Labour has criticised the owners of British Gas for warning that a planned energy price freeze by Labour could lead to uncertainty and could raise the spectre “of the lights going out”, according to Centrica chairman Rick Haythornthwaite.

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint said that plans to introduce a 20-month freeze on energy prices should labour come to power after the 2015 election would not result in an energy crisis.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Ms Flint said: "I think Centrica is scaremongering on this issue. I don't think the price freeze is going to contribute to the lights going out."

She added that: “Do they like the price freeze? No, of course they don't. This is about making sure we can give something back and where the price freeze can settle the market."

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