Local Liberal Democrats have hit out at local MPs after they failed to turn up in parliament on Friday (20th March) to support an effort to end ‘fuel poverty’ for Waltham Forest residents.

The ‘Fuel Poverty’ bill, which has the backing of organisations ranging from Help the Aged to Friends of the Earth, would promote energy efficiency and cheaper energy tariffs for the less well off.  However the Labour Government blocked the passage of the bill despite the efforts of the Liberal Democrats.

Now Waltham Forest Lib Dems have taken up the cause, calling on Harry Cohen, Neil Gerrard and lain Duncan-Smith to explain their opposition to the Bill.

Figures recently released by the group Consumer Watch revealed that Leyton and Wanstead (5th), and Walthamstow (8th) both ranked in the top ten London constituencies for the number of residents living in ‘fuel poverty’.  A household is considered to be living in ‘fuel poverty’ when it spends 10% or more of its income on energy bills.  The figures revealed that an estimated 17 out of 100 local households fell into this category.  Chingford and Woodford green ranked 30th.

The charity Age Concern have described the result of Friday’s voting as “a huge let-down for the 2.75 million older people living in fuel poverty” adding that “many will question why a Government which claims to be concerned about fuel poverty has acted in such a cynical way.”

Leyton councillor Winnie Smith, who will second the local Lib Dem motion on the issue to Waltham Forest Council at Thursday’s Full Council meeting said:

“The actions contained in this Bill would help some of the most vulnerable residents of Waltham Forest and my ward, Leyton, at a time when fuel costs are rocketing and many people are finding it tough.

“Our local MPs need to start standing up for residents by using their voices in parliament, where it really counts”.

Last year local Liberal Democrats successfully got opposition councillors to agree to a series of measures aimed at ‘greening’ the Council such as improving the energy efficiency of council buildings.