Jack Monroe hits out at 'tone deaf' Govt and slams energy companies for 'playing us for fools'

14 August 2022, 11:28

'I hear almost hourly from people who are absolutely petrified.'

By Sophie Barnett

Food campaigner Jack Monroe has hit out at the Tory government's "tone-deaf" and "privileged" response to the cost of living crisis, as she accused energy companies of "playing us for fools".

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Ms Monroe took a swipe at leadership hopefuls Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, as well as prime minister Boris Johnson, during an interview with LBC's Ben Kentish.

She said their "let's wait and see" policy to cost of living measures is the "most tone-deaf, privileged thing they could possibly say".

It comes after crisis talks with energy firms held at Downing Street on Thursday ended with no details of any plans to help struggling people, following warnings annual bills could hit £5,000 next year.

Ms Monroe said there's a "complete lack of urgency" from those in "luxury positions".

She told Ben: "For someone like Rishi Sunak, who has more money than the Queen, of course he can say 'oh let's just wait and see how things pan out' because things are going to pan out just fine for him.

Read more: Truss vows no windfall tax for energy firms as Boris accused of doing nothing to help families pay soaring bills

'Let's wait and see' over cost-of-living measures 'tone deaf'

"But he's not in position, and not a single MP is in position to represent their own luxury, privileged beliefs, they're there to represent their constituents and every single one of them - not just the ones who voted for them."

She said households are "absolutely petrified" and many are worried they "won't survive" the cost of living crisis, with households warned energy bills are expected to rise to £4,200 this winter.

In a new dire outlook for households, Cornwall Insight said bills are expected to soar to around £3,582 in October, from £1,971 today, before rising even further in the new year.

Previously, bills were estimated to rise to £3,358 from October and £3,616 from January.

In May, the Government announced an energy costs support package – worth £400 per household – in response to predictions that bills would rise to £2,800 for the average household in October.

Read more: Energy bills set to rise to staggering £4,200 this winter as Brits grapple with cost of living crisis

Read more: Nick Ferrari sold on caller's 'three one-off taxes' plan to raise cost-of-living funds

Nick Ferrari slams earnings of energy bosses amd cost of living crisis

But experts at Cornwall Insight have forecasted that bills are now likely to rise to £4,200 from January as wholesale prices surge again.

Ms Monroe accused energy companies of "taking us for fools" with staggering prices.

She urged the Government to "crack down hard" on energy companies who say energy prices have quadrupled, "coincidentally while their profits have also quadrupled".

She said: "I understand they are a business, and businesses want to make profit, but that shouldn't be their core and driving motive. They are not just a product, but also a service, and they're a vital service.

"They are a service that people, millions of people in this country, now cannot afford at the prices they are asking.

"How can you justify millions and billions of pounds in bonuses and profit margins, when those millions and billions of pounds are literally paid for out of the pockets of people who are struggling to put food on the table, struggling to have any quality of life. It's unconscionable."

Ofgem last week announced changes to how it will calculate the price cap on energy bills going forward - with squeezed Brits now facing price hikes four times a year - up from just two.

Ofgem said it will now be updated quarterly instead of every six months.

It claimed the change will help with stability in the energy market and reduce the risk of more suppliers going bust, which would lead to higher costs for customers.

Labour will on Monday call for the energy price cap to be frozen at its current level of £1,971.

The move to block an expected increase to £3,300 in October is expected to put further pressure on the two Tory leadership contenders.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Exclusive
UK falls behind the US and Europe in protecting top government officials from spying

UK ‘behind on national security’ as China ‘could use’ DeepSeek AI to spy in British cars

OpenAI website on a computer screen. OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence (AI) research laboratory.

'Revolutionary' artificial intelligence can order your online shop or book you an Uber

London, UK. 17 February 2025. UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting is being interviewed in Westminster during the morning broadcast round.

Doctors who change gender have wrongdoing 'erased' from public record, GMC admits

Australian soap opera Neighbours cancelled for a second time by Amazon

Australian soap opera Neighbours cancelled for a second time by Amazon

Gordon Ramsay has revealed that hundreds of lucky cat figurines have been stolen from his new London restaurant

Nearly 500 cat figurines stolen from Gordon Ramsay's 'Lucky Cat' restaurant

Manchester Airport

Man dies following arrest by Border Force officers at Manchester Airport - prompting police watchdog probe

Security forces and bomb disposal units are deployed to the scene of a bus explosion in Bat Yam, Israel

'Several' buses explode in Israel in 'suspected terror attack'

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Husband's body 'spotted in water' after he ‘shot wife’ on Valentine’s Day before jumping to death from Dartford Crossing

x

US cancels joint conference with Zelenskyy as crisis deepens after Trump 'dictator' comments

Joly said he was "devastated" to learn the iconic prop had been stolen

TV star Dom Joly says his giant phone from Trigger Happy TV was ‘stolen’ from Amsterdam museum

Cole, 29, shared 4,431 texts and calls with a 28-year prisoner over a five-month period which were "sexualised or flirtatious" in nature

Prison officer jailed after kissing and sending 'sexualised' messages to inmate

A man who caused Emma Raducanu to break down in tears during a match has been given a restraining order.

'Fixated' man who left Emma Raducanu in tears during Dubai match given restraining order

Liam Payne died last Wednesday.

Liam Payne death charges against friend Roger Nores and two hotel workers dropped

Mussie Imnetu died in hospital after being attacked

‘Monster’ who beat top chef to death near Notting Hill Carnival before going clubbing guilty of murder

The Home Office UK Visas & Immigration Office

Bearded asylum seeker declared ‘child’ by judges despite Home Office finding he is at least 23

Daniel Craig's final film as James Bond, No Time To Die, was released in 2021

Live and let subscribe: James Bond producers hand franchise to Amazon after more than 60 years