PMQ: Workers will pay for energy firm profits, Starmer tells Liz Truss

Sir Keir Starmer has told Liz Truss working people will be footing the bill for "vast" energy firm profits under her plans to tackle the energy crisis.

At her first Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Truss rejected Labour's call to extend a windfall tax on gas and oil company profits.

She told the Labour leader it would deter investment in the UK "just when we need to be growing the economy".

She is expected to announce a freeze on energy bills as part of the response.

Under the plan, to be outlined by Ms Truss on Thursday, the typical energy bill could be capped at around £2,500.

The full details have yet to be revealed, but the overall package is likely to total around £100bn, likely to be paid for by higher government borrowing.

Sir Keir told her "energy producers will make £170bn in excess profits over the next two years".

"Is she really telling us that she is going to leave this vast excess profits on the table and make working people foot the bill for decades to come?" the Labour leader asked.

Ms Truss said she understood people were "struggling with the cost of living" and energy bills, which is why she would take "immediate action to help people with the cost of their energy bills".

The prime minister added she would reform the UK's overall energy mix by building more nuclear power stations and exploring more fossil fuel supplies in the North Sea.