In that time, oil and gas producers have made £4.7bn in profit, and families have forked out an astronomical £16.5bn in energy bills whilst inflation spiralled to 9%, leaving many more people in poverty.

Since 9th January, Chris Elmore has voted in favour of implementing a windfall tax to cut energy bills three times.  Not once in these votes did a Tory MP back the move.

The excuses from the Conservative government have ranged from:

• A windfall tax deterring investment, despite the CEO of BP saying the opposite
• Claiming that oil and gas producer profits were “struggling” despite them seeing record profits
• Saying a windfall tax was “unconservative” despite both George Osborne and Margaret Thatcher having brought in similar moves in the past

Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, said:

“The Tory Government has sat on its hands for nearly 5 months.  In this time Labour has had to drag them kicking and screaming to this obvious solution and give families support on their bills.  Why has it taken them so long?  Why have families had to struggle and worry while he dragged his feet? The simple answer is they just don’t understand what everyone is going through.

While they’ve been finding new lies to cover up illegal lockdown parties, Ogmore residents  have been confronted with ever rising energy bills.  

This Tory U-turn shows what Labour can achieve in opposition.  Imagine what we could achieve in the UK Government working closely with the Welsh Labour Government.  Labour is on the side of working people, and we wouldn’t leave them footing the bill for so long like this UK Government is happy to do.”