Less talk and more action!

10.29.32am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 14th Mar 2006

Reacting to yesterday's four fold price rise of wholesale gas, Sharon Bowles MEP for the South East and European Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Competition said,

"This serves as a stark warning to both the UK Government and the European Union that the current energy market is not sustainable."

"Efforts to fully liberalise the energy market across the EU have been disastrous as member states continue to drag their feet. This has been a long running battle for the Liberal Democrats but now the UK Government and the Commission must urgently and swiftly play their part.

Sharon Bowles said "This has become even more urgent in the current climate as high prices truly begin to bite downstream users. I am not talking of 5 or 10 years time we need to look at how the UK can get through just another year."

"The costs of such high and unstable prices means that companies are finding it increasingly difficult to plan their annual budgets and to afford the energy requirements of their business. Individual consumers are increasing worried about being able to afford to heat their homes. We must stop taking about liberalising the energy market and just do it."

"A swift and speedy resolution must be found before energy prices can spiral out of control any further."

Ends

Notes to editors

Excess winter deaths across Britain increased by over 8,000 from 2003/04 to 2004/05, particularly amongst those over 65 years of age and in retirement.