RED WALL voters in Wales want the energy industry taken back into public ownership, according to a survey published today.

The research by Unite shows that 58 per cent of voters in Red Wall parliamentary seats — Labour constituencies that turned Tory in 2019 — support taking the energy industry back into public ownership.

Unite also said that if the gas and electricity industries had been in public hands, a staggering £45 billion would have been available to protect consumers from rising world energy prices and they would have paid £1,800 less on their bills.

In addition, inflation would have been 4 per cent lower as a result, the union said.

There was an even bigger majority — 73 per cent -— in favour of public ownership of electricity and gas distribution network the National Grid.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Public ownership of our energy industry is not just crucial for the future of the country but a vote winner across key battleground seats.

“We’ve seen how the 1980s model of selling the family silver has failed — rising prices and crumbling infrastructure for the public, massive profits for the corporations. 

“The public have had enough and it’s time for politicians to choose whose side they are on.”

This week, delegates at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool overwhelmingly backed a Unite motion calling for energy to be taken back into public ownership.

But the party leadership has not given a commitment to include the measure in its next manifesto.

Ms Graham said: “Voters want real change and Labour must grasp that opportunity. It’s time to put people before the profiteers.”