John Leech, MP for Withington, has expressed fury at the government moves to block a bill that could have helped alleviate fuel poverty.

The Fuel Poverty Bill was designed to offer assistance to those who have fallen into fuel poverty by providing help to improve household insulation and giving cheaper energy prices to the most in-need. However, Labour MPs deliberately prevented the bill from being passed in the in the House of Commons by prolonging the debate beyond its specified timeslot, thereby effectively killing off the bill.

John Leech said:

“I am deeply angered by the collapse of this bill. In my constituency almost 1 in 5 people are in fuel poverty. This bill could have helped these people to climb out of fuel poverty and would have made a real difference to their lives.”

“Unfortunately, the government saw fit to delay the bill and have now effectively left it dead in the water. Yet the worst thing is that not a single Manchester Labour MP even bothered to turn up and support the bill”.

John Leech said:

“These new estimates are truly shocking and it’s not hard to see the culprit. Over the last five years average gas and electricity bills have more than doubled. The prices being paid by energy companies for fuel on the wholesale markets are coming down, but the companies aren’t passing on the cuts to their customers. This is totally unacceptable and the government must take urgent action to help people struggling with high fuel bills.”

Mr Leech is also calling on MPs of all parties to back the Fuel Poverty Bill that is being introduced to the Commons by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath.

“The Fuel Poverty Bill would deliver a massive home insulation programme which would halve the energy needed to heat the average home. And it would end the scandal of those who use pre-pay meters – generally the least well-off – paying higher rates for their gas and electricity.

“The Government must give it their support.”

Find out more about the Fuel Poverty Bill at http://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk.

Liberal Democrat Councillors John Cameron and Paul Ankers, are calling for tough new measures to reduce teenage drinking in Manchester.

Cllr Cameron, who represents the Burnage Ward, has written to the Manchester Drug and Alcohol Team to demand action to stop shops selling alcohol to underage drinkers. He has suggested that alcohol bottles and cans should be labelled to identify the shop they came from, so that action can be taken against the shops when children or teenagers are found with alcohol.

Chortlon Lib Dem Councillor, Paul Ankers, backed the move at a recent meeting of Manchester City Council’s Communities and Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

John Cameron said:

“There is a serious problem with teenagers drinking alcohol in public places in many parts of Manchester, including Burnage Ward. This drinking causes problems for local residents, through vandalism, antisocial behaviour and litter. Underage drinking is also dangerous for the teenagers involved, who are putting themselves at risk and may be storing up health problems for the future.”

Paul Ankers said:

“It is often difficult or impossible for the police and Trading Standards to prove where this alcohol has been bought, as kids often get adults to buy it for them and unscrupulous shop owners are skilled at evading Trading Standards test purchases. If all of the alcohol containers were marked to identify the shop they came from, it would allow the authorities to crack down on those shops who are supplying alcohol to underage children.”