A WAR of words has erupted between Labour Parliamentary candidate Calum Higgins and Plaid AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas after Labour lost a crucial vote in the House of Commons over its plan to freeze energy prices for 20 months.

Mr Higgins, recently unveiled as his party's choice to fight the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr seat at the 2015 General Election, slammed Plaid for failing to back the move to freeze gas and electricity prices in the UK.

“Not even bothering to turn up to the vote brings back memories of 1997 when Plaid MPs couldn’t be bothered to stay late and vote for the introduction of a minimum wage," he said. "They keep saying they are the party of Wales but their voting records tell a whole other picture.”

But Mr Thomas maintained his party had abstained out of principle. "We have proposed an energy solution which benefits everyone suffering the rising cost of living," he said.

“By simply adding his name to a press release template from London, Labour’s candidate demonstrates that he has absolutely no understanding of the communities he seeks to represent."

Labour's proposal was rejected by 295 votes to 237 votes at the end of a debate on the pledge announced by leader Ed Miliband at the party's conference.

“Failing to support lower energy prices show just how out of touch Plaid are," said Mr Higgins. "Every week I speak to people concerned about the rising cost of living, worried that prices are rising faster than wages.

"When Ed Miliband delivered his speech on the cost of living crisis that plagues our communities I was shocked that since 2011, the wholesale cost of energy has risen 1.6 per cent each year on average while bills from the big six have risen 10.4 per cent each year."

But, in a swift counter-attack, Mr Thomas derided Labour's move as "a sticking plaster approach" which would do little to benefit the majority of households in the constituency.

“We want to break the energy cartel which the Labour party created and establish a new energy company – a nationalised energy company for Wales –which will save households money every single year," he added.

"Unlike Labour, we are not prepared to risk longer-term higher prices for the sake of short-term populism."