Trying to freeze utility prices - can a labour supporter please explain how?

Fella

Labour conference has surprised me. I thought they'd at least pretend that if they got in they would have some decent policies. Instead we get this nonsense re utilities, more banker-bashing, more child-care, higher corporation tax etc. Nothing but divisive, destructive fiddling. Not a single policy to actually help the real economy or help businesses, which is what actually leads to people being better off in the long run. A truly dismal effort. They must be almost glad that most of the news this week was overshadowed by the confirmation from McBride that Gordon Brown was everything we always knew he was.

Fella

Alister Heath on this topic:

http://www.cityam.com/article/1380069485/miliband-s-lurch-left-recipe-disaster?utm_source=website&utm_medium=TD_EditorsLetter_Homepage&utm_campaign=TD_EditorsLetter_Homepage

chucknorris

Has this hit the share prices of the utility companies? I'm just wondering if there might be some value here as share prices can sometimes over react.

wotsthat

I've been a labour voter in the past and can't see how this would work.

Labour have taken a good step towards losing the next election this week. They've been even more ineffective at holding the government to account than the conservatives in opposition.

Opinion polls show they are not seen as credible on the economy so they're having to focus on more defined areas. Falling wages since 2010 is a real issue but this measure just shows how out of touch they are - no one believes this can be done or will happen.

Good for the conservatives too. Would any thinking right winger really vote for UKIP knowing it increases the chances of Labour being in government.

Labour have missed the chance to rectify their error of choosing Ed Milliband as leader and unless he's filmed running in front of a bus to save a baby and one legged pensioner people just aren't going to warm to him.

Moby

michaels wrote: »

Genuine question, how could utility prices be frozen, will the companies receive a tax subsidy when international gas prices exceed what the gas can be sold for or will the companies be forced in some way to sell at a loss? What happens when they go bankrupt?

There are labour supporters on this board, please explain it.

The utilities have been making huge profits for shareholders and their investment in new technology is simply not good enough. 20 months of frozen rises is not going to hurt them too much .....despite what they say. Labour will use the space to impose a new regulatory framework and it will allow more smaller companies into the market.

Moby

Fella wrote: »

Labour conference has surprised me. I thought they'd at least pretend that if they got in they would have some decent policies. Instead we get this nonsense re utilities, more banker-bashing, more child-care, higher corporation tax etc. Nothing but divisive, destructive fiddling. Not a single policy to actually help the real economy or help businesses, which is what actually leads to people being better off in the long run. A truly dismal effort. They must be almost glad that most of the news this week was overshadowed by the confirmation from McBride that Gordon Brown was everything we always knew he was.

I could have written that post for you mate knowing your views!:)

Enterprise_1701C

My immediate thoughts on hearing this? If I was a utility company I would put the prices up massively on the eve of the next election.

The only ambition of labour is the ruination of the country, they almost finished it last time, if they are allowed in again next time they will finish it and we will become nothing more than a blot on the landscape of a European superstate.

silvercar

So if prices are going to be frozen, there is no point picking a higher fixed price tariff now, or am I missing something?

Moby

Enterprise_1701C wrote: »

My immediate thoughts on hearing this? If I was a utility company I would put the prices up massively on the eve of the next election.

The only ambition of labour is the ruination of the country, they almost finished it last time, if they are allowed in again next time they will finish it and we will become nothing more than a blot on the landscape of a European superstate.

They wouldn't be allowed to do this because of the present regulatory system.
I feel pretty ruined by the self interested privileged scum that are in govmt now.

CLAPTON

presumably the current energy policy framework is the one that was created by the last labour energy minister a certain Ed Milliband