Shropshire MP joins calls stop 'astronomical' increases in cost of heating oil
A Shropshire MP has joined calls for action to protect people from "astronomical" increases in the price of domestic heating oil.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has co-signed a letter with three of her colleagues calling for the energy price cap to be extended to residents who have their heating oil delivered.
The letter claims that in the past fortnight heating oil prices have more than doubled from an already high 66.74p per litre to 148.25p per litre.
Ms Morgan tweeted: "We’re facing an off-grid fuel crisis. I’m proud to have co-signed this letter with my rural colleagues."
The letter, sent to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and copied to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, calls for ministers to "urgently instruct" Ofgem to extend the energy price cap to cover heating oil.
They say that 1.5million mainly rural households are currently unprotected against rises.
"As rural MPs we are all too aware of the many additional day to day costs that our constituents face compared to their urban counterparts," says the letter.
It has been co-signed by Lib Dem MPs Ms Morgan, Jamie Stone, Alistair Carmichael, and former party leader Tim Farron.
"Many of our off-grid constituents are already being forced to make the choice between heating or eating as will be the case across the UK," the letter adds.
"They must be afforded equal protection from these devastating increases."
