Agenda 2019

Another power cut in the Bride Valley. I am an early riser. This morning was no exception and I was forced to grope around the hose in complete darkness due to yet another power cut. When power eventually returned and I was able to access my PC, I sent the following to Scottish Power. "Good morning Scottish Power. For the second time in less than a week, this area has been subjected to a power cut. On both occasions, power was not restored until 05:45 and was certainly "off" for at least 1 hour. Power cuts are common in the Bride Valley area of Dorset, particularly during the later part of the year, specifically late August through to mid to late March. This is particularly galling since the vast majority, if not all of the homes in this area are reliant on electricity as the sole source of energy. There is no pattern to the cuts which can occur at any time of day, or in the instances today and as during this week, at any time of night. If the...

  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/25/scottish-power-warranty-cameron-cable-business-secretary?commentpage=1 Business secretary will address Scottish Power scandal Business secretary Vince Cable   We may all rest comfortably in our beds. Vince is on the case. He will deal with these miscreant Scottish Power people in the same way as he has dealt with all the other privatised power companies that have been ripping people off for the past 30 years. He will take up this long running and still outstanding "cashback promises" matter with Scottish Power, as he has attacked other malpractices in respect of exorbitant price hikes, failure to pass on reductions in wholesale prices of energy, bad service, complicated pricing structures etc. Cable and other gang members on government front bench Vince can be relied on to sort out the problem. He can also be relied on to give away public assets at knock down prices to his friends in the city and to e...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/after-power-furore-now-focus-turns-to-aboveinflation-rises-in-water-bills-8918351.html After power furore, now focus turns to above-inflation rises in water bills The water companies Another of the privatised industries which, according to the pro privatisation propaganda from government at the time "will drive prices down and increase efficiency through increased competition". That fairy tale has been used and repeated frequently over the years for the justification of privatising, not only water but also energy and most recently for Royal Mail. It now seems that the criticisms of privatisation made at the time and the predictions of profiteering and general misconduct by the new companies were and are, more than justified. The wheels are falling off the privatisation wagon and the government are unwilling or perhaps unable to ...

  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/30/david-cameron-inquiry-competition-energy-industry   Cameron calls for immediate inquiry into competition in energy industry David Cameron at PMQ's   Inquiries, reports, debates, select committees etc etc.More prevarication and side stepping of the real issues, by intent and design rather than accident. There is a principle in English law of "res ipsa loquitur" which, when used in the context of the current situation, could be interpreted as an argument for "cut the hot air, rhetoric and the endless chatter, and do what everyone, (except the energy companies and their political co conspirators) knows to be the only solution". Either the energy companies must be controlled by new, effective and legally enforceable legislation, or they must be returned to public ownership. There is no other option so there is nothing to discuss.

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/all-in-it-together-energy-chiefs-feel-heat-from-mps-8911466.html Representatives from Big Six accused of behaving like a 'chorus line acting in concert' as they attempt to justify recent price hikes Energy company bosses at Commons select Committee   The energy companies treat their customers with contempt because nobody is prepared, or able, to stop them. Consumers are unable to take on the companies because energy is a basic need and no matter how often people "switch" suppliers, the end result is ever increasing domestic charges. The political parties are unwilling to legislate to prevent such excesses and in many cases are more likely to actively support the energy companies position in the name of "free markets and competition". The notion of "self regulation" in the supply of energy would be as effective in this market as it has been in any of the other areas where the fox ha...

              http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/david-cameron-under-fire-for-reaction-to-british-gas-fuel-bill-hike-for-almost-8-million-customers-8885944.html David Cameron under fire for reaction to British Gas fuel bill hike for almost 8 million customers Cameron "regrets" this latest piece of energy company extortion, and along with other members of the ConDem coalition clique, advises British Gas customer to switch suppliers. Conveniently, Cameron and his other accomplices fail to mention that switching to another member of the power company cartel, has little if any, real benefit as they all fix their prices to ensure that they all have a "piece of the cake". The fallacy, trotted out by all of the power companies, is that the wholesale prices from their suppliers are increasing and that they have to pass on that increase in order to remain competitive. Perhaps SSE, Br...

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/17/british-gas-_n_4113572.html?utm_hp_ref=uk British Gas Hikes Prices Up By More Than 10%, Adding £120 To Annual Bills This morning, British Gas crawl out of the woodwork, and announce price hikes of 10% for gas and 9% for electricity. The increases are effective from the 23rd of next month The second of the cartel members leap onto the wagon with their parasitic greed prompted justifications for stealing even more money from their customers. The government of course says nothing and does nothing. How much longer will public tolerance put up with these thieves taking money from families, and governments so in the pockets of the industry that they allow such outrageous behaviour to go unchallenged?

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/10/ed-miliband-sse-energy-price-rise   Energy price rise sparks new political row over power bills   Another member of the energy companies cartel, announces price increases way above the level of inflation, which will undoubtedly increase their already obscene levels of profits at the expense of the consumer. This news comes just weeks after a report in the “Guardian” warning consumers that “Energy firms expected to increase prices by 8%” and reported on this Blog on September 21st under the heading of “The energy suppliers cartel prepare to announce big price increases, again.” Even more evidence, if more were actually needed, that these predominately, but not exclusively, foreign owned energy companies, selling the wholesale energy product to themselves through a myriad of murky subsidiaries and associated companies, (each making substantial profits during the process), are out...

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/sep/20/energy-firms-increase-prices Energy firms expected to increase prices by 8%     The energy company cartel preparing everyone for their usual autumn round of extortionate price increases. This time they find another "reason" for ripping off the consumer by blaming "increased cost of environmental levies" as justification. Not content with "selling" energy to themselves through a myriad of different companies with the same ultimate "owner" (thinking that we have not noticed) and then blaming their suppliers for price increases, they now resort to a nebulous concept of environmental levies to defend their avarice. Privatisation may have been good for the companies,and ultimately for the institutional shareholders, but for the consumer it has been an unmitigated disaster. There is little point in following the advice of government ministers (who have their own agenda on this issue) and ...