The news that energy bills are set to rise by 13% this July is a massive blow. I know so many families and individuals across Aldridge-Brownhills are already stretching every penny, and this extra pressure is the last thing anyone needs. While the regulators are shifting the maths around to make the headline figures look better, the reality for local people is a sharp like-for-like spike in what we actually pay.
This jump is being driven by global markets and overseas conflict, which proves exactly why we cannot rely on foreign energy imports. It is common sense: to protect British jobs and stop our bills from being at the mercy of international shocks. That’s why we need homegrown energy security. We must utilise our own resources and back the North Sea and Gas industry.