More than 70% of Tory voters back nationalising energy firms who fail to cut prices

An overwhelming majority of Brits believe energy companies should be temporarily nationalised if they can’t slash bills – including 72% of Tory voters, surprise polling shows.

Labour’s plan to freeze the energy price cap until April is also hugely popular among the public – raising awkward questions for Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

A poll released by campaign group 38 Degrees found 86% of the public and 85% Tory voters, are in favour of keeping the cap at its current level of £1,971 – amid bleak forecasts it could otherwise reach £5,500 in the spring.

It comes as the government comes under fire over its shambolic response to the impending catastrophe, with pensioner deaths anticipated to reach “unprecedented” levels and more than 120,000 people calling for an emergency budget now.

And today Tory peer and Asda chairman Lord Rose fumed “nobody is in charge at the moment” as lame duck PM Boris Johnson suns himself in Greece.

The poll, first pubished by The Guardian, showed 73% of Brits back renationalising energy companies which fail to deliver price cuts – including 82% of Labour voters and 72% of Conservative supporters.

This is despite Labour leader Keir Starmer ruling out the move, saying: “If you go down the nationalisation route, then money has to be spent on compensating shareholders.

“And I think in an emergency like this, a national emergency where people are struggling to pay their bills, I think the right choice is for every single penny to go to reducing those bills.”

More than seven out of 10 Tory voters said a windfall tax should be used to provide extra support, while 50% of the public believe more support should be given to those on lower incomes.

Ellie Gellard, strategic director at 38 Degrees, told The Guardian: “You don’t often see polling results send a message as stark as this – sent as loudly from the Conservatives’ own voters as the rest of the country.

“As the leading candidate for PM, Liz Truss is making headlines for her ‘do-nothing’ plan, as the nation she wants to lead faces catastrophe. It’s time she listened to the people she hopes to represent in three weeks’ time.”

Ms Truss – who looks increasingly likely to be the next PM – has pledged an emergency budget if she wins, but her supporters admit this could take weeks to pass.

Lord Rose, former chairman of pro-Remain Britain Stronger in Europe, told the BBC’s Today programme: “We’re going to have an emergency budget, we are told.

“When is the actual effect of that budget going to take place? Are we going to wait till October, November, December? Inflation isn’t sitting there waiting for us.”

He added that a recession is now “inevitable” and said it is crucial to “look after those people who can’t take the hit”.

Labour accused Mr Johnson of having “bailed on the country” as figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the Consumer Prices Index measure of inflation reached 10.1% last month.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “Boris Johnson has once again left Britain in an inexcusable mess.

“He has abdicated his responsibility and bailed on the country, leaving those vying for his job scrapping it out amongst themselves but deafeningly silent on solutions to the challenges our country faces.

“While the British people face a dire cost-of-living crisis, this zombie Conservative Government increasingly resembles a scene from the Night Of The Living Dead.”