Labour’s answer to the energy crisis seems to be centred around advice to consumers on how to make their homes more energy efficient. Lag your lofts folks, that’s Hilary Benn’s answer to your misery. “Whilst we’re lagging our lofts the energy companies are lagging their bank accounts” said Walsall’s LibDem Group Leader Cllr Ian Shires.

Almost on cue a senior E-ON executive thinks it’s a laughing matter to ignor the plight of millions of low income families who will face the stark choice between food and warmth this winter. He jocked that rising fuel costs will mean “more money for us”. Cllr Ian Shires said “Fuel poverty is no laughing matter. One in four older people struggle to pay their fuel bills and millions may be forced to chose between heating and eating this winter.” The really sad thing is the joke is true and that’s why we need a windfall tax.

Yet again, according to Brown’s Labour Government, it’s our fault that we’re in this mess. It’s not the fault of the Tories for selling off our assets to private enterprise in the first place. It’s not the fault of Labour who persisted in the Tory privatisation policies. It’s our fault for not lagging our lofts!!

Well Mr Brown I’ve got news for you, many of us have already lagged our lofts, put in double glazing, insulated our cavity walls. You name it, we’ve done it! and guess what? none of it heats the house!!  

We’re “brassed off ” with people like Hilary Benn - what does he know about any sort of poverty let alone fuel poverty. The only thing he’s had to give up is the families hereditary tittle!! We don’t need people like him telling us we need to make our homes more energy efficient.

Tell that to big business who up till recently made big profits chucking up houses designed for the 20th instead of the 21st century.

Tell it also to the energy companies many of them foreign owned, who continue to make obscene profits to line the pockets of shareholders - dividends have increased by 19% whilst fuel costs to the consumer rose by 40% in the same period.

Enough is enough. People won’t be satisfied with anything less than a windfall tax!!