Commenting after the National Grid issued its second gas alert in three days, Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes said: “Supply alerts caused by this winter’s harsh weather are a clear reminder of the need to shift our energy policy to dependence on renewables not Russia.

“The Government has admitted the UK needs more gas storage, but precautionary action from the National Grid doesn’t mean a national crisis.

“Factories who signed up to interruptible contracts were more than happy to take the cheaper prices they got as a payoff.”