Liz Truss has refused to tax energy giants to pay for the massive bill freeze she's expected to announce tomorrow. In her first appearance at PMQs earlier today (Wednesday, September 7), Truss was grilled by Labour leader Keir Starmer on whether energy companies would be made to pick up the bill for the plans, which are expected to freeze household bills at around £2,500.
The freeze could cost up to £150 billion, but when asked by Keir Starmer whether this cost would be passed on to the energy suppliers, the new Prime Minister refused to entertain the idea. In her first PMQs after being elected Conservative leader, she said: "I believe it is the wrong thing to be putting companies off investing in the UK just as we need to be growing the economy."
The Labour leader said that, unless energy bills making massive profits from the spike in prices were made to pay for the freeze, working people would be made to "foot the bill for decades to come" either through their taxes or energy bills. He challenged the PM, saying: "Can't she see there's nothing new about a Tory PM who, when asked who pays, answers, 'you, the working people of Britain."
