A government-backed public information campaign designed to help people reduce their energy bills over the upcoming winter has been pulled as it was deemed ‘too costly’.
The revelations were made by cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, where he cited costs of up to £15 million.
Despite the campaign having been reportedly green-lit by business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, plans were subsequently shelved after the Prime Minister’s office raised serious concerns, with Liz Truss said to be ‘ideologically opposed’, fearing it to be overly interventionist.
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Commentators have pointed to a potential party ‘divide’ over these seemingly contradictory versions of events, Zahawi was quick to brush away those claims however, instead pointing to a desire to act more cautiously with taxpayer’s money.
“What the prime minister quite rightly has done is to say: ‘We don’t need to spend £14 million or £15 million on another campaign, if National Grid and Ofgem are doing that work’.
“That is, I think, being prudent with taxpayers’ money. It isn’t a divide. I’m confident that the resilience is there, that people can enjoy their Christmas.”
