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  1. Politics
18 October 2013

Miliband on Cameron’s energy policy: “wear a hoodie“

Labour leader says Cameron has gone from "hug a hoodie" to "wear a hoodie" after Downing Street suggests consumers should consider wearing jumpers to reduce their energy bills.

By George Eaton

After Ed Davey rather unwisely suggested on Newsnight that hard-pressed consumers should wear jumpers to keep their energy bills down, David Cameron’s spokesman said today: “He [Cameron] is not going to prescribe the actions that individuals should take but if people are giving that advice that is something that people may wish to consider.”

That line has prompted the amusing riposte from Ed Miliband that Cameron has gone from “hug a hoodie” to “wear a hoodie”. 

With its patronising comments, No. 10 gifted the Labour leader an open goal – and he didn’t miss. 

David Cameron yesterday described the rise in prices at British Gas as “disappointing”. 
 
Today Downing Street tells people to consider wearing jumpers to keep warm.
 
Their crime policy used to be ‘hug a hoodie’. Now their energy policy appears to be ‘wear a hoodie’.
 
These responses to the energy price rises show how little Mr Cameron and his government stand up for the interests of hard working people.
 
He has no grip on the cost of living crisis and he seems to think the solution to this crisis is nothing to do with him.

Energy bills are already up by an average £300 since he took office. The price hikes we are seeing point to a market that isn’t working for consumers. 

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Yet his solution to this market failure was to tell people to shop around and dress warmly. 

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