Money saving expert Martin Lewis welcomes gas standing charge abolition, and says further energy bills support likely in budget
John Healey found time to hold a meeting with Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, in Downing Street this morning.
asserted
Healey → welcome → Street
Lewis is one of the most trusted voices on personal finance in Britain, and he has been campaigning for standing charges to be removed from gas bills for some time.
asserted
charges → campaign → time
Speaking to the media afterwards, Lewis said Healey was in a good mood.
asserted
Healey → speak → mood
He said he asked the chancellor if there would be a support scheme to help people with energy bills from January, when costs are set to rise sharply.
asserted
costs → say → January
Lewis said Healey would not confirm anything, but he said that “reading between the lines” he gathered that there will be an announcement on this.
asserted
he → say → this
Lewis speculated that this could be an increase in the warm homes discount, or it could be help for people in lower council tax bands.
uncertain
it → speculate → bands
The biggest issue in energy right now is that we’re expecting a 27% rise in the price cap in January.
asserted
we → expect → January
I asked the Chancellor whether he will be intervening on that.
asserted
he → ask → that
He told me I’d have to wait for the budget, but reading between the lines, yes, there will be an announcement today.
asserted
I → tell → lines
Whether it’s an increase in the Warm Home Discount, or whether it’s council tax band, or whether it’s done via a payout for people in say council tax bands A-D as a proxy for household income as Rishi Sunak did who knows.
asserted
who → ’ → income
When Andy Burnham became PM, he signalled that he wanted to end 40 years of neoliberalism.
asserted
he → become → neoliberalism
Judging by all the briefing about what will be in the budget today, neoliberalism is probably safe for another year or so because Burnham and his chancellor, John Healey, have decided not to use this as a moment for big, transformative change, but to instead opt for a more low-risk, every-little-bit-helps fiscal statement.
asserted
bit → judge → statement
There are radical elements in the Burnham agenda, but mostly they will have to wait for another day.
asserted
they → be → day
In a video setting the scene for the budget, Healey sums it up with the slogan: “Breathing space today, and fresh hope for the future.”
asserted
Healey → set → future
Here is Pippa Crerar and Heather Stewart’s overnight splash story previewing the budget.
asserted
story → preview → budget
And here is an analysis by Phillip Inman setting out the main items we are expecting.
asserted
we → set → items
Every chancellor, though, likes to have at least one big surprise for the speech.
asserted
chancellor → like → speech
This is the headline they want for tomorrow’s papers.
asserted
they → want → papers
We don’t know yet what Healey has chosen, but there is a lot of speculation that it will involve energy bills.
asserted
it → know → bills
We have already had an announcement from the Treasury at 7am this morning about standing charges being removed from gas bills.
asserted
We → have → bills
Julia Kollewe has the story here.
asserted
Kollewe → have → story
According to the Treasury, this could save around 60% of families around £45 a year.
uncertain
this → accord → 45
It says:
The chancellor will announce today an end to this unfair and outdated practice.
asserted
chancellor → say → practice
He will ask Ofgem to deliver removal of these charges – which are £108 a year for the typical household on average – in 2027 or as soon as possible after.
asserted
which → ask → 2027
Instead, these fixed costs will be paid on the unit rate, which could save 60% of account-holding households around an average of £45 off their annual bill.
uncertain
which → fix → bill
While this might sound like a modest cost of living measure – almost an “everyday fix” – Burnham and Healey – perhaps sensitive to the charge that there is not much radicalism in the budget – are presenting this as the start of something more ambitious.
uncertain
Burnham → sound → something
In a statement this morning, Burnham said this shows he’s “determined to reform our broken energy market” and Healey says:
My budget will draw a line in the sand on an energy policy that has failed British billpayers for years, letting extra costs on bills pile high and leaving households even more exposed to global shocks.
asserted
costs → say → shocks
Healey is speaking at 12.30pm.
asserted
Healey → speak → 12.30pm
We have also got PMQs today, but I will mostly be focusing on the budget, with reaction and analysis, and Graeme Wearden, who writes the Guardian’s business live blog, will be joining too to provide added firepower.
asserted
who → get → firepower
And we will also have comments open below the line (BTL).
asserted
comments → have → line
Andy Burnham chairs cabinet, where John Healey, the chancellor, will brief ministers on what’s in the budget.
asserted
what → chair → budget
After Healey finishes, Kemi Badenoch gives a speech responding to the budget.
asserted
Badenoch → finish → budget
Other MPs respond as the budget debate continues through the afternoon.
asserted
debate → respond → afternoon
Jonathan Haskel, chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, holds a press conference.
asserted
Haskel → hold → conference
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, and Robert Jenrick, his Treasury spokesperson, hold a press conference to give their reaction to the budget.
asserted
Farage → hold → budget
If you want to get in touch, you can post a comment BTL and, if it’s addressed to Andrew, I may find it using a word search.
uncertain
I → want → search
But I am more likely to see it if you email politics.live@theguardian.com.
asserted
you → see → politics.live@theguardian.com
The Aporia
