Agenda 2019

  Inflated direct debit from consumers really is a nice little earner.   EDF are really a bunch of wide boys who would be very much at home dressed in sharp suits, dark shirts, white ties and wearing spats on their shoes, selling stockings, perfume and other assorted nick knacks from an open suitcase, whilst looking around for the possible arrival of a bobby on the beat. They were insisting that I should pay more than the usual £96 per month direct debit which had been the norm for some months. I was on their "best tariff" they said. I switched supplier and have just had my tariff reduc ed to £33 (from £38) per month direct debit. We have the same or broadly similar consumption as in the past (the cottage is all electric) and even after the winter there seems to have been no change to the amount of electricity used. Either global warming has taken effect with our cottage is getting warmer and using less electricity to cook, or EDF have be...

  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/11/16/switch-energy-firms_n_4289042.html?utm_hp_ref=uk  Energy Secretary said: "Switching is one of the best ways that people can force the Big Six to compete on price and take control of their energy bills". Energy Secretary Ed Davey    Ed Davey says that "......... 'Big Six' Can Be Forced To Compete On Price" This blockhead clearly lives on a different planet to the rest of us. A planet where privatised companies especially power companies, are philanthropic organisations, responding to the whims of their customers and vigorously competing with each other by reducing their prices and improving their services. There is no such thing as an energy company cartel and customers are  of prime importance, rather than victims acting as "cash cows" for the rapacious companies. It must be a very pleasant place in Mr Davey's world. I wonder what colour the sky is.

  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/27/energy-companies-tax-avoidance_n_4167501.html?utm_hp_ref=uk#comments  Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has sent a tough message to energy firms over their tax avoidance, telling them: 'Stop it.'The energy firms must be shaking in their boots with fear of the mighty Alexander. Or perhaps more likely to be laughing into their Champagne cocktails at the thought of this inept Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury having the front to threaten them.   Like someone once said "Being threatened by Danny Alexander, is rather similar to being savaged by a dead sheep"

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2013/04/29/ed-miliband-these-are-the-six-bills-labour-would-push-right-now/#comment-444521 Ed Miliband: these are six economic Bills Labour would push right now Ed Miliband will today set out six of the key economic Bills that would appear in a Labour Queen’s Speech next week.   Sorry Ed. Just more of the same old tinkering with the problem.There is nothing here to inspire me to rejoin or vote for the Labour Party. Try these instead. Housing: Local Councils in conjunction with Housing associations, to commence building of social housing for rent. Banking: Retain existing publicly owned Banks within public and  re nationalise Bank of England. New State controlled bank(s) to provide low cost (interest) loans to small business employing less than 500 employees. Energy: To take back into public ownership the providers of Gas and electricity and water. Transport: To return to public ownership the former elements of British ...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/big-fuel-firms-accused-of-gas-price-fixing-8307326.html   The big power companies have been accused of fixing gas prices. The claims have come in the week that customers of British Gas are facing bill hikes of 6 per cent.   Gas price manipulation The parasite banks conspired to manipulate and fix rates, so there should be no surprise in learning that the parasite energy companies conspire to fix their rates as well. The incredible thing is that, as in the case of the banks, there will be no consequences for the conspirators, as someone will eventually say "sorry" and the whole matter will be forgotten. Status quo will be the norm and the consumers will continue to be ripped off by some new scam. People will sooner or later realise that these privatised companies are ripping off their customers with questionable price fixing and in many cases criminal conspiracies. There is no such thing as a philanthropic...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ios-investigation-the-great-british-energy-ripoff-8219565.html The main "players"   Three decades after privatisation, monopoly power is still king Confirming what many of us have been arguing for years. The question is "What do government, and the next government, who ever that may be, intend to do about it?" There is no indication that any of the parties have the inclination to produce effective measures to produce a solution, or the  political will to take on the energy cartels. In my view, the answer is as plain as the nose on your face.Take the energy companies, both the suppliers and the wholesale producers into public ownership.