Two-thirds of Tory voters support temporary nationalisation of energy firms – poll
More than two-thirds of Conservative voters say that the government should temporarily renationalise energy companies if they cannot offer lower bills.
The poll, released by the campaigning organisation 38 Degrees, shows overwhelming support for Labour’s policy to freeze the price cap this year, keeping it at its current rate of £1,971. The Opinium poll found 86% of the public and 85% of current Conservative voters back keeping the price cap.
The surge in public support for freezing prices will put pressure on the Conservative candidates ahead of a hustings on Tuesday night. Liz Truss has suggested she favours help for only the most vulnerable households – as well as tax cuts in the autumn.
Rishi Sunak has said he would cut VAT on energy bills but has also pledged to set out a more comprehensive package after the price cap announcement on 26 August.
The polling was done after a Guardian op-ed by the former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, who said the price cap should be frozen and the government enter negotiations with energy firms to bring down prices by next year.
Brown said that if firms were not able to offer lower prices they should be brought into public ownership temporarily – similar to how failing banks were renationalised during the 2009 banking crisis.
Keir Starmer said he was reticent to back a similar policy, arguing that all public money should be spent on easing economic difficulties for people in need, rather than nationalisation.
Both Starmer and Brown – as well as the Liberal Democrats – have called for an extended windfall tax on energy companies to fund the cost of freezing the cap. The polling found 71% of Conservative voters said a windfall tax on energy companies should be used to fund the extra
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