MSE News: We'll freeze energy prices, Ed Miliband tells Labour conference

cepheus

The Labour leader has called the big six's bluff, and he will win despite the desperate scare-mongering his pledge has prompted- debunking the desperate nonsense being talked by the energy companies and their political and media allies.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2013/sep/25/energy-energy?CMP=twt_gu

kar999

MillicentBystander wrote: »

Leader Of Opposition In Vote Buying Scandal Who'd have thunk it, eh? As much chance of this happening when Labour get back in in 2015 as HS2 going ahead. Both ideas are basically silly willy waving. I remember Ed being Energy Minister and being very ineffectual...chose the wrong brother, that party.

neither the party or his fellow mps elected him as leader. The union barons block vote did.

posh*spice

cepheus wrote: »

Looks like this forum has been taken over by shareholders of energy companies and members of the Tory party. Are there any genuine consumers on here which are vaguely representative of the country at large?

This is what real consumers think

Sad isn't it...:(

posh*spice

Pont wrote: »

3) Our Ed, bless him, to wake up and smell the coffee! He can't organise a walk along the beach with his family let alone somehow influence world makets with regards to oil prices. Now if he would have suggested the removal of VAT of fuel bills ......

Ed's little foray into 'grown-up' thinking will cost him - don't give him another 6 months as leader.

9 point jump in the polls for Labour, he's obviously not As thick as you seem to think

Nilrem

cepheus wrote: »

Looks like this forum has been taken over by shareholders of energy companies and members of the Tory party. Are there any genuine consumers on here which are vaguely representative of the country at large?

This is what real consumers think

Opinion polls don't mean **** though when it comes to the facts.

And the facts tend to show that the likes of British Gas don't actually make much profit (as a percentage of the cost) from retail customers (us!).
They tend to make it from their sideline businesses (things like boiler servicing, insurance and the like.

Rather than Silliband's posturing what we, as a country need is simple.

More nuclear power and less faffing around with "green subsidies" where you fit a low efficiency, government subsidies turbine or set of solar panels (which are quite nasty to make for the enviroment...), and we end up paying 2-3 times the retail price for any electricity they put back in the grid...(unlike say coal/gas/nuclear power where the cost per unit put into the grid is below the retail cost...).

We've been running out of generating capacity in the UK for years, we've known this is coming (well anyone capable of looking at how power usage is not going down, but generating capacity has been going down...).

We need more generating capacity ASAP, unfortunately every attempt to get planning permission to build one results in nimbys and idiots protesting it.
The "we'll fix prices" rubbish is not going to help anyone realistically, and will put off the energy companies who are already having doubts about trying to build new plants because of the cost of just getting planning permission (and the bad PR when the camps of "concerned locals" turn up on site for months/years), let alone the cost of actually building it.

I can see this locally - in my area the grid wants to build a new main sub station for the town, from memory they've owned the land (and had the existing main sub station on it for years), and it's been known for decades that is why they had the land.
Cue the letters of concern and protest when they announced that they were going to have to build the new facility because the old one had reached capacity (and blips/cuts were getting more common).

I'm tempted to get a generator and some UPS unit's for my PC, as I can see it becoming necessary within the next few years to protect them, and provide me with light/power for essentials.

Totality

cepheus wrote: »

Looks like this forum has been taken over by shareholders of energy companies and members of the Tory party. Are there any genuine consumers on here which are vaguely representative of the country at large?

This is what real consumers think

So from that link:

• Energy prices seen as biggest threat to economy by UK consumers
• 83% feel energy suppliers maximise profits at expense of customers
• 91% expect energy prices to rise over next 12 months
• 56% agree “energy companies treat people with contempt”

That's all fair enough.

I'd like YouGov to now go out and ask people something along the lines of: "Do you think Ed's proposal will result in the British public paying for the freeze one way or another, either before or after dates given?"

Everybody wants lower gas and electric bills. I still don't think Ed - even if he gets in, which I don't believe he will - can deliver on this pledge without us all getting stiffed somewhere along the line.

jestyenot

Totality wrote: »

Of course I care about that...and my bills cost me a fortune, like they probably do you. I'd love my bills to be frozen or cut.

However, I don't believe there is any chance of the UK getting a genuine prize freeze without paying for it before/after 2015-2017.

Also, a freeze will surely lead to the risk of job cuts, lack of investment etc.

If you're in charge of one of the big power companies this morning, would you be wanting to go ahead with investment in new power stations, infrastructure etc knowing there is a chance that you'll not be able to raise prices in a couple of years?

What have the big 6 been investing back into the industry, they have been putting money into wind farms, we pay for that though through our energy bills but I doubt very much they are or have been investing in new power plants, if they have I have never heard of it, in fact some have moth bald gas producing plants.

Look at E,ON they pulled out of investing in nulclear plants in this country and EDF are trying to blackmail this government to guarantee them double the price for the electricity, which we will again pay for through our bills.

Totality

jestyenot wrote: »

Look at E,ON they pulled out of investing in nulclear plants in this country and EDF are trying to blackmail this government to guarantee them double the price for the electricity, which we will again pay for through our bills.

And the possibility of a price freeze in 2015 is going to lead to even less investment, surely?

cepheus

The problem with the 'catastrophe theory' as I can see it is that energy companies must have spare money if they can afford to pay dividends to shareholders and large salaries to board members, money which could be used on investment or reducing bills. If they weren't paying dividends and the share prices were dwindling like a penny stock I would have some sympathy with this view. They aren't.

This is really what makes me suspicious that most people on this thread are more worried about the stockmarket than energy bills.

Power up: Our energy bills soar - but share holders get £7billion

15 Jul 2012 09:36

EDF paid out the most with £1.87 billion in dividends

ollski

The guy is a pillock, could have chosen to pretend to fix the nhs if he ever got in yet he decides to stifle business instead whose largest expense is the tax and duties the government charges. If you hate utility suppliers so much go and get a couple of lpg bottles and a quick conversion on your appliances (if poss) and a silent petrol generator. Then you will be out of reach of the big 6 and saving money hand over fist i'm sure.