Nigel Farage believes Sir Keir Starmer has “seized the advantage” following his new £29billion energy pledge.
Sir Keir has set out a “very strong, robust, costed plan” to stop energy bills rising over the winter – paid for in part by an extension of the windfall levy on the profits of the oil and gas companies.
The Labour leader said the plan to address the “national emergency” would freeze the energy price cap at its current level of £1,971 for six months from October, saving the average household £1,000.
Speaking about the new plan, Nigel said on GB News’ Farage: “How’s he going to pay for it? Well he’ll be doing away with Rishi’s £400 handout to households.
Nigel Farage
GB News
Sir Keir Starmer
Danny Lawson
“He’s also going to change the tax system which allows oil and gas giants tax concessions if they re-invest in the North Sea.
“I’ll tell you what it does have going for it, sheer simplicity, people know that’s the cap and it’s staying for at least six months.
“It also deals in the short term with the great fear, genuine fear that millions of households have got and we’ve seen guesstimates suggesting that up to half of households in Britain will not be able to pay their bills by the end of this year.
“Almost unbelievably a YouGov opinion poll suggests that up to three quarters of Conservative voters like the idea.
“Now what are the downsides, if it’s just for six months and it's going to cost £29billion, what could it cost if it goes on for one year or two years.
“And the very last thing we should be doing is discouraging big companies from investing in this country, after all wouldn’t we rather become energy self sufficient at some point in time."
He added: “While Boris Johnson holds summits in Downing Street that reach no conclusions whatsoever and then goes on holiday yet again.
“And while Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak tear chunks out of each other, actually nobody on the Conservative side is offering any real answers.
“And I would criticise all of them for barely talking about supply at all, all anyone is talking about is prices, they appear to be unconcerned that the lights might go out in February.
“But in terms of political initiative, Keir Starmer has seized the advantage at a moment when this government looks complete and utterly rudderless and I think in political terms alone, Keir Starmer has got this right.”