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Miliband to pledge energy bill protection for small firms Miliband pledges energy bill protection for small firms
(about 4 hours later)
Ed Miliband is to tell small businesses he will protect them from "unacceptable treatment" by energy firms. Ed Miliband has told small businesses he will protect them from "unacceptable treatment" by energy firms.
In a speech, he will pledge to set up a regulator to stop firms being "rolled" on to higher tariffs and forced to pay "crippling" back-dated bills. In a speech in Manchester, he pledged to set up a regulator to stop firms being "rolled" on to higher tariffs and forced to pay "crippling" bills.
He will say a Labour government would ensure small firms were given the same legal protections as householders. He said a Labour government would ensure small firms were given the same legal protections as householders.
Chancellor George Osborne's Budget outlined a freeze on the "carbon floor" - a fossil fuels tax - for firms.Chancellor George Osborne's Budget outlined a freeze on the "carbon floor" - a fossil fuels tax - for firms.
The move will save medium-sized manufacturers £50,000 a year by 2018, the government said.The move will save medium-sized manufacturers £50,000 a year by 2018, the government said.
'Broken market''Broken market'
Some of the biggest energy firms raised their tariffs at the end of last year, and energy prices have become a keenly contested political issue in recent months.Some of the biggest energy firms raised their tariffs at the end of last year, and energy prices have become a keenly contested political issue in recent months.
The Labour leader's speech comes a day after a competition inquiry into the "big six" energy firms was announced. The Labour leader's speech comes a day after a competition inquiry into the "big six" energy firms was announced and in the same week as energy supplier SSE said it would freeze prices until January 2016.
Addressing the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Manchester, Mr Miliband will say firms do not have the same level of protection as consumers. Addressing the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) annual conference, Mr Miliband - who has pledged to freeze energy prices for 20 months if the party wins next year's general election - said firms did not have the same level of protection as consumers.
He will promise to give business organisations like the FSB new legal rights to take cases - such as late payment by firms or government departments - to court on behalf of their members. He promised to give business organisations like the FSB new legal rights to take cases - such as late payment by firms or government departments - to court on behalf of their members.
Mr Miliband will also announce measures including giving a new energy regulator powers to enforce a ban on suppliers from rolling firms over on to more expensive tariffs without their consent - or imposing retrospective back-billing for periods of longer than a year. Mr Miliband also announced measures including giving a new energy regulator powers to enforce a ban on suppliers rolling firms over on to more expensive tariffs without their consent - or imposing retrospective back-billing for periods of longer than a year.
"We have to mend the broken energy market and freeze bills up to 2017 not just for customers of one company but for all customers of all the energy companies and all customers," he will say. "We have to mend the broken energy market and freeze bills up to 2017 not just for customers of one company but for all customers of all the energy companies and all customers," he said.
Mr Miliband will add: "It is unacceptable that companies like yours do not have even basic protections that are available to households under the law from unfair energy contracts. Mr Miliband added: "It is unacceptable that companies like yours do not have even basic protections that are available to households under the law from unfair energy contracts.
"The next Labour government would ban the energy companies from rolling small businesses on to more expensive tariffs without their consent. And we will create proper competition enforced by a new regulator to keep prices as low as possible for the years ahead." "The next Labour government would ban the energy companies from rolling small businesses on to more expensive tariffs without their consent.
'Anti-business' "And we will create proper competition enforced by a new regulator to keep prices as low as possible for the years ahead."
'Best hope'
Mr Miliband said Labour wanted to be the party of small business, hailing it as "Britain's best hope".
But the Conservatives said Labour had "strangled" business by imposing six new regulations for every working day of its time in power.But the Conservatives said Labour had "strangled" business by imposing six new regulations for every working day of its time in power.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury Sajid Javid said the party was helping small businesses by "cutting the jobs tax by up to £2,000 and capping business rates". Also speaking at Friday's conference, Chancellor George Osborne launched a consultation on measures to help small and medium-sized businesses which have been rejected for a loan.
"But Ed Miliband would hit firms with higher taxes and short-term political fixes that would risk jobs and risk investment," he said. The government is considering whether to legislate to require lenders to release information on SMEs (small and medium enterprises) which they reject for finance, so that they can be identified and approached by alternative credit providers.
"It's the same old Labour offering no plan to secure Britain's future - just more spending, more borrowing and more taxes, exactly what got us into a mess in the first place. The anti-business Labour Party are the biggest risk to the recovery." "The success of small and medium-sized business is key to the government's long-term economic plan," he said.
Speaking on BBC One's Question Time, UKIP MEP Roger Helmer said "the old parties have done a brilliant job in deflecting blame from the political leaders" to utility companies for price rises". "That's why we are fully focused on making sure businesses can get the finance they need to grow and create jobs."
The energy sector has come under great scrutiny in recent months.
Last summer, Mr Miliband used his party conference speech to pledge to freeze energy prices for 20 months if the party wins next year's general election.
But the coalition has warned the plan is unworkable and could even force up tariffs in the meantime.
Both parties this week claimed credit when energy supplier SSE announced it was freezing prices until 2016.