ON January 18 as temperatures plunged below zero, the energy firm E.ON enforced an average 8.7 per cent rise, adding more than £100 a year to the typical family gas and electric bill.

In a properly functioning energy market, consumers would move elsewhere. Yet, where are they to go, given E.ON’s five rivals have already hammered their own customers with similar increases in recent weeks?

Ministers have promised repeatedly to put a stop to the cynical antics of the big six energy firms, who wait for winter to begin, then send their bills rocketing in unison.

Surely something must be done – Cameron & Co must be forced to do something about these modern-day highwaymen.

It’s about time the Queen intervened and forced Cameron & Co to do something. Surely she must read about the hardships done to her ‘loyal’ subjects and given that she must wield quite a bit of power as head of the country, it’s about time something was done to stop the blatant picking of our already empty pockets.

How many more pensioners will freeze to death in their beds before this Government delivers?

C Henson, Ullswater, York.