Activists burn energy bills in Brighton Don't Pay protest

More than a hundred people gathered by the Clock Tower in North Street, Brighton, for the protest by the Don’t Pay campaign, which calls for a national energy bills strike.

Protesters carried banners which said “can’t afford to live” and “freeze profit, not people” as a range of speakers addressed the crowd.

One activist criticised the government’s recent actions and said: “I have never, in all my life, seen such an attack on the working class, the poor and the dispossessed.

“This government we’ve got now is one of the most right-wing conservative governments we have ever had.

“We are in danger and they are coming for us. However, if there are a million of us, we will win.”

Activists and campaigners held banners and chanted during the protest at the Clock Tower (Image: Newsquest)

People threw a range of electricity and gas bills into a fire in protest at an increase in the energy price cap, which came into force today.

Average household energy bills will rise from £1,971 to £2,500 under the increase, which hikes the maximum price that can be charged for each unit of gas and electricity.

The protest was part of a “day of action” by the campaign group, which saw more than 20 towns and cities across the country take part in demonstrations against the hike in energy bills.

A spokesman for Don’t Pay said: “Millions of us simply won’t be able to keep our heads above water and many will freeze when the weather turns cold.

“That is an unacceptable reality when energy companies like Shell and BP are expected to make over £170 billion in excess profit in the next two years”.

Campaigners threw their energy bills into a roaring fire in the centre of Brighton during a protest (Image: Newsquest)

The campaign aims to attract the support of one million people to take part in a national energy bills strike.

However, the government has criticised the campaign as “highly irresponsible” and said that non-payment of bills would “ultimately only push up prices for everyone else and affect personal credit ratings”.

The protest followed a march through the city by the Enough is Enough campaign, which calls for a real-terms increase in pay, cuts to energy bills and tax hikes for the wealthy.