Metro Mayor, Dan Morris, has welcomed the government's plans to freeze energy bills for two years and set up a fund to protect heating oil consumers, but he criticised Prime Minister Liz Truss for putting pressure on taxpayers.

“To choose to make local people foot the entire bill for this energy package instead of those oil and gas giants making such obscene profits is beyond comprehension and wholly irresponsible,” he said.

“Every penny Ms Truss refuses to raise in windfall taxes is money she will be loading on to taxpayers for years to come.

“Now that we’ve given ourselves some breathing space, I implore the government to use these two years wisely.”