Boris Johnson has doubled down on his insistence that it is for his successor to “make significant fiscal decisions” after crisis talks with energy bosses ended with no new measures to ease the cost of living crisis.
Speaking after the meeting, the prime minister said he would continue to urge the energy sector to ease the pressures on people facing rising bills.
But he repeated his stance that it is for his successor in Number 10, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, to “make significant fiscal decisions”, a Treasury spokesperson said.
Mr Johnson has been under pressure to use his remaining time in office to come up with a new package of measures after a grim new forecast predicted energy bills could top £4,200 by January.
He has been accused of going “missing” and running a “zombie government” as the country hurtles towards a recession.
On Monday he rejected calls from Gordon Brown to hold daily emergency COBRA meetings to stop people “going cold and hungry” this October, when the energy price cap rises.
The former Labour prime minister said new measures can’t wait until a new PM is chosen on September 5.
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However, Mr Johnson’s spokesman said that “by convention it is not for this prime minister to make major fiscal interventions during this period”.
In a tweet after today’s meeting, Mr Johnson said he knows people are worried about the “difficult winter ahead”, saying there is already a package of support in place, including a £400 energy bill discount for all households.
He added: “This morning I urged electricity companies to continue working on ways to help with the cost of living.”
The Treasury said that Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and the energy firms agreed to “work closely” over the coming weeks to ensure that the public, including vulnerable customers, are supported in the face of rising costs.
However, there was no announcement of any immediate new measures to help consumers.
