Both Tory leadership contenders promised help worth tens of billions of pounds over the weekend, with Truss vowing in
The Tory leadership frontrunner said she would help Brits facing rising inflation and spiralling energy bills through tax cuts instead of direct payments, saying her proposed policies were "necessary, affordable and the right thing to do at a time when we face the highest tax burden in 70 years".
However, Truss supporter
Sunak told The Sunday Times he would "look at doing more and particularly for families like pensioners, for example, where I said that this winter they can get an extra payment worth up to £300".
Sunak said Truss' original call to rule out emergency payments was "simply wrong" and that her plans to bring forward tens of billions of tax cuts would further stoke inflation, which the
Sunak's campaign team said Truss must now clarify her position and say "whether she stands by the statement... ruling out further support payments or has now changed her mind and is willing to consider them".
Warnings of skyrocketing energy bills has sparked a grassroots campaign for households to boycott their energy bills this winter.
Activist group Don't Pay
The head of the
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme at the weekend, the Ofgem boss said he recognised that "everyone is extremely worried" about their energy bill, but instead encouraged consumers facing financial difficulties to get in touch with their supplier.
The government also criticised the campaign. A spokesman for the The
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "While no government can control global gas prices, we are providing £37bn of help for households including the £400 discount on energy bills, and £1,200 of direct support for the most vulnerable households to help with the cost of living," the spokesman added.
Former Prime Minister
It also called on both leadership hopefuls to get together and agree on a common position before the next painful hike to household energy bills.
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