Boris refuses to provide help to families who are crippled by soaring energy bills leaving children in poverty

Boris Johnson has refused to make a “U-turn” to help families with soaring energy bills which comes into force in April.

Despite energy prices exploding Johnson said during Prime Minister’s Questions “a U turn is the last thing we want” and come October there could be a rise of over £1,000 a year amid the Ukraine war.

Within days Johnson is expected to announce a security plan for the UK to wean the country off Russian oil but this will not include gas.

He indicated to MPs in the Commons this will include new nuclear power stations, he said, “What we are junking is the failed energy policies that left us without enough nuclear power.”

Energy bills are rising by £693 a year in April then there will be a further rise in October and Johnson claimed he is helping families by giving them a £200 loan to be re-payed over five years and will provide a £150 council tax discount net month.

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer warned the “big gamble behind that policy” of the £350 in bills help “now looks almost certain to fail.”

Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of not understanding the “mess he’s in” as the “the wholesale price of oil and gas is now ballooning.”

Sir Keir added, “It’s a total mess… when is the PM going to force the Chancellor to U-turn?”

Johnson responded with, “If he’s asking for the Chancellor to U-turn on the support we’re giving to families and households I think he’s absolutely out of his mind!”

Starmer said energy giants had previously said they’ve had “bumper profits” with BP making £9.5bn and Shell £14bn,  “in their own words – more money than they know what to do with.”

Demanding a windfall tax, Sir Keir said, “When will the Prime Minister admit he’s got this badly wrong?”

Johnson said that a windfall tax will push oil giants to “put their prices up” even higher.

Labour’s leader hit back and said, “Protecting energy profits, not working people. Doesn’t that say it all?”

Johnson said, “there is more joy in heaven over one sinner repented…” and “I’m delighted to welcome them now into the fold.”

The Prime Minister added, “Under the Labour government our nuclear output fell from I think about 25% to about 10% of our energy needs… it was because of the decisions they took.”

Starmer said, “Come off it. Labour is pro nuclear. This Prime Minister can’t get a single brick laid of a new nuclear plant.”

Food writer and campaigner Jack Monroe warned that millions of children are already living in poverty, as Brits are being clobbered by rocketing energy bills, rising inflation and hikes to national insurance from April.

Speaking to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee Monroe said, “There are millions of children living in poverty in Britain today and their home situations and their families’ financial situations are already untenable and have been becoming increasingly untenable over the last decade.

“The impact of the cost of living crisis on those households is going to be, in some case fatal and that’s not a term that I use lightly.”

Tens of millions of Brits will be hit by a major surge to their energy bills in April after Ofgem said the energy price cap is to increase to a record £1,971 for a typical household.