Reform UK's Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf has ridiculed the removal of VAT on electricity bills as delivering a meagre 82p weekly saving for some households, describing it as "the price of a pack of Sainsbury's celery." In a post on X that quickly gained traction, Yusuf contrasted new Prime Minister Andy Burnham's flagship first policy announcement with continued foreign aid spending, claiming Burnham is "sending £155 million to Pakistan" while offering households little more than pocket change. He further branded the new premier "Starmer in jeans." The accompanying image showed a modest bunch of celery.
Government Figures Confirm Modest Savings
Government figures put the VAT cut—taking the rate from 5% to zero on domestic electricity from October 1—at around £45 a year for a typical household based on Ofgem's current price cap. This equates to roughly 86p per week, broadly aligning with Yusuf's 82p figure depending on exact consumption and tariff details. The policy is projected to cost the Exchequer £850 million in 2026/27 and will apply only to electricity, not gas, for dual-fuel households.
Critics described the move as a "positive statement of intent" and "totemic" but insufficient against high winter bills and expected price cap pressures. Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert noted limited practical impact, while consumer groups called for broader action on levies, debt relief, and market reform.
Funding Questions and Political Fallout
The funding has drawn immediate fire. Darren Jones, sacked as chief secretary to the Treasury, highlighted that the scrapped digital ID scheme—previously estimated at £1.8 billion over three years—was itself unfunded, relying on unidentified Whitehall savings. Chancellor John Healey insisted the reprioritisation covers the cost this year and will help ease inflation by about 0.1%.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch piled on: "It's only one day into Mr Burnham's Government and already the explanations are falling apart. You can't use the funding from an unfunded programme to pay for cheaper bills." The announcement came as Burnham purged several Starmer allies from Cabinet, appointing loyalists including Louise Haigh as First Secretary of State and Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary. It follows his promise of "breathing space" for families amid cost-of-living strains.
Symbolic Jab and Broader Context
Yusuf's jab evokes the infamous Liz Truss lettuce saga, framing Burnham's early move as similarly lightweight. With energy prices volatile due to global factors, including Middle East tensions, the row underscores deep scepticism over whether this first act delivers meaningful relief or merely political optics.
