Labour has said that scrapping VAT from energy bills for one year, while increasing the 'Warm Homes' discount to 9.3 million people, would alleviate the anticipated extra costs imminent for the poorest people. The average household would pay £200 less on their bills if the government adopted Labour’s plans, the party said.
Labour’s motion for a new tax on the profits of North Sea producers to fund a support package for families and business was approved in the Commons last night by 192 votes to zero, majority 192.
However, Conservative MPs abstained and the government is not compelled to act by the result given that the motion is non-binding.
The division list showed five DUP MPs, the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas (Brighton Pavilion) and Alliance’s Stephen Farry (North Down) were among those to back Labour's proposal.
Opening Labour’s opposition day Commons debate, Ed Miliband, shadow climate change secretary, claimed there has been “silence...