Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves Speaks to T&G on the Budget and More

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told Times Radio she wants the Government to cut VAT on gas and electricity bills, immediately.

Speaking to Tom Newton Dunn and Katy Balls on T&G on Sunday, she said:

The government could do something immediate that would automatically reduce bills from next month, and that is cutting VAT from 5% to 0%...VAT receipts have come in 2.2 billion pounds more than what was anticipated and forecast at the last Budget, in large part because prices, of course, have gone up by so much more than anticipated. That money could be used to immediately and automatically reduce the gas and electricity bills of every family, pensioner and individual in this country who is worried about rising gas and electricity prices right now.

Ahead of COP26, she's ruled out support for a rise in Fuel Duty:

I think it would be wrong to increase those costs for ordinary working people when for many there is no alternative but to use the car to get to work. But there are things that the Government can do and I set out Labour's climate investment pledge at our party conference. I think the only way you can be a responsible Chancellor in these times is to be a green Chancellor, and that is certainly what I would endeavour to be.

And on whether or she has a heat pump at her home and wants better infrastructure to support owners of electric cars:

I don't have a heat pump and I don't have £10,000 lying around to buy one, even with the Government subsidy. I do have an electric car which we bought a year ago which is great, although I must say the charging infrastructure is a right nightmare. Often we get to charging points and they're all being used or they're not working. Much more is needed to improve the charging infrastructure in this country but I try to do what I can to tackle climate change.

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