Fury as Kemi Badenoch 'shows she is on side of oil and gas giants' with demands

Daily Mirror

20 hours ago

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will demand a windfall tax on profits is scrapped, and is set to call on the government to start issuing oil and gas licenses in the North Sea
Kemi Badenoch has come under fire after calling for measures to drive down energy bills to be scrapped.
The Tory leader will demand an end to the windfall tax on oil and gas firms and for a ban on new licences in the North Sea to be lifted. She is accused of being "on the side of oil and gas giants rather than working Scots".
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The energy levy was brought in when Rishi Sunak was in power when profits exploded following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But in a speech to Scottish Tories Ms Badenoch will claim the windfall is "long gone" and claim Labour is "killing this industry".
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She will also demand a ban on new licenses - which are being phased out so the UK can transition to green energy - is scrapped.
Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said her comments were "out of touch", adding: "Even with the windfall tax in place, the energy industry made over £115 billion in profits in 2024 alone.
"Meanwhile, average household energy bills remain hundreds and hundreds of pounds higher than they were before the energy crisis started. While the Government is right to be consulting on reform of the windfall tax, maintaining a profits levy could help fund home upgrades and a social tariff which would bring down energy bills for the most vulnerable in society."
And Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "While the Tories and SNP let energy workers down by failing to plan for the future, Scottish Labour is committed to taking action towards reaching net zero, creating jobs and cutting energy bills.
"The Tories are on the side of oil and gas giants rather than working Scots, but Scottish Labour will work with the UK Government and use devolved powers to deliver a just transition for the industry. With Kemi Badenoch desperately attempting to rally the few remaining Scottish Tories, it seems like it won't be long until they can fit all of their MSPs in a single taxi."
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Ms Badenoch will tell the Scottish Conservative Conference: "When the oil and gas windfall tax, the energy profits levy, was brought in, the oil price was near a historic high, at the exact time as energy bills for the British people were sky-rocketing.
"But there is no longer a windfall to tax. It has long gone. And the longer this regressive tax on one of our most successful industries remains, the more damaging it becomes.
"Labour have extended and increased this tax. They are killing this industry."
A Labour spokesperson said: 'Another day, another unfunded spending commitment from the Conservatives. Kemi Badenoch has not said how she would fund this pledge, which would cost £10.8 billion over the next five years.
'The Conservatives and Nigel Farage 's party are competing for how many Liz Truss style promises they can make. Their reckless plans would mean billions more in borrowing, pushing up people's mortgages, rents and bills."