UK Labour Party Leader Slams Government's Response to Energy Crisis

LONDON (Sputnik) – UK Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said that the Conservative government's response to the cost-of-living crisis is "frankly pathetic," as millions of people will see their energy bills go up by hundreds of pounds from today.

"Of course, it’s a difficult situation, we all appreciate that, but today is a really significant and worrying day for millions of people because their energy bills are gonna go up by hundreds of pounds," Starmer told Sky News broadcaster.

Around 22 million households in the UK will be paying at least $938 more for their annual electricity and gas services from 1 April onward, when the 54% increase in the energy cap authorized by the UK regulator came into force.

According to Starmer, the only "practical plan" to cope with soaring wholesale prices is to impose a windfall tax on the profits made by the oil and gas companies operating in the North Sea and use those funds to reduce energy bills.

"People don't want a revolution, they do want to know how to pay their energy bills," he stressed.

Last week, the Resolution Foundation, a UK think tank specialising in living standards, warned that the cost-of-living crisis would push 1.3 million people into absolute poverty.