Tory MP loses whip after voting for VAT cut on energy bills

Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris has had the whip removed after supporting an opposition day motion that outlined plans to slash VAT on energy bills.

In a post published to her website on Monday, she explained: “I recently signed a letter urging the Prime Minister to scrap VAT and environment levies on energy bills.

“These levies typically make up around 25 per cent of our energy bill. Having left the EU, we have the power to ease this problem and must do so – as the Prime Minister promised some years ago! This call for change is gaining momentum and I will most certainly continue to press the case.”

The ramping up of the energy debate follows half of Britain’s energy suppliers going bust last year as gas prices soared by 250%, and last week gas prices jumped by 30% across Europe following a slump in supply from Russia.

The UK’s cap on energy prices currently limits how much firms can charge consumers, which means that wholesale energy cost surges have so far mostly fallen on suppliers and led to so many of them collapsing.

However, when the cap is subject to its bi-annual review on 7 February, experts forecast that it will be permitted to rise by an additional £400 at the very least, with the increased prices coming into force from April.