News from Southampton Labour

Whitehead calls for windfall tax on Big Six energy companies

Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, has called for a windfall tax on the profits of the Big Six energy companies, with the proceeds going to help families struggling with their energy bills.

Dr Whitehead is one of the original signatories to Compass’s ‘End the Big Six Energy Fix’ petition, which calls for radical action to tackle rising energy bills and our broken energy market.

The Energy Fix petition calls for the Government to:

1) Impose a levy on the Big Six, with funds raised ring-fenced to help people with their energy costs, prioritizing those living in fuel poverty, by making homes more energy efficient.

2) Give the regulator new powers to cap prices and eliminate excess profit.

3) Launch an independent public inquiry into the Big Six so that everyone knows the measures needed to create an energy market that serves the people before profit.

The petition was launched with the backing of a cross-party group of MPs, unions, charities, academics, as well as celebrities including Tony Robinson.

Dr Whitehead said: “In the first half of 2011, the Big Six increased their profit margins on dual-fuel customers by over 700%. I want to see more of those profits ploughed back in to making British homes more energy efficient and investing in the infrastructure we’ll need to keep the lights on over the next 30 years.”

Anyone can sign the petition at Compass.

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