A MAMMOTH package to help struggling Brits with their energy bills will be revealed THIS WEEK, Tory PM favourite Liz Truss vowed this morning.
If she becomes Tory leader tomorrow and PM on Tuesday as expected, Ms Truss will give “immediate” help to families facing huge costs, she said.
Liz Truss has said a package on energy bill help will come within a week
Speaking to BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, and asked if the UK is at a crisis point, Ms Truss said: “I think we face some very, very serious challenges.”
“We face very, very serious challenges, which will take immediate action from the Government.”
Pressed on what action she will take, Ms Truss said she would act within one week.
She said: “If I’m elected as prime minister, within one week I will make sure there is an announcement on how we are going to deal with the issue of energy bills and of long-term supply to put this country on the right footing for winter.
“What I want to reassure people is I will act, if elected as prime minister, within one week.
“We still don’t know the outcome of this leadership contest. So, it would be completely wrong.”
During her leadership campaign, Truss has promised to slash green taxes on fuel in a bid to drop petrol prices and scrap upcoming increases in National Insurance and corporation tax.
However, neither she nor opponent Rishi Sunak have set out in detail policies to help with energy bills.
It was rumoured last week that she was considering a ‘nuclear option’ of a 5% cut in VAT across the board.
Since she is the heavy favourite to be announced as the winner of the contest tomorrow, all eyes are turning towards the possible announcement of measures to help struggling families.
The contest has stretched on for eight long weeks, during which time the price cap on energy has nearly doubled and inflation has hit double digits for the first time in 40 years.
Throughout, Ms Truss has reaffirmed her belief in tax cuts and economic growth as the way out of the crisis and said she dislike the idea of “handouts“.
In contrast, Mr Sunak, who announced the NI and corporation tax rises as Chancellor, says that tax cuts will only worsen inflation and favours a more direct system of help.
Under his plan the Treasury will rake in millions in extra tax revenue and use part of it to provide direct support to the worst-hit, including benefits claimants and pensioners.
Meanwhile both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have urged the government to freeze energy prices, paid for by a combination of borrowing and a windfall tax on energy producers.
The winner of the contest will be announced tomorrow and then will travel to Balmoral to meet the Queen and take over the reigns of power.
This comes as outgoing PM Boris Johnson is set to use his last speech as the nation’s leader to encourage Tory MPs to unite behind his replacement.
The Conservative Party has been paralysed by a bitter civil war after MPs brought down the current PM despite Tory members still supporting him.
Mr Sunak has suffered in the leadership campaign over accusations that he led the mutiny against Boris, with his resignation sparking the chain reaction that led to Johnson stepping down two days later.
