Liz Truss has defended earnings at energy companies amid soaring price rises, saying profits should not be considered “dirty and evil”.
The Tory leadership hopeful said windfall taxes on profits – urged by some to fund help for households – were about “bashing business”.
She said cutting taxes was the best way to help with living costs over winter.
But rival Rishi Sunak said millions would be left at risk of destitution without more energy payments.
He has proposed spending billions on further payments to pensioners and the low paid over winter, arguing tax cuts won’t help them enough.
Mr Sunak has also written in The Times to confirm he would be willing to borrow to fund this cost as a “last resort”, if they cannot be found through finding “savings across Whitehall” or cuts to government spending.
How best to respond to surging energy prices has become a key battleground in contest to replace Boris Johnson as UK prime minister in September.
