Sunak listed M.I.A. during energy crisis
Reeves’ blast as she calls for industry help
TORY Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been posted “missing in action” by Labour during the escalating energy crisis.
Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has urged the Chancellor to support energy-intensive industries.
She slammed him for ducking big decisions after weeks of denials from ministers about the energy and cost-of-living crises.
With whole sectors in turmoil and energy-intensive industries such as steel, ceramics and glass calling on government to engage with them, Reeves ramped up calls on the Government to support them.
Talks are continuing between industry and ministers after tensions between Sunak and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng over government support.
The Treasury flatly denied having been in talks with the Business Department over any support but yesterday Kwarteng sent a formal request for help for industry from the Treasury.
Despite being on holiday in Marbella, Boris Johnson was urged to “bang ministerial heads together” to solve the energy crisis.
The PM flew to Marbella for a week to stay with his family in a luxury villa owned by Tory peer and minister Lord Goldsmith.
With warnings that some companies could be forced to stop production within days due to the sky-high cost of energy, UK Steel’s director general Gareth Stace said: “With the reported government infighting between the
Treasury and Business Department, the Prime Minister now needs to bang ministerial heads together, take control and remember that if he does nothing, his levelling-up ambition will be left in tatters.”
Reeves demanded a guarantee that no business in energy-intensive sectors will be allowed to fail solely because of the temporary increase in energy prices.
She said: “Our brilliant British industries are a crucial cornerstone of our economy and we should be supporting them to boost our
recovery. The Government should be protecting and supporting them through a crisis which has come about from their own lack of planning.”
Reeves added: “It’s crucial to also see the Government reassuring the public that they won’t be hit with more rising costs as millions are left with less money in their
pockets.”