Labour MP Sean Woodcock has criticised Conservative calls for greater reliance on gas, arguing that Ofgem’s latest energy price cap announcement demonstrates the risks of leaving household bills exposed to volatile international fossil fuel markets.
The Banbury MP intervened after Conservative MP Claire Coutinho attacked Labour over rising energy bills and argued that government policy was contributing to higher costs.
Writing on X, Woodcock said:
“Ofgem explicitly cite the effect of international events on gas prices which makes the Tory policy of more reliance on gas utterly astounding.”
His comments follow Ofgem’s announcement that the household energy price cap will rise by 4% from 1 October, taking the annualised bill for a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit from £1,663 to £1,723.
Ofgem said the increase largely reflects higher wholesale energy costs. International gas prices have risen sharply amid geopolitical instability and disruption to global energy supplies, illustrating the exposure of UK households to movements in international fossil fuel markets.
The regulator said around 22 million households on default tariffs are covered by the cap, while approximately 11 million households on fixed tariffs will not be directly affected by the October change.
From October, the average electricity unit rate for customers on standard variable tariffs paying by direct debit will be 26.32p per kWh, while gas will rise to 7.97p per kWh. Electricity will also be exempt from VAT between October 2026 and March 2027 under the Government’s measures to reduce bills.
Coutinho, a former Conservative Energy Secretary, sought to place responsibility for the increase on Labour, saying on X that “energy bills went up again” and claiming government policies were partly responsible.
Woodcock rejected that argument, pointing instead to Ofgem’s explanation of the role played by international gas markets.
The political row reflects a wider divide over Britain’s long-term energy strategy. Labour has argued that expanding home-grown clean energy and reducing dependence on gas will make the country less vulnerable to international price shocks, while Conservatives have pushed for a greater role for domestic oil and gas production.
The latest increase follows a 13% rise in the price cap in July, adding further pressure to household budgets heading into the winter months.
For Woodcock, the figures strengthen the case for moving Britain away from dependence on internationally traded gas.
His intervention reinforces Labour’s argument that greater energy independence through renewable and domestic clean power is not only a climate policy, but also a way of protecting households from future geopolitical shocks and volatile global energy prices.
