The Energy Bill Revolution

The Energy Bill Revolution held a successful reception in Parliament this week to ramp up political support for using carbon revenue to end fuel poverty and bring down energy bills.

It was kindly hosted by two all-party groups who have been very supportive of the campaign – the All Party Parliamentary Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Group and the Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group.

Over 150 participants, including many charities, businesses, MPs and Lords, heard rousing speeches from Alan Whitehead MP, Caroline Lucas MP, Dr Hilary Emery – the CEO of National Children’s Bureau, Adam Scorer from Consumer Focus and our very own Ed Matthew from the Energy Bill Revolution. Hilary also brought with her two young spokespeople, Polly Courtney and Ben Farnes, who eloquently drew attention to the hidden plight of children in fuel poverty. There are at least one million children living in households struggling to pay their fuel bills with a disastrous impact on their health and educational attainment. As Hilary Emery said on the day, “no parents should have to choose between feeding their family and heating their home.”

Ed Matthew hailed the huge support the campaign has received so quickly with over 90 major organisations, unions and companies having joined the campaign already and with the active support of almost 150 MPs.  He also pointed to the huge economic benefits that could be achieved if carbon revenue was recycled to make homes super-energy efficient, with the potential to create up to 200,000 direct and indirect jobs. Ed called on the MPs and Lords to galvanise support for the campaign from their parliamentary colleagues and for alliance members to support a big public push for the campaign planned for the Autumn and Winter of 2012.

Campaign Director Ed Matthew said:  “How can we call ourselves a civilised society when a quarter of our households cannot afford to keep their homes warm and when one million children are suffering the blight of fuel poverty?  Carbon revenue will provide a brand new stream of money for the UK Government. If invested in making homes super-energy efficient, this provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to end the scandal of fuel poverty once and for all and generate the biggest boost possible to the UK economy.  The revolution has begun.”