This week, the Tories scheduled an Opposition Day debate to end the ban on new oil and gas licences in the North Sea. 

The motion also demanded that the government act against a court decision on an application for drilling in the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields in Scotland.  

Both fields were granted approval for oil exploration under the Tory government, but the judge ruled that sufficient assessment of the environmental impact of the projects had not been conducted. 

It is hardly surprising that the Conservative Party are asking this government to overturn a legal decision which is a damning indictment of their penchant for cutting corners and short-term thinking. Fortunately, their motion was defeated in the House of Commons, with the Reform Party abstaining. 

At Prime Minister’s Questions this week, Kemi Badenoch again urged the Prime Minister to U-turn on a key manifesto pledge to ban additional North Sea drilling. This rhetoric is exploiting valid public concern around energy prices for political grandstanding, during a time of serious international instability no less.  

I’ve heard from many of you who are concerned about energy prices as the conflict in the Middle East continues. We’re all watching the price of a barrel of oil fluctuate rapidly on a daily basis, worrying how much of this volatility will be passed onto us at the forecourt.  

Families are stressed that summer holidays will become unaffordable as jet fuel gets more expensive and flight costs shoots up. Even if you don’t drive or travel, you’re far from shielded from oil prices, as the increases affect all kinds of consumer goods.  

There is a lot the government can do to mitigate changes in energy prices. Unfortunately, but not unsurprisingly, the steps the Tories have proposed this week won’t work. 

And Kemi Badenoch knows that. That’s why she is on the record as Trade Secretary stressing the need for investment in nuclear and renewables to bring down bills. 

Research by the University of Oxford has shown that an increase in extraction of oil and gas in the UK would fail to deliver lower energy bills. In fact, a fully renewable energy sector would deliver savings of up to £441 for bills in the average household, versus just £16 – £82 with maximum oil and gas extraction.  

To prevent opportunistic profiteering by energy providers, the Chancellor wrote to energy firms to make it clear that any attempts to extract profits from consumers because of the conflict in the Middle East would not be tolerated. In Parliament yesterday, she also confirmed that those who need help will receive targeted support if energy bills jump due to the Iran war.  

This Labour government is committed to an effective transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, creating a secure energy sector and delivering thousands of jobs in renewables. These steps have resulted in bills coming down by up to £100 next month. Energy bills will be around £117 lower from April to the end of June in England, Scotland and Wales, for a household using a typical amount of energy.  

The fate of this country, during periods of conflict and peace, should come before political grandstanding. Thankfully, this government is making decisions in the best interests of ordinary people, now and in the future. 

Bringing down bills 

The affordability crisis is the number one issue facing families. That’s why the Labour government has acted to bring down energy bills for households across the country. 

The energy price cap is coming down by 7% (£117 annually) in April because of the choices made by Labour at the Budget; to ask those with the broadest shoulders to pay their fair share in tax to fund vital cost of living support. This is on top of the expanded Warm Home Discount, which has meant nearly 6 million families are receiving £150 off their energy bills. 

The Labour government is committed to fighting people’s corner as potential impacts of conflict in the Middle East arise. That’s why we’ve committed to stamping out unfair practices in the energy sector, outlining plans for greater regulation of the heating oil industry by introducing a new strengthened Code of Practice, as well as stronger protections including price transparency and greater repayment options. 

We’re delivering the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades through our Warm Homes Plan and investing record amounts in clean homegrown power to get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices. 

As we bring down bills, we are standing up for consumers on the issues that matter to them and clamping down on bad behaviour by energy companies – reducing standing charges, acting on the forced installation of prepayment meters, making automatic compensation quicker, fairer, and easier, and overhauling the energy market. 

Delivering energy security  

Half of the UK’s recessions since 1970 have been caused by our exposure to fossil fuels. The only way to have sovereignty for our country is to be in control of our own energy. 

Labour has delivered the biggest ever investment in homegrown clean power in British history, including the biggest nuclear building programme in half a century. We’re securing the cheapest sources of energy for our country – enough to power the equivalent of 23 million homes. 

Great British Energy, Labour’s publicly owned energy company, is delivering for communities across the country. GBE is already cutting bills for around 250 schools and 250 hospitals and has set out its plan to deliver enough clean power for 10 million homes and support over 10,000 jobs by the end of the decade.