Starmer to set out heating oil support amid calls to 'stop dithering'

The Prime Minister will insist his “first priority” is to help people through the cost of living crisis, with specific funding expected to be outlined for Scotland.

Around 130,000 Scottish households use heating oil to warm their homes, which has risen in cost from 67.92p per litre on February 28 to 147p per litre by March 8 in the wake of the US-Israel war in Iran.

Energy prices have risen because Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes and the only maritime passage between the Gulf and the Arabian Sea.

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In a press conference on the Middle East today, Sir Keir will say: “It’s moments like this that tell you what a government is about. My answer is clear. Whatever challenges lie ahead, this government will always support working people.

“That is my first instinct – my first priority – to help you with the cost of living through this crisis.”

He will also raise concerns about claims of suppliers cancelling orders and jacking up prices.

“I will not tolerate companies trying to exploit this crisis to make money from working people,” he will say. “If the companies have broken the law, there will be legal action.”

Speaking yesterday, Martin McCluskey, the UK minister for energy consumers, said there would be support “specifically for Scotland” within the UK-wide package, “because we know that heating oil in Scotland is much more of an issue than in other parts of the country”.

It is understood this will include a separate funding total for Scotland.

Mr McCluskey added: “People should be reassured that the government is looking at this. There is a wider point about the regulation of the heating market. For example, heat networks were unregulated, so we have introduced regulation for that.”

First Minister John Swinney accused the UK government of “twiddling its thumbs” while costs soar.

“What’s necessary though is for the United Kingdom to stop dithering and get on with taking some decisions about this to reduce costs,” he told the Sunday Show.

“Of course they are dithering, because we’ve had an announcement that something is coming and something is coming and something is coming, and it never comes from the UK government.

“They better get a move on, because people’s heating costs are going through the roof, and the UK government is sitting twiddling its thumbs.”

Mr Swinney also said he was still in discussion with the UK government on any use of Prestwick airport by US forces during the conflict.

He said: “I’ve got to act within the law. I’m making a point about the fact that I don’t believe the American-Israeli intervention in Iran is consistent with the international rules-based system.

“I’ve got to, as a First Minister that operates within the law, make sure that our actions are operating within the law.

“And all the issues around about the use of Prestwick relate to defence and international relations, which are, of course, reserved issues which is why I need to discuss it with the UK government.”