WITH much of Britain now mired in a cost of living crisis, MPs in Gwent have slammed the inaction of the prime minister as "dithering" and "distracted".

The energy price cap will increase by £693 at the start of April, forcing people across the UK to confront the difficult decision of having to decide between heating or eating.

Around 22 million households across the country will be hit by the increase in bills.

Protests are set to take place across the country as anger rises over the crisis following the 54 per cent increase in energy prices.

Activists are promising to take over the centres of towns and cities on Saturday, with the nearest demonstration to Gwent happening in Bristol.

Shadow secretary of state for international trade - and Torfaen MP - Nick Thomas-Symonds blasted Boris Johnson for being "too distracted by trying to save his own job rather than addressing crisis he has created".

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“People are suffering from a Tory cost of living crisis," he said.

"A triple whammy of soaring energy prices, real wages falling and Tory tax hikes on working people will only make things worse.

"Unlike the Conservatives with their “buy now, pay later” scheme, Labour would give families security with fully-funded measures now to help with energy bills.”

Newport East MP Jessica Morden has been conducting a cost of living survey with her constituents in recent weeks. She said the findings painted a "stark" picture.

"More than 90 per cent of respondents have had have to cut down on everyday spending over recent months," she said.

"70 per cent have had to make difficult choices, including between heating or eating.

"The government has had opportunities to address the cost of living crisis but this prime minister and chancellor have sat on their hands - we saw this recently when the government voted down Labour's sensible proposal to cut VAT on energy bills. 

"We now have a government that is prepared to casually write off £4.3 billion lost to fraudsters - and refuse to implement a windfall tax on colossal North sea oil and gas profits - but will do nothing for ordinary households being squeezed.

"The dithering cannot continue."

Conservative MP for Monmouth David Davies said that the rising cost of energy was a global phenomenon, rather than one confined to the UK.

“The government have put in place an emergency scheme to ensure that people do not face an immediate sharp price increase," he said.

"We have also increased the minimum wage and changed universal credit to ensure that people in work can keep more of their money.

"The impact of the pandemic meant that the government had to spend vast amounts of money to keep businesses open. This is going to have an effect on the economy and we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact on people."

He claimed that there are some groups in society who say the government "should abandon our commitment to net zero and continue using cheap sources of energy like coal".

"We believe that the majority of people support the changes which will certainly be better for the environment and for long term energy security,” he said.