In My View: Ellie Reeves, MP for Lewisham West & Penge

Lots of people have been facing difficult times recently and as we enter winter, it will become more difficult for many.

This has all been made worse by the Tories’ economic incompetence, crashing the economy with their ‘mini-budget’.

As a result, a teacher in my constituency told me they will have to find an extra £750 a month to cover their mortgage payment increases.

A Conservative mortgage premium and money they simply don’t have.

Small businesses too are facing pressures.

A few months ago, the much-loved SE20 Cycles in Penge was facing an energy bill of £11,000 before winter had even started.

They are a viable business but it’s only because of our brilliant community coming together and organising a local crowdfunder that they were able to pay this.

And while mortgage increases, and energy prices are causing difficulties, inflation and rising food costs are making it even harder for families to get by.

A constituent made me aware of one case – an elderly lady admitted to hospital from a house she could not afford to heat.

Her temperature was 26C and she died shortly after being admitted to A&E.

This is a tragedy, and highlights that for so many people right now, it’s not about turning the thermostat down to save costs but not being able to turn it on at all.

We need a proper plan from the Government to protect people this winter.

Our community has responded by starting up warm hubs and I have visited a number of these in Bellingham, Sydenham and Penge.

The fact the community has come together like this is wonderful, but in a country as well off as ours this shouldn’t be needed.

But after 12 years of the Tories, this is their record. And yet instead of coming up with a real plan to tackle energy insecurity they’re sitting on their hands, continuing to give multibillion-pound tax breaks to oil and gas companies – money that could be used now to help families.

Meanwhile Labour have outlined how we will bring down bills once and for all with our plan to create GB Energy – a publicly owned energy generation company – and through our plan to insulate homes which could have already helped eight million pensioners and families save up to £1,000 on their annual bills if the Government had listened to our calls.

We are being let down badly, but I will continue to challenge the Government and hold them to account for their decisions which are making life harder for so many.