Labour must be ‘more generous’ with help on cost of living, says Ed Davey at Lib Dem campaign launch
Sir Ed Davey has raised concerns that energy bill support being considered by the Government will not include people on middle incomes who are being "hammered" by price rises caused by the Iran war.
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He said Labour needs to move faster and be ‘more generous’ with cost of living help.
He told LBC the government needs to come up with a “targeted package for people who are really struggling.”
“There needs to be help for others as well,” he said.
“If people on modest and middle incomes are going to find paying an extra £500 on energy bills, which is what some people are saying, on top of higher petrol prices, on top of higher mortgage costs, on top of the cost of living already, they're going to really struggle and that will hit our economy. So the government's got to think really carefully and I think they should be a little more generous than what I'm hearing.”
Read more: Trump suggests unpopular Iran war was Pete Hegseth’s idea
Asked if people need to prepare for food and fuel shortages, he said: “The government needs to act to make sure they don't. You know, in the past, Liberal Democrats acted when we had that chance and we helped secure really a large number of renewables, which have helped get the costs down, because renewables are now the cheapest form and also more secure. I think the government, the last government was disastrous, certainly disastrous on energy policy. This government needs to move faster. “
"There definitely needs to be something targeted because there are people who are really struggling already with energy bills, let alone before these rises caused by Trump's illegal war,” he added.
Sir Ed Davey was speaking at the Lib Dems’ local election campaign launch where the party will seek to contrast with Nigel Farage's Reform UK, which he will say would rather "point the finger of blame" than "get their hands dirty" fixing the issues communities face.
He highlighted the Lib Dem campaign priorities, which will focus on the cost of living, NHS and care, rescuing high streets, cleaning up rivers and restoring community policing.
He also accused Mr Farage and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch of having "cheered on" the US President's war on Iran.
The Lib Dems are expecting to boost their councillors in the May polls in former Conservative heartlands of Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex and gain ground against Labour in London, Birmingham and Newcastle.