Do you want to discuss boring politics? (33 Viewers)
- Thread starter mrtrench
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Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon
Well-Known Member
The reporting in general is fucking abysmal, talking about people being paid a 'full-time wage for part-time hours' when taking aim at flexible working arrangements. That isn't how it works and never has been/will be, they know this but also know that people are dumb enough to believe the drivel they print. I've worked in the Civil Service for over a decade now and the way we're being portrayed at present (effectively as the biggest cause of 'wasted' public expenditure is disgusting, i'd not be at all surprised if they're goading for a strike to be called so they can really ramp up the us vs them narrative they're so keen to push.
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
Of course it is disgraceful that some people don't have enough money to meet absolutely essential living costs, especially when our next Prime Minister intends to reduce taxes which won't help such people.
However, this is actually a good initiative, both from an environmental and public well-being perspective and exactly the sort of thing that a competent Government would be promoting and planning. We have lots of big buildings that we have to heat but which are far from fully occupied. Why not save energy by coordinating this? A lot of elderly people would also quite likely benefit from seeing other people which also tackles loneliness which is a major problem with older people. However, under the Tories since Thatcher there is no such thing as society, it's all about helping yourself and don't care about anyone less fortunate.
No this isn't a substitute for dealing with the grotesque inequality we have and which is going to get worse but it is potentially a good initiative for many reasons.
And Tory voters will somehow justify it as a good thing by the government, like they did with foodbanks.
'We've got 10 foodbanks here now, we never had any under bloody Labour!'
It shouldn't be a charity thing. It should be coordinated by Government.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
Mental healthcare has been chaotic for about a decade now. They recon a third of an average police officers job is now dealing with people with mental health issues. Austerity was great wasn’t it.
Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
...except the companies making record profits. Or the government, who could put legislation in place to prevent them profiteering to such a degree.
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
That’s what I implied.
This may be a very naive question, but:
If the profits are so high for fossil fuel companies, doesn’t that suggest the prices could be much lower?
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Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
While I get your point, a competent government wouldn't have let it get to a stage where people had to huddle together for warmth because they can't heat their own homes while energy companies make record profits and the wealthy are being given tax cuts.
And it's not that great a solution because they're still going to have to go home to the cold house eventually, probably during the coldest part of the day. And if they don't have the heating on at all they run the risk of burst pipes etc and all the costs associated with that.
Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
It's one of those things that I feel torn over. I think it's wonderful how these people and organisations are helping people, but at the same time it's because of people like them papering over the gaping chasms that's enabling government to get away with failure of it's duty to it's own citizens.
Imagine if all that charity and goodwill stopped. It wouldn't be long before we had people marching in the streets.
Yeah, massive demand and reduced supply (from Russia) has pushed prices up. there’s no doubt some companies have been profiteering though, especially on oil. I heard earlier that the cost per barrel was recently around same as Feb ($90) but prices at petrol stations are still 30p per litre higher than then, which is a disgrace
I saw a breakdown of the retail energy bills though and the profit per customer was something like £35 (out of say £2k). I’ll see if I can dig out article but it wasn’t crazy. Our household energy bills are obviously capped, they’re high because of wholesale gas prices not through rampant profiteering.
All energy companies get lumped together which isn’t helpful. BP and Shell who have taken the piss don’t provide our gas and electric. Centrica made bigger profits this year but most of that won’t be from standard household energy and it’s nowhere near those other two. I think they’ve committed to re-investing in UK gas storage facilities which is at least some consolation
Lots of household energy companies have gone bust in last 12 months which shows there’s not massive profit in it, especially at the moment
Ps don’t take that as me defending actions of all companies/their profits, I’m not. Some are taking the piss and it’s wrong especially in times like now…hopefully it will come back to bite some. The owner of Iceland has got the right idea. By all accounts he’s accepted margins will be squeezed and is apparently sharing the pain with customers
I think a lot of people (not saying you are one of them!) don't understand the cap.
