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Trying to freeze utility prices - can a labour supporter please explain how?
Comments
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Perhaps he's finally got sick of sharing power with corrupt self interested right wing bigots.;)And where is the "Business Secretary" in all of this? If he was of any use whatsoever Vince Cable should have been all over the media in the last couple of days pointing out all the things wrong with Labour's attack on the Energy Companies. AFAIK he hasn't said a word.
The reason of course, is that Cable is even more left-wing than Miliband & this is exactly the sort of measure he'd love. He'll keep quiet while he considers his options to try to take over the Libs & lead them into coalition with Labour, who he is very clearly courting.
A disgrace of a business secretary, the most overrated politician in memory and the worst thing about the coalition. A socialist at heart, but one with no principals who happily went into coalition with his hated enemies at the first opportunity because he couldn't resist a bit of power.0 -
I just don't understand how a 20 month freeze is seen as the introduction of soviet style marxism. The energy companys have been shafting us for years. There is no true market at present and competition has clearly not benefitted the average joe. Labour will put a new regulatory framework in place. Far too many Daily Mail readers here who are actually spouting out their own prejudices against any policy which is vaguely left of centre.Graham_Devon wrote: »I just don't get why labour have done this.
They don't have a great reputation on the economy anyway. And now, the headlines are reading "Ed Milliband in Economic Vandalism".
It's probably one of the worst things I've seen to come from a party conference.
The overarching idea of reducing energy bills is great, but this is so full of holes it's absurd.
I honestly think on this one they haven't thought about the detail, only thought about how it might raise some votes and cheers and have seemingly shot themselves in the foot. Big speech, little or no detail in the hope of confusing people and gaining support on the back of cost of living pressures.0 -
grizzly1911 wrote: »It does of course benefit you and I that they CBA. If the majority switched they would not be able to offer the lower prices to us.
Many older people do not have the ability to switch or manage on line. There are no doubt many more that are stuck with prepayment charging at penal rates.
Oh I understand that the people that don't switch are effectively cross subsidising me. The reduction in tariffs and increase in price promises etc. are not good for me as the really great deals have disappeared to help fund those that 'the man' has decided are too stupid to take responsibility for themselves.
Older people and the vulnerable will have found it more difficult to get the best deals. My brother and I sort out the oldies in our family. I think getting schools involved in helping old people with this sort of thing would be a win win.0 -
All very well but there are a lot of single elders who don't have this support. In any event as a market driven mechanism it doesn't work as it is now.Oh I understand that the people that don't switch are effectively cross subsidising me. The reduction in tariffs and increase in price promises etc. are not good for me as the really great deals have disappeared to help fund those that 'the man' has decided are too stupid to take responsibility for themselves.
Older people and the vulnerable will have found it more difficult to get the best deals. My brother and I sort out the oldies in our family. I think getting schools involved in helping old people with this sort of thing would be a win win.0 -
if everyone switched to the lowest tariff then the other companies would have to reduce their prices or go out of business
then there would only be one price which would prove that the market was rigged.0 -
All very well but there are a lot of single elders who don't have this support. In any event as a market driven mechanism it doesn't work as it is now.
They could just pick up the 'phone to Uswitch? If the electorate felt it was so important to have fixed prices for a year 99% could have that fix by this afternoon.
The 1% that are unable to participate in the market are the people that need help and where policy should continue to be directed. Formulating policy assuming that we all fit in the 1% is rather patronising in my view.
If people want to waste money and can't be bothered to participate that's their problem; presumably we're talking about fully grown adults that no longer need babysitting. These new power stations aren't going to build themselves - consumer apathy might help fund them.
I'm perfectly happy for the less astute to subsidise my utility bills, free banking, dividend payments, savings interest, cheap mortgage and so on. If they're vulnerable in some way then they need some help but otherwise leave them to it.0 -
if everyone switched to the lowest tariff then the other companies would have to reduce their prices or go out of business
then there would only be one price which would prove that the market was rigged.
Would the companies allow everyone to switch.?
Wouldn't they simply withdraw the deals when they felt the take up was destroying their model?
Across their tariffs they are not going to sell at a loss."If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....
"big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham0 -
Older people and the vulnerable will have found it more difficult to get the best deals. My brother and I sort out the oldies in our family..
Yes I have done the same. I don't mind doing the deal but explaining the !!!!!!!g changes to them does my head in.All very well but there are a lot of single elders who don't have this support. In any event as a market driven mechanism it doesn't work as it is now.
That is a valid point even when they do have support they don't all embrace change, After all "that nice British Gas has been supplying me for years and they also service my boiler each year too, surely I can trust them".
How much does all this switching add to all of our bills? Administartion charges to open and close accounts, dealing with queries that arise, bunging the comparison sites money out of which they pass on £30 or half a case of acidic plonk back to us. Would say £100 a time be a reasonable ball park figure?"If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....
"big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham0 -
What evidence do you base that statement on?I just don't understand how a 20 month freeze is seen as the introduction of soviet style marxism. The energy companys have been shafting us for years. There is no true market at present and competition has clearly not benefitted the average joe. Labour will put a new regulatory framework in place. Far too many Daily Mail readers here who are actually spouting out their own prejudices against any policy which is vaguely left of centre.0 -
I.... Just as the oil-producing countries have a cartel (OPEC) which sets availability, and therefore price, it should be possible for the western world to set up a similar purchasers' cartel in order to protect themselves. ...
A very cunning plan.
Unfortunately, whereas Saudi Arabia (for example) could happily not sell oil for a number of years without any discomfort whatsoever, (it's got a $641 billion sovereign wealth fund as a useful back up) most of the western world wouldn't last six weeks without a steady supply of the black stuff.
Are you angling for a job on the Milibean's policy team.:rotfl:0
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