Chris Elmore and Huw Irranca-Davies, MP and MS for Ogmore, have renewed calls on the UK Government to introduce a windfall tax on profiting gas and oil companies to bring down energy bills and support families through the cost of living crisis.

Campaigning in Maesteg Town Centre on Friday, Chris Elmore MP and Huw Irranca-Davies MS spoke to local people about the cost of living crisis, urging constituents to sign the Labour Party’s petition to back their plan to lower energy bills and help families in Ogmore.

Last week the UK Tory Government voted against Labour’s windfall tax plans in Parliament, choosing not to take action to help people with the rising cost of living, whilst inflation skyrocketed to 9%.

Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, said:

“North Sea Oil and Gas giants are raking in millions in profits.  By voting against Labour’s windfall tax plans, the Tories are choosing to let people struggle when they don’t need to.

People in Ogmore deserve so much better.  On Friday Huw Irranca-Davies and I were out in Maesteg Square chatting to local people and urging them to sign our petition to back plans to bring down energy costs.

The Welsh Labour Government are doing all they can to support people in Wales, such as a one-off payment to help people with immediate financial difficulties, but we need the UK Government to do so much more to tackle the cost of living crisis.”

Huw Irranca-Davies, MS for Ogmore, added:

“The Tory made cost-of-living crisis is hitting hard and our Welsh Labour Government, local authorities and many volunteer organisations are doing all they can to mitigate the cost-of-living pressures.

The stark difference between support offered by the Welsh Government compared to the UK Government shows the Tories are failing working families!

Whilst people in Ogmore struggle to pay their bills, oil and gas companies have made £745 extra profit every second, from rising prices, yet Boris Johnson still ruled out a windfall tax.

We urge the UK Government to do much more, including the windfall tax and an uplift to Universal Credit.”