of international gas markets, controlled by petrol states and dictators.
“When geopolitical instability happens, gas markets react, there’s nothing we can do as a government – but there is something we can do!”
Explaining the government’s plan for energy independence, he said Labour have overturned the onshore wind ban, allowed more solar in less than three months than the last government did in 14 years, and had “the most successful renewable auction in history”.
But Stayt ignored that, and said: “When is my bill coming down?”
There was a pause, then Miliband said: “What we’ve said is that by 2030, bills will come down.”
He added that every solar panel, wind turbine and energy grid is constructed, helps the UK “get back control” of our energy security.
But Stayt noted that 2030 promise “frankly, is not much help” especially as the winter looms and people are already struggling with bills.
“What you just said a moment ago was not helpful,” he added.
“The thing is Charlie, we just have to be honest about this,” Miliband replied, saying he could not click his fingers and bring bills down overnight.
Energy bills have been high ever since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, and western Europe decided to wean itself off Russia’s cheap energy exports.