STARMER BRINGS POSITIVE ENERGY

Ministers 'moving at pace' on state-owned firm | Labour leader insists Scots will feel the benefit

- DAN VEVERS & ANDREW QUINN

KEIR Starmer yesterday launched his landmark publicly owned energy firm - set to be headquartered in Scotland vowing it "will drive down bills" for struggling families.

In a major speech, the PM revealed the new Labour Government is "moving at pace" to establish GB Energy - a key manifesto pledge which will be backed with £8.3billion of taxpayers' cash.

Starmer said: "This will drive down bills. It gives us energy independence.

"It will take time before we're able to get the benefits of clean power but that's why we're moving at pace."

He reaffirmed his pledge that the state-owned firm will help slash bills by up to £300 a year for households eventually - after recent confusion over the commitment.

But the Prime Minister warned it could be some years before Scots feel the benefit, saying "problems that have been left to fester for years" in the energy sector cannot be fixed overnight.

He hit out at the previous government, claiming "every day" his administration is finding "more mess" that the Tories left behind.

Starmer was speaking in northwest England as legislation to establish GB Energy was brought to the House of Commons.

It came as there was doubt about the previous Labour pledge to help cut household bills by £300 a year.

The figure was missing from the official announcement of the new plans and Downing Street repeatedly declined to use it when asked yesterday whether it was committed to the number.