David Cameron's energy pledge branded 'combishambles'

David Cameron’s promise to legislate so energy companies have to give customers the lowest tariff was dubbed a “combishambles” as it plunged into further confusion today.

Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey failed to repeat the Prime Minister’s pledge when probed on it today.

Downing Street faced accusations of backtracking after stressing the energy Bill this autumn would put the obligation on the energy companies “to offer” the lowest tariffs to more people.

Energy minister John Hayes, summoned to the Commons to explain the policy, all but admitted that he had not know about Mr Cameron’s announcement before he made it.

Mr Hayes added to the puzzlement by referring to both an aim to get “lower” and “lowest” tariffs.

The row was being tagged “#combishambles” on Twitter after the Budget so-called “omnishambles” which hit the Coalition.

Business chiefs criticised the confusion and Labour claimed it was “Thick of It” style bungling, causing chaos in the energy industry.

Consumer group Which? urged the Prime Minister not to backtrack on the pledge. The furore was sparked by Mr Cameron telling Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday: “We will be legislating so that energy companies have to give the lowest tariff to their customers.”

But government officials or ministers were unable to explain how this goal would be achieved. Mr Davey stopped short of giving such a firm promise as Mr Cameron. He told the BBC: “I’ve been working with the Deputy Prime Minister and others, working with the energy companies, to try to drive more competition, to get them to agree that they will tell their customers what are the best available tariffs, so customers can save money.”

Quizzed in the Commons whether he had been told of Mr Cameron’s announcement, Mr Hayes said: “Of course we understood what the Prime Minister was considering because we have been debating and discussing the provision of the Energy Bill for months.”

But shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint accused Mr Cameron of “throwing energy policy” into confusion and causing “chaos” in the industry. “It’s like something out of the Thick of It,” she said.