PENSIONERS MAY BE FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HEATING AND EATING

5.14.00pm GMT Sun 10th Jan 2010

As temperatures plunge and winter bites Newcastle pensioners may be forced to choose between heating their home and eating.

And rising energy bills mean that thousands of local pensioners are facing another tough winter.

Newcastle Lib Dem campaigner Ron Beadle is fighting for action to end this appalling situation.

"This kind of thing just shouldn't be happening in modern Britain," he said.

"Gordon Brown and his Labour Government should hang their heads in shame.

"It's time to end the terrible injustice and give our pensioners the dignity and comfort they truly deserve."

Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems are demanding a cut in prices for the poorest customers from the energy companies.

They also want energy companies to fund a new insulation programme for pensioners and less well off families.

Ron Beadle added: "The energy companies have made whopping profits at our expense. It's time they did their bit for their poorest customers.

"It's just crazy that poorer pensioners and families end up paying the highest rates for electricity and gas supplies."

Earlier this year Conservative and Labour MPs, including Doug Henderson, failed to support the Lib Dem-sponsored Fuel Poverty Bill, which would have helped insulate people's homes and reduce

fuel bills.

In Newcastle the city council has been leading the way in insulating people's homes with the Newcastle Warm Zone scheme.

"The Lib Dem plan will help us in Newcastle do even more to reduce fuel poverty," Ron Beadle added.