David Morris, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, might have been playing a low profile in recent months, but he was on hand to be another Tory MP who voted against a VAT cut on energy bills in the House of Commons yesterday – after the Labour Party forced a binding vote on VAT cut on home energy bills.
A dozen Tory MPs, including Michael Gove, also voted against slashing VAT on energy bills, despite promising to do so if Brexit went ahead. The government has also refused to back a windfall tax that would help to support families.
The Daily Mirror reports just one Tory MP – Anne-Marie Morris – backed the non-binding motion for a debate on the issue meaning it was defeated by 319 votes to 229, majority 90.
Mr Morris has not yet explained his decision not to support the idea on his social media, where he is infamous for “blocking” critics. (Changes on Facebook mean that constituents his team has blocked from the David Morris MP Page cannot even see it). He has not updated his Twitter feed since December. The news pages of his official web site do not appear ton have been updated since September. His only regular public presence is an often vacuous column for the Lancaster Guardian and Morecambe Visitor.
Last week, in a rare intervention in the House of Commons, during a debate on the COVI-19 pandemic, David Morris appeared to suggest that putting patients in tents was a great idea to deal with a healthcare crisis, apparently.In one quick question, he also accused “people” of “effectively bed blocking because they cannot get back into the care homes” – clearly unable to understand that getting ill isn’t necessarily self inflicted…
“The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust has been overwhelmed recently with people effectively bed blocking because they cannot get back into the care homes,” he pondered. “I know we are putting tents in car parks; I have seen that on the news. However, in a helpful way, I ask whether my right hon. Friend does not think it would be right to enact, in areas such as mine — more rural areas going north — the big Nightingale centres like we had in Preston.”
Even beleagured Prime Minister Boris Johnson thought this was a bad idea.
Before the vote, urging Conservative MPs to vote for a VAT cut to home energy bills over the next year, as the energy and cost of living crisis continues to escalate.
The binding motion, put forward by Labour in an opposition day debate, would have guaranteed Parliamentary time for a Bill on a VAT cut to home energy bills if passed, forcing MPs to actively vote for or against the legislation to implement this cut.
This follows the Government ruling out a windfall tax on North Sea Oil and Gas profits on Sunday. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told LBC Radio that “oil and gas companies… are already struggling”, despite the fact that oil and gas companies are expected to report “near record” income in 2021/22.
The Labour Party argues a windfall tax would help fund their package to reduce the expected energy price rise in April – saving most households around £200 or more.
Crucially, the Party said it would also target extra support to squeezed middle, pensioners and the lowest earners, receiving up to £600 off bills and preventing all of the increase in energy bills currently expected.
Part of Labour’s package to keep energy bills low would be achieved through scrapping VAT off home energy bills for a whole year – alongside focused and targeted support through increasing and expanding the Warm Homes Discount to 9.3 million people.
“The Government – and all the Tory MPs who have previously backed a VAT cut on home energy bills – should follow through with their promises and vote with Labour today to scrap the tax for a year, as hard working people face a growing cost of living crisis,” said Ed Miliband MP, Labour’s Shadow Climate Change and Net Zero Secretary.
“The Conservatives’ clear opposition to the windfall tax tells you exactly whose side they are on – and it’s not the British people struggling with their energy bills.
“It tells you everything you need to know about this Government that they believe we should prioritise oil and gas companies making huge windfall profits that they say are ‘struggling’, rather than the British people who face the true struggle to pay their energy bills.
“Labour will stand up for the millions of families across the country, with a package that won’t just help the average household with around £200 off bills, but also targeted and focused support for those who need it most – including low earners, pensioners and the squeezed middle – with up to £600 in total off their bills.”
• Daily Mirror – Tory MPs vote down plan to cut VAT on energy bills – despite 26 ‘being in favour’
• The I – Some of the Tories who argued for VAT cuts as a Brexit dividend are now voting against them