Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are to pledge cheaper gas and electricity bills for voters as energy becomes the first battleground of the election campaign.
As Ofgem are set to announce a decrease in the energy price cap on Friday, both the Conservatives and Labour claim householders will be better off under their governments.
The Tories said they would keep the energy price cap in every year of the next parliament and introduce improved customer service to help consumers find cheaper energy bills and drive up competition.
On a visit to Scotland, Mr Starmer will pledge that household bills will come down “for good” under his government with the creation of Great British Energy, an energy generation company he previously pledged to form to invest in clean power.
The Labour leader will also tell Scottish voters that by choosing his party on 4 July they would be sending a Labour government to Westminster.
Analysis from Cornwall Insight has forecast a 7 per cent cut in the energy price cap for a typical household on a default tariff for the three months from July.
The Conservatives pledge a “new deal with energy suppliers” which will help consumers find the cheapest deals, with the help of price comparison websites.
A Tory government would also work with Ofgem to produce a league table of energy firms based on customer complaints, waiting times and responses.
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Labour does not have a serious approach to Britain’s energy security and they aren’t honest about the costs that their reckless net zero targets would place on households.
“Thanks to our bold action, energy bills are at their lowest in two years, now we’re telling suppliers to put consumers first and bring real competition back to the market – cutting bills further and improving customer service.
“Only the Conservatives have a clear plan for a secure future where we reach net zero without punishing families with extra costs.”
But ahead of Mr Starmer’s campaign visit to Scotland, alongside Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Labour said consumers were paying £400 more for energy than in 2021. Ofgem are forecast to announce bills will be £1,574 for a typical household.
Mr Starmer will also say there is a “need for a new feeling in politics” and Scottish voters have the opportunity to “turn the page on 14 years of Tory Government and the failed SNP, and to chart a new course for the country”.
Great British Energy will be a new publicly-owned power company that will invest in clean energy to cut bills and boost energy security.
The Labour leader will say: “After 14 years of Tory chaos, people across Scotland are desperate for change. Families are picking up the tab of 14 years of Tory energy failure and are expected to remain a staggering £400 a year worse off under the new price cap.
“We can’t just send a message in this election, we must send a government – but we can only do that if we rebuild trust and chart a new course for the country.
“The Labour Party is humbly asking for the opportunity to change the country. To serve the entire country. To be clear, there is no national renewal without a strong Scotland. There is no Labour without Scotland. There is no changed Britain without Scotland.”
In response to the Tories’ pledge on energy, a Labour spokesperson said: “After 14 years of failed Conservative energy policy, all Rishi Sunak has left to offer is a bunch of empty buzzwords, none of which will do anything to bring down energy bills for hardworking families.
“This is not a plan – this is a call for evidence, a set of options, two consultations, a copy and paste job from an old letter, and lots of wishful thinking. The Tories grand idea after 14 years in power is to ask the public if their energy bills are too high.”