They see this new update today of £4,266 and think that's the cap - that they can leave their heating on all winter and that's the most they can be charged and not understanding that it's the price per kWh that is capped.
I think that will catch a lot of people out unfortunately
Johnson fucking off on holiday when he finishes next month anyway is inexcusable although unsurprising. People just want to know the government are at least working on an assistance plan. Appreciate it will be for the new PM to decide but you’d hope the treasury are already working on options. An immediate UC inflation uplift in the meantime would’ve helped
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
Well he’s managing to make it about him until the end. ‘You binned me off so I can’t do anything substantial before the new leader comes in’.
skybluejelly
Well-Known Member
This is true , I had to explain this to someone at work who I thought was reasonably intelligent, he was telling me he already pays £3000 a year so with the cap in Oct set at £3700 he will only be paying £700 more ..he then came in next week and said they want to set his direct debits at £600 a monthI think a lot of people (not saying you are one of them!) don't understand the cap.
They see this new update today of £4,266 and think that's the cap - that they can leave their heating on all winter and that's the most they can be charged and not understanding that it's the price per kWh that is capped.
I think that will catch a lot of people out unfortunately
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Well I keep bringing it up but it would be nice to see some international comparisons.
Particularly keen to see whether govt subsidies to end users encourages further price hikes that absorb them.
Edit :Not necessarily our retail suppliers but the market.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
Ah, privitisation eh...
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
They decided to leave the European internal energy market as part of brexit even though we were under no obligation to do so and no one voted for us do so. The effect of this was higher costs for imported electricity, we’re nett importers of electricity and it equates to about 6% of electricity used in the UK. Couple that with the damage brexit has done to the value of the pound meaning gas and oil imports have gotten more expensive, thus making generating electricity more expensive and there’s little doubt that brexit has had an effect on rising energy costs.
Was also reading today that scrapping green energy tariffs is also counter productive even short term as the tariff is being used to transition into renewables which will make us less vulnerable to hikes in gas prices and give us energy security also. Basically the green tariffs are an investment.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
we were much cheaper last year then?
What’s this sourced from?
How UK gas and electricity prices compare to France, Germany and rest of Europe
Brits are facing far higher energy costs this year, but how do our bills compare with our European neighbours?
www.nationalworld.com
Ian1779
Well-Known Member
It says on the image.we were much cheaper last year then?
What’s this sourced from?
How UK gas and electricity prices compare to France, Germany and rest of Europe
Brits are facing far higher energy costs this year, but how do our bills compare with our European neighbours?
Grendel
Well-Known Member
er that’s not an official source but a lot of left leading publications and Ofgem
it’s not true is it?
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
Hmm, France
Over 70% of energy from domestic nuclear power plants
Nuclear power is controlled by state owned companies
Renewables the next largest chunk of the grid
Almost like it's what we should have done all along
Grendel
Well-Known Member
I think it’s more to do with macron having an election and before it freezing energy prices and absorbing £7 billion losses on the purchase of energy. Which in time will be recouped in general taxation
But that's a fairly smart way to do it ,no ?
In the meantime our next potential PM is advocating cutting tax.
Leaving behind a large contingent in our society who exist on £10k or less and fixed incomes where tax cuts won't apply to thier situation.
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
French energy costs have usually been pretty favourable have they not? Which isn't a massive surprise combining state ownership with home grown electricity.
And in paying EDF we're helping them even further
Grendel
Well-Known Member
I’m not against nuclear but many on your side of politics would never encourage it
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
/waves
But tbf, no need to fight battles on my behalf, that's not your usual approach...
Brighton Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
It does put me at odds with most people in left wing circles but the scientist in me understands it's needed to plug the gap while we find a long term energy and fuel solution. France got onto it at the right time and have benefitted. Part of their problem at the moment is the plants are coming to the end of their useful life which will mean some decomissioning and recommissioning needed to keep up supply.