Energy minister "sabotaged" fuel poverty bill, says Green candidate who plans to take her seat

Leading Greens today criticised a Labour energy minister for destroying the chances that a fuel poverty bill would become law.

The Fuel Poverty Bill was backed by campaigning groups including Age Concern, Help the Aged and Child Poverty Action Group and would have introduced:

* A major energy efficiency programme to bring existing homes up to the energy efficiency standards of modern houses, cutting fuel poverty

* 'Social tariffs' to protect vulnerable people like pensioners from high energy bills

Joan Ruddock, MP for Lewisham Deptford, led the debate for the government in her role as an energy minister.

Despite cross-party support for the bill, it ran out of time because Labour decided to 'talk out' the bill, delaying a vote on it until there was no time left in the House of Commons. Ms Ruddock was still speaking after a four-hour debate when the time ran out, killing the bill's chances.

The Green Party of England and Wales, which was holding its national spring conference at the time, rushed out an emergency motion on Monday criticising Ms Ruddock for her tactics.

Lewisham Green Party leader, Cllr Darren Johnson, the party's trade and industry spoekesperson who aims to topple Ms Ruddock and become Lewisham Deptford's first Green MP at the next general election, said:

"Instead of allowing an honest vote by MPs, Joan Ruddock chose underhand tactics to avoid a democratic decision on these important proposals. This sabotage, and her earlier support for Heathrow expansion, is making a mockery of her job as energy and climate change minister."

Lewisham Green Party councillor Sue Luxton, who proposed the emergency motion at the party's conference, said:

"This bill would have protected millions from the terrible choice between heating and eating, which too many pensioners and other vulnerable people have to make. Many will feel let down by the underhand way in which it was defeated."