‘A mess-up worth billions’: energy rivals attack Bulb-Octopus deal

Promotional toys at the Octopus Energy headquarters. The supplier says the deal to buy Bulb must go through this year or it will lose its wholesale energy supply arrangements. Photograph: Leon Neal/PA

British Gas has accused the government of trying to hide “a mess-up worth billions” from taxpayers as it attempted to secure a deal to sell collapsed energy supplier Bulb.

British Gas, ScottishPower and E.ON challenged the deal which will see Octopus Energy take on Bulb’s 1.5 million customers.