SLASH energy bills, the Scottish National Party told Andy Burnham yesterday.

The party’s Westminster leader Dave Doogan warned the Prime Minister that he needed to act before winter sent fuel bills soaring.

Mr Burnham told him that his government had already removed VAT from electricity bills but accepted that more was needed.

Mr Doogan should look out for “further measures,” he told him in Commons exchanges.

Consumers are facing a 13 per cent rise in energy bills from the start of July, with the average yearly bill climbing to £1,862.

Mr Doogan has warned Labour against failing to keep its manifesto pledge to reduce energy bills by £300 by 2030.

SNP-commissioned research shows that the looming price rise will be the sixth increase in energy bills since Labour took office, increasing by £294 in that time.

According to the Commons Library, households at the turn of the century spent an average of £11.44 a week on electricity at today’s prices.

At the most recent count, weekly spending on electricity had risen to £21.79 per week.

Weekly spending on gas has risen from £11.39 to £20.59.

Mr Doogan said: “The next UK prime minister must immediately slash the cost of energy bills to avoid damaging their reputation.

“From next week, energy bills will increase to almost £600 more than the Labour Party promised at the election, leaving millions of households paying through the nose in rip-off Britain.

“The betrayal on energy bills is one of the biggest symbols of the litany of broken promises by the Labour government — and reversing it is essential for any prime minister who wants to avoid the same fate as Keir Starmer.”