In Red Ed’s new carbon budget and growth delivery plan, there is net zero mention of the promise to bring down energy bills by £300, instead swapping in a broad commitment to bring down bills – with no specific target or date. Ed was still flogging the line earlier this month, telling the BBC: “we stand by our promise to get bills down by up to £300 by 2030.” A DESNZ spokesman said:
“We remain determined to bring down bills, and stand by our commitments. This plan runs well beyond 2030”
Guido can reveal the £300 pledge, which featured prominently in Labour’s election manifesto, has actually been dropped for months. Earlier this year an internal government spat resulted in a defeat for Miliband and his SpAds after civil servants objected to the accuracy of the claim. This makes it official…
Craig Beaumont, executive director of the Federation of Small Businesses:
“Business sentiment is now closer to dismay than confidence.”