The forecasted rise in fuel bills is like a 'time bomb waiting to explode' for families in the North East who are facing a 'tsunami of human suffering', it has been claimed, amid concerns the price cap will hit more than £4,200 in January.
The two remaining contenders in the Tory leadership race faced renewed calls to spell out how they would help after Cornwall Insight forecast average bills could hit about £3,582 in October, from £1,971 today, before rising even further in January.
Read more: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to go head to head in Darlington hustings tonight
But while former chancellor Rishi Sunak said he had “no doubt” extra support would be needed to get people through the winter, Liz Truss again insisted her priority was tax cuts to kick start the economy.
Earlier, Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis, appealed to the two contenders to bury their differences to tackle the problem problem together, warning the country was facing a “national cataclysm”.
“They are all in the same party; let’s call on them to come together for the good of the nation rather than personal point-scoring,” he said.
Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said the forecasted rises make for "horror reading" - adding an "ever-increasing numbers of people will not be able to afford to eat and heat their homes this winter".
He said: "The forecasted rises in fuel bills make for horror reading for families in Middlesbrough and across the country. It is like a time bomb waiting to explode and the unavoidable consequence will be that ever-increasing numbers of people will not be able to afford to eat and heat their homes this winter.
"People need immediate financial support and assurances, yet we have an absent Prime Minister and Chancellor, and the rest of the Conservative Party are too busy tearing strips off each other in a bid to curry favour with their next Leader.
Read more: Martin Lewis issues warning to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss ahead of Darlington hustings
"They have nothing but contempt for the people of this country and the all too real issues they are facing right here and right now.”
Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham added: “People are already worried sick about how they’ll pay their bills and afford to buy groceries, and the forecast from Cornwall Insight shows that there is a dire need for action now to support the most vulnerable in our society, and stop people being pushed into poverty.
“Yet while people are crying out for help in the face of this catastrophic rise in energy bills, the Conservatives are missing in action. The Prime Minister has clocked off and his zombie government do nothing.
"This is a complete and utter abdication of responsibility at a time when the country needs strong leadership and urgent action. Nor can we expect much from either candidate vying to replace Boris Johnson, both of whom are more focused on trashing the other than providing a coherent plan to tackle the rocketing cost of living crisis.
“The Government needs to provide more immediate support now, and a plan to insulate homes and roll out renewables to cut bills for good.”
Mary Kelly Foy, City of Durham MP, said the region and the country was facing an "tsunami of human suffering".
She said: “The latest prediction that energy price rises will hit £4200 are eye watering and will put almost half of all households into fuel poverty.
"The price of heating is simply unaffordable - made even more immoral when you factor in the record profits energy companies continue to make.
"We are facing a tsunami of human suffering this winter and yet the Government are missing in action and the continuity candidates for Prime Minister seem oblivious to the very real cost of living crisis people are experiencing.
"The people of this country have been abandoned and their standard of living is slashed. The Tories inaction is unforgivable - not just tolerating poverty at the margins of society, but ensuring it becomes disgracefully commonplace in our communities.
"This is a national disgrace - we must see urgent action from this Government.”
But Jacob Young, Conservative MP for Redcar, said the Tories had introduced an "immense package of support to help people through the cost of living".
He added: "I'm looking forward to attending the hustings tonight in support of Rishi Sunak who I think will be the best Prime Minister for this country.
"He's already introduced the immense package of support to help people through the cost of living as well as our economic response to Covid-19, including furlough.
"I am confident that, with all his experience and expertise, Rishi is the person to put the us on the best possible track to tackle the challenges facing the UK going forward."
Speaking during a campaign visit to Huddersfield, Ms Truss said that if she became prime minister she would “see what the situation is like” in the autumn.
However, in a fresh sideswipe at Mr Sunak’s record at the Treasury, she said that with the tax burden at a 70-year high, the priority had to be economic growth, with a package of emergency tax cuts.
“What I am talking about is enabling people to keep more money in their own pockets,” she said.
“What I don’t believe in is taxing people to the highest level in 70 years and then giving them their own money back. We are Conservatives. We believe in low taxes.
“Of course, we will need to deal with the circumstances as they arise. We will see what the situation is like in the autumn, but I am committed to making sure people are supported and I am committed to growing the economy.
“We can’t get the economy growing if we have the highest tax rates for 70 years in this country.”
Mr Sunak has argued that her plan to scrap a hike in national insurance would do little to help the most vulnerable, giving less than £60 to workers on the national living wage and nothing at all to pensioners.
A spokesman for his campaign said: “Liz Truss has doubled down, refusing five times to say she will provide direct support for British families and pensioners this winter.
“Liz’s plan will not touch the sides for the majority of British families this winter and pensioners will get no help whatsoever. It seems she is divorced from reality.”
Mr Sunak has pointed out that, as chancellor, he provided £15.3 billion in targeted support for families – with at least £1,200 for eight million of the most vulnerable households.
Ahead of the pair's hustings in Darlington tonight, the town's MP Peter Gibson said: "I’m delighted that the Conservative Party has once again chosen Darlington to be the location for its North East hustings.
"I look forward to welcoming party members, the candidates and journalists from across the region to Darlington tonight and hope that they will return for further visits in the future to sample everything we have on offer here.
"I’ve made it clear I’m supporting Rishi. He’s a person I’ve know for over eight years since he was chosen to replace William Hague, who incidentally is backing him too. Rishi had the vision to develop the Freeport policy which we are seeing the benefits of and his stewardship of the economy during the pandemic and through cost of living challenges tell me he’s the one to take us forward.
"We must not forget here in Darlington it was Rishi’s decision to locate the Northern Economic campus here bringing hundreds of jobs to our town, truly levelling up and ensuring local people can go far but stay local."
Read next:
- Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss reveal pitch to the North East as they fight to become new PM
- What Rishi Sunak would do for the North East if he became Prime Minister
- What Liz Truss would do for the North East if she became Prime Minister
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