Energy bills are up by almost £300 under David Cameron. The “big six” energy companies are seeing their profits soar. Yet, people in my area have to choose whether to heat their home or eat. It is shameful.

Fuel poverty affects 7,000 people in my constituency. Finding it difficult to juggle heating their homes, paying their bills and working in low paid jobs, this government have inflicted a cost of living crisis on ordinary people that I had hoped we would never see again.

The recent launch of a full market investigation into energy companies prices is a clear admission that Britain’s energy market is broken and that radical action is needed. 

One of my constituents told me that having a hot bath and heating his home is a luxury he cannot afford every day, most days he is left piling on the layers just to stay warm.

Something needs to be done. 

Labour called on the government in 2013 to impose an energy price freeze. David Cameron rejected this Labour proposal, saying it was unworkable. With the energy company SSE recently announcing an energy price freeze David Cameron was clearly wrong, it is now plainly obvious he just did not want to help ordinary people.

It is clear that the Tories stand up for the few at the top not the old lady trying to stay warm in her home. David Cameron has cut tax for people on over £150,000 a year while raising it for the shop-worker who is on a zero-hours contract. This Government will not do anything to address the cost of living crisis and help people out of fuel poverty.

That is why Labour would help with everyday costs in a fair way, to benefit everyone. We would freeze energy prices until 2017 which would save a typical household £120 a year. Labour would also provide 25 hours free childcare per week for 3 and 4 year olds, scrap the unfair and unjust bedroom tax and tackle low paid jobs and zero hours contracts to help get more people back on their feet.