The UK Government was under renewed pressure last night to overhaul the electricity market to slash bills for families in the north and north-east.
Highland SNP MP Ian Blackford tabled a motion at Westminster demanding an end to the regional pricing system for power than penalises northern Scotland.
The text of the motion – which has been supported by 18 MPs already – highlights the “unacceptable levels of fuel poverty” in the region, and calls for a universal market for energy in the UK, similar to postal services.
However, a dozen SNP MPs from the central belt may face questions after backing the motion – because ministers and regulators have indicated that a move to flat, national charging system would lead to higher bills for their constituents in southern Scotland.
Labour also questioned what action the SNP Scottish Government was taking to ease pressure on consumers north of the border.
The Press and Journal last year launched a campaign for an overhaul of the market amid fury that northern Scotland – including all of Grampian and the Highlands and islands – pay the highest bills in the UK.
Changes have since been proposed by regulators and the previous coalition government, but new Energy Secretary Amber Rudd last week gave a luke-warm response to demands for reform, saying “there are fuel-poor consumers throughout Great Britain”.
Mr Blackford, the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, pledged to keep the pressure on ministers last night.
“For me there’s a basic issue of fairness – the fact that people in the windiest and wettest part of the UK are paying the highest prices is just totally unacceptable,” he said.
“My job is to campaign for people in the constituency on issues such as this, and keep the pressure up on the UK Government.”
Lewis Macdonald, Labour MSP for the north-east, said: “It’s very easy for the SNP to put the onus on someone else, but actually they’ve got to take responsibility themselves.
“The difficulty we have in Scotland is getting the Scottish Government to put its money where its mouth.”