Climate Minister Accused Of 'Hypocrisy'

Labour MP has written to the Climate Minister accusing him of "hypocracy" over the energy bills and the slashing of 'Feed-In Tarrifs'.

Caroline Flint MP, Labour's Shadow Energy Secretary said on Tuesday she has written to her Government opposite Gregory Barker, highlighting the Government's "hypocrisy and how out of touch they are".

Mrs Flint said that while people across the country were facing soaring energy bills the Tory-led Government had stood back and watched the big six energy companies increase their profit margins eightfold, while cutting help for pensioners this winter.

"Gregory Barker is seriously out of touch if he thinks people will fall for his spin," she said.

Mrs Flints letter read: "Yet again, the Government's decision to cut further and faster than any other nation is stifling jobs and growth – and in this case, the development of a truly green industry."

The Labour minister said her party had legislated for Feed-in Tariffs, which apply to small-scale and low-carbon electricity generation, and that Labour had began the growth of the industry, especially solar, creating "thousands of jobs" and giving families more control over their electricity bills.

"But the policies of this Tory-led Government have all but killed it in its infancy, leaving thousands of skilled workers at risk of losing their jobs, and excluding nearly nine out of ten families from having solar power," the minister said.

She added: "Labour will continue to fight for a fairer deal for the people of Britain on energy prices and to expose the devastating impact of the Government’s reckless attack on Feed-in Tariffs.”

(DW)