BP profits and fear of energy bills: Greens call for ‘super tax on dirty profits’

2 August 2022

Commenting on almost £7bn profits by BP between April and June [1], while one in eight UK households fear they have no further way to make cuts to afford a sharp increase in annual energy bills this autumn [2], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“These dirty profits made by climate wrecking corporations are completely obscene when millions of households are having sleepless nights over how they are going to pay their energy bills this winter. We need to super tax the grotesque profits of oil and gas companies to ensure that everyone has a warm home this winter. 

“Every week that goes by with no leadership from government is a week wasted that could have been spent insulating homes. And every pound that goes into the pocket of a fossil company executive is a pound that should have been spent on insulating the homes of lower income households.

“But the Tories have left it too late. We cannot insulate enough homes fast enough to protect people this winter, which is why we need to adopt the policy of a social tariff, ensuring that the amount people pay for energy relates to their income. And to add £40 per week to the income of all those on universal credit and other legacy benefits to help with the knock-on effect of energy price rises on food and clothing.”

Notes

  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62382624

  2. More than one in eight UK households fear they have no way of making more cuts | The Guardian

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