Chancellor urges public to cut back on energy use as bills crisis mounts

Lib Dems call on chancellor to apologise

The chancellor has urged the public to cut back on their energy use as the crisis over household bills mounts, with analysts predicting they could surge to £10,000 a year and campaigners warning lives will be lost.

Nadhim Zahawi said he was working “flat out” to ensure the next prime minister would be able to offer help to those who need it most as soon as possible.

But with more than a week still to go before the new PM is announced, he added that the public should “look at” their own energy consumption.