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Sun, 29 Mar 2026

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 Cut taxes on energy bills before giving bailouts, Badenoch says

The Tory leader refuses to rule out direct payments to households if bills spike but says this would come at a cost.

* Kemi Badenoch says government should cut taxes on energy bills before considering bailouts
* She suggests this would be more effective than direct payments to households, which she acknowledges could come with a cost in higher taxes
* Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said support will be provided to those who need it most if energy bills spiral due to the US-Israeli war with Iran
* Badenoch wants to see the government "taking the burden off everybody" by reducing taxes on bills and accused them of prioritizing people on benefits over others
* The Conservatives have promised to scrap green levies on energy bills, including the Renewable Obligations Certificate and the Carbon Tax
* Labour's Anna Turley MP says Badenoch's proposals would not help Brits struggling with their bills
* Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has suggested providing universal help with energy bills
* The Green Party wants ministers to guarantee that bills will not rise in July when the price cap is updated, and Reform UK would scrap VAT and green levies on household energy bills if it won power