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Trying to freeze utility prices - can a labour supporter please explain how?
Comments
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The number of households switching electricity supplier in the second quarter of the year fell to a record low, government figures show.
Electricity transfers fell 17% to 658,000, the lowest since the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) began the data series.
DECC figures show just 2% of households changed electricity and gas supplier, down from 3% a year ago.
The numbers switching have been falling since 2008.
The number of gas transfers in the second quarter dropped by 14% from a year earlier to 490,000.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24288084
Perhaps consumer apathy reveals that the market isn't working or indeed has hit a relative base below which it cannot easily drop. Hence the reason for the apparent increases to feed shareholder demand rather than hatchet the operation.
Carrying six sets of operational costs, six sets of directors, six sets of shareholders is actually hindering any improvement in efficiency.
Once the switch to DDR and online billing has been made the level of divergence in pricing really comes down to a timing issue so not surprising the initial euphoria has dropped off."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 -
grizzly1911 wrote: »Perhaps consumer apathy reveals that the market isn't working or indeed has hit a relative base below which it cannot easily drop. Hence the reason for the apparent increases to feed shareholder demand rather than hatchet the operation.
There's competition in the market but if consumers don't flex their muscles that's not the fault of the market.
The article does say that less doorstep selling is having an effect and that's good news. Getting a good deal from a doorstep seller is down to luck rather than a detailed analysis of usage and current pricing.0 -
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:
You are no doubt correct - the numbers clearly indicate that the West would be unlikely to be able to face down the OPEC cartel. I daresay Mrs T was presented with similar figures when she was preparing to take on the unions in general, and the miners in particular. She came out on top. Milibean is facing a similarly negative onslaught in the wake of his own 'big idea' about taking on the world's suppliers of energy. But sometimes, ideas are better than numbers. I think it is highly unlikely that Saudi Arabia would stand by for several years whilst London and New York returned to the jungle. Where would their women go shopping !!!!!!? What would be the point of all their wealth if they can no longer jet around the western world looking for things to spend it all on?Surely if it looks like labour will get into power energy prices will double the day before just so they can be sure.
There are already fixed price energy deals which finish in 2015. Look out for an increase in the number of deals which finish in January 2017. The energy companies are under enormous pressure to simplify their tariffs, and if I were an energy company, I would already be making plans to simplify my tariffs to the extent that I can only offer a (very expensive) fixed price tariff ending in January 2017.
TruckerTAccording to Clapton, I am a totally ignorant idiot.0 -
There's competition in the market but if consumers don't flex their muscles that's not the fault of the market.
The article does say that less doorstep selling is having an effect and that's good news. Getting a good deal from a doorstep seller is down to luck rather than a detailed analysis of usage and current pricing.
You are right if people can't be bothered.
If they did all try to change something tells me the deals would hastily be withdrawn.
It does question just how much surplus profit they make out of people not switching as no doubt a proportion of their model must include a percentage taking up cheaper deals.
Doorstep selling without being independent was always going to give some losers who wilted under pressure of a lousy sale."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 -
... I daresay Mrs T was presented with similar figures when she was preparing to take on the unions in general, and the miners in particular. She came out on top....
For one thing, Mrs T had the foresight to stockpile coal in readiness for a strike........ I think it is highly unlikely that Saudi Arabia would stand by for several years whilst London and New York returned to the jungle....
No, they'd wait for the prices to drop, then they'd buy London and New York.:)0 -
For one thing, Mrs T had the foresight to stockpile coal in readiness for a strike.
That's what I meant by 'preparing' to take on the enemy within! If it worked for her then, it could work for us now.
No, they'd wait for the prices to drop, then they'd buy London and New York.:)
They're doing that anyway! And that's even more reason why they would be susceptible to an organised western campaign against rollercoaster oil prices. What would be the attraction of a multi-million pound mansion with no electricity?
TruckerT...According to Clapton, I am a totally ignorant idiot.0 -
You are no doubt correct - the numbers clearly indicate that the West would be unlikely to be able to face down the OPEC cartel.
Gas is imported via pipeline from the Netherlands & Norway. Bulk of LPG is currently shipped in from Qatar.
OPEC appears to have little to fear.
Being interesting to see Milliband take on the Ruskies.0 -
Which it wont. It might get more expensive to extract, but it wont run out.
How do you know this or will the price simply rise so much that only a very uber rich can afford it?"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 -
Thrugelmir wrote: »Gas is imported via pipeline from the Netherlands & Norway. Bulk of LPG is currently shipped in from Qatar.
OPEC appears to have little to fear.
Being interesting to see Milliband take on the Ruskies.
I don't understand!
Gas is not oil, and oil is not gas - as you say, they come down completely different supply chains, and they are used in completely different processes. A gas-burning power station, for example, cannot switch to oil.
The Russians enjoy spending their wealth in the West in the same way as the Saudis do (remember the Cyprus banking collapse?).
I guess it is a bit of a paradox that the West has to 'create' its wealth, using oil, whilst the oil producers get rich just by allowing Westerners to drill holes in their deserts.
The oil-producers then come to the West, with their money, in order to buy the stuff which they don't seem to be able to provide for themselves (despite their inordinate wealth).
Much of the 'stuff' which they crave is created by the oil-dependent western-style 'culture', but they routinely deny the benefits of western-style culture to their own peoples
TruckerTAccording to Clapton, I am a totally ignorant idiot.0
